Prada and Axiom Space Launches Astronaut Spacesuit for NASA’s Artemis III moon mission: Details
Prada spacesuits
By Himani Jha | Updated Oct 17, 2024, 1:02 PM IST
In an innovative partnership, space exploration firm Axiom Space and luxury fashion brand Prada have unveiled a specially made astronaut spacesuit that will be worn by astronauts on NASA's Artemis III mission to the Moon. The spacesuit's external design is similar to what astronauts have historically worn. Check out all details here.
High-end fashion label Prada and Axiom Space has launched a new spacesuit designed specifically for NASA's Artemis III moon mission to the moon slated for 2026.. The white suits, which were unveiled Wednesday at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan, have stone-gray patches on the knees and elbows and a cropped torso. The designs do feature red accent lines across the forearms, waist, and "portable life system backpacks," which pay homage to Prada's sub-brand, Linea Rossa, despite being glaringly devoid of branding or logos.
The spacesuit's external design does not deviate significantly from what astronauts have historically worn. It's the same old heavy white suit, with grey patches on the knees and elbows and red trim added.
The suit, called the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU), was unveiled at the Milan International Astronautical Congress. It seeks to address difficult lunar conditions by fusing highly engineered functionality and aesthetics.
Since Apollo 17 in 1972, Artemis 3 is scheduled to be the first astronaut to land on the moon.
According to a joint statement from the two companies, the spacesuits were designed to survive the coldest temperatures in the permanently shaded areas for at least two hours and the extreme temperatures at the lunar south pole.
The spacesuit is claimed to enable astronauts to perform spacewalks for a minimum of eight hours. Numerous tests, including one conducted underwater to replicate the lunar environment, have already been conducted on the AxEMU. The two businesses stated that it is getting close to the last stage of development.
Lorenzo Bertelli, the chief marketing officer at Prada, said in a statement, "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." Combining the expertise of employees from the two groups improved the design, according to Matt Ondler, president of Axiom Space. "When we put diverse teams together, with diverse backgrounds, educations, and skills, innovation really comes," he added.
Luxury brands are looking into potential collaborations as the tourism and space exploration sectors grow.
The spacesuit's external design does not deviate significantly from what astronauts have historically worn. It's the same old heavy white suit, with grey patches on the knees and elbows and red trim added.
The suit, called the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU), was unveiled at the Milan International Astronautical Congress. It seeks to address difficult lunar conditions by fusing highly engineered functionality and aesthetics.
Since Apollo 17 in 1972, Artemis 3 is scheduled to be the first astronaut to land on the moon.
According to a joint statement from the two companies, the spacesuits were designed to survive the coldest temperatures in the permanently shaded areas for at least two hours and the extreme temperatures at the lunar south pole.
The spacesuit is claimed to enable astronauts to perform spacewalks for a minimum of eight hours. Numerous tests, including one conducted underwater to replicate the lunar environment, have already been conducted on the AxEMU. The two businesses stated that it is getting close to the last stage of development.
Lorenzo Bertelli, the chief marketing officer at Prada, said in a statement, "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." Combining the expertise of employees from the two groups improved the design, according to Matt Ondler, president of Axiom Space. "When we put diverse teams together, with diverse backgrounds, educations, and skills, innovation really comes," he added.
Luxury brands are looking into potential collaborations as the tourism and space exploration sectors grow.