It is planned to return to the Moon in 2026. It will be the first mission in more than 50 years. It is interesting that the spacesuit intended for this mission was developed by the company "Axioma Space" together with the Italian fashion house Prada.
This time, the astronauts will not be able to complain about the lack of style in such an important mission.
Image from: media.rnztools.nz
Prada has opened a new page in its history book when it presented in Milan on October 16th the design of the space suit developed with "Axiom Space", which will be used for NASA's Artemis 3 mission to the moon, planned for 2026.
In its external appearance, the space suit does not deviate too much from what astronauts have worn in the past. It is the recognizable oversized white suit with added red trim and gray patches on the knees and elbows.
The new "Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit" (AxEMU), as the spacesuit is called, was demonstrated at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan. It aims to combine highly engineered functionality and aesthetics to cope with challenging lunar conditions.
Artemis 3 is planned to be the first astronaut landing on the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972.
The suits were made to withstand extreme temperatures at the moon's south pole and withstand the coldest temperatures in the permanently shadowed regions for at least two hours, the two companies said in a joint statement.
AxEMU has already undergone extensive testing, including underwater to simulate the lunar environment. It is entering the final stages of development, the two companies said.
"I'm very proud of the result we're showing today, which is just the first step in a long-term collaboration with Axiom Space," Prada marketing director Lorenzo Bertelli said in a statement.
Matt Ondler, president of Axiom Space, said the design was enhanced by combining the skills of employees from both groups.
"Innovation really happens when we bring together different teams, different backgrounds, different educations, different skills," Ondler said.
As the space exploration and tourism industries develop, luxury brands are exploring potential partnerships.
Last month, French fashion house Pierre Cardin unveiled an astronaut tracksuit for use at the European Space Agency's center in Cologne.