Nasa and US company Axiom Space have presented a prototype of new space suits developed for the Artemis 3 mission, which is planned to see a woman and a person of color land on the moon for the first time. The suits, which are expected to be more comfortable and offer better protection than those currently used, include a helmet with cameras and lamps, a visor, boots and a backpack containing a life support system. The suits feature improved sizing and adjustability, with hard and soft joints allowing astronauts to perform research tasks more precisely and with less effort.
A first set of the suits is due to be provided for training purposes later this summer, with a maiden launch to the moon planned for 2025. The Artemis program also involves plans for flights to Mars, the construction of the Gateway space station, and the establishment of a base camp on the moon. The new suits are being developed by Axiom Space after the company won a $228.5m contract last September, having beaten the competing bid from US firm Collins Aerospace.
