It was developed specifically for the Artemis III mission
Italian fashion house Prada and space company Axiom Space have unveiled the design of a new spacesuit that will be used during NASA’s Artemis III mission. The presentation took place at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan. This was reported by CNN with reference to a press release.
According to the press release, the spacesuits are capable of withstanding extremely high temperatures at the Moon’s South Pole and low temperatures in shaded areas. It is noted that in such spacesuits, astronauts will be able to stay in outer space for at least eight hours.
In addition, the spacesuits provide protection from lunar dust. They are made of a special white material that retains heat. Plus, they are comfortable to move in. The equipment has already passed a number of tests, including underwater tests.
Prada specialists were responsible for the quality of the material and the tailoring of the spacesuits. The design also has a hint of the fashion house: red lines as a reference to the Prada Linea Rossa line. The spacesuits are suitable for both men and women.
Axiom Space Executive Vice President Russell Ralston noted that the partnership between the technology space company and the fashion house “brings together science, art and engineering.”
In turn, Prada Marketing Director Lorenzo Bertelli said that work on the project began before the pandemic of 2020. About ten Prada employees worked on the creation of the spacesuits, who had to work simultaneously both in Milan and at the Axiom Space base in Houston.
The Artemis III mission to the Moon is scheduled for 2026. As part of the mission, astronauts will try to grow plants on the Moon. The program will be called Lunar Effects on Agricultural Flora (LEAF) — one of three experiments that will be carried out during the upcoming space mission. It is expected that it will help understand whether plants familiar to us can withstand space conditions. According to NASA experts, there is hope that the experiment will play an important role in the creation of human colonies beyond Earth.
Scientists have also already looked at an underground cave on the Moon where a scientific base could be located. It is located in the Sea of Tranquility — it was here in 1969 that astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the Moon as part of the Apollo 11 mission. The cave is equivalent in area to 14 tennis courts and is located at a depth of 150 m.
In the future, a bio-storage facility could be built on the Moon, which would serve as a “backup copy” for life on Earth. It would be protected from climate change. The lunar environment, where the temperature is always low and sunlight does not penetrate deep craters, is ideal for preserving samples at a temperature of -196°C. This is the temperature that allows cells to be preserved alive for a long time.