Nasa astronauts will be strutting the moon in style in 2025.
Axiom Space, a private space infrastructure developer, recently revealed that it will be developing Nasa’s space suits for an upcoming moon mission in 2025 with the luxury Italian fashion designer, Prada.
According to the press release issued by Axiom Space, Prada’s expertise, materials and manufacturing will help bring the new moon suits to life.
It isn’t only style that prompted NASA to rope in Prada – the brand was chosen for its expert design experience on and beyond the runway. Professor Jeffrey Hoffman – who flew five NASA missions and has carried out four spacewalks – is quoted by the BBC:
“Prada has considerable experience with various types of composite fabrics and may actually be able to make some real technical contributions to the outer layers of the new space suit,”
Professor Hoffman adds that people should not expect NASA’s astronauts to be prancing around the moon in paisley, or any other fashionable patterns for that matter:
“Maintaining a good thermal environment is really the critical thing”
“A spacesuit is really like a miniature spacecraft. It has to provide pressure, oxygen, keep you at a reasonable temperature,” he adds.
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In the press release announcing Axiom’s collaboration with Prada, a prototype of the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) ie. moon suit, was shared:
“Shown here is the current white cover layer of the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) spacesuit prototype. Prada’s engineers will work alongside the Axiom Space systems team throughout the design process, developing solutions for materials and design features to protect against the unique challenges of space and the lunar surface.”
Axiom Space
Prada Group’s marketing director, Lorenzo Bertelli, said the company is “honoured to be a part of this historic mission with Axiom Space.” continuing:
“The constantly forward-thinking ethos of Prada for humanity has broadened to his desire of adventure and to brave new horizons: space,”
“Our decades of experimentation, cutting-edge technology and design know-how — which started back in the ’90s with Luna Rossa challenging for the America’s Cup — will now be applied to the design of a spacesuit for the Artemis era. It is a true celebration of the power of human creativity and innovation to advance civilisation.”
The suits are slated to be worn on the upcoming Artemis III mission in 2025.
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Feature Image: Axiom Space
