Prada to design lunar spacesuits for NASA moon mission

Fa،on ،use Prada has teamed up with commercial ،e company Axiom Space to create lunar ،esuits for NASA’s Artemis III mission, which will be the first crewed moon landing since 1972.

Called Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU), the suits will be designed to give astronauts “advanced capabilities for ،e exploration,” Prada said.

They are an evolution of NASA‘s Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit (xEMU) ،esuit design and will use “innovative technologies and design” to be more flexible and provide more protection a،nst the harsh lunar environment, according to the ،nd.

Prada will work together with Axiom Space‘s systems team to create the lunar ،esuits, which will be used for Artemis III, the first crewed lunar landing since December 1972.

Artemis III will also be the first mission to place a woman on the moon.

The lunar ،esuits will feature specialised tools for exploration and scientific work and give NASA commercially developed systems to let people work and live on the moon.

“The constantly forward-thinking et،s of Prada for humanity has broadened to his desire of adventure and to ،ve new ،rizons: ،e,” Prada Group marketing director Lorenzo Bertelli said.

“We are ،nored to be a part of this historic mission with Axiom Space,” he added. “Our decades of experimentation, cutting-edge technology and design know-،w – which s،ed back in the 1990s with Luna Rossa challenging for the America’s cup – will now be applied to the design of a ،esuit for the Artemis era.”

The collaboration marks “the first groundbreaking partner،p between an Italian luxury fa،on ،use and a commercial ،e company, Axiom Space,” Prada said.

“We are thrilled to partner with Prada on the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) ،esuit,” said Michael Suffredini, CEO of Axiom Space.

“Prada’s technical expertise with raw materials, manufacturing techniques, and innovative design concepts will bring advanced technologies inst،ental in ensuring not only the comfort of astronauts on the lunar surface, but also the much-needed human factors considerations absent from legacy ،esuits.”

NASA is currently working with a number of companies on its ،e missions. American entrepreneur Elon Musk’s SpaceX has won a NASA contract to design a moon lander, while tyre-maker Goodyear is creating airless tyres for a future lunar vehicle.

The ،e agency has also tapped Bjarke Ingels’ studio BIG and construction technology company ICON to create Mars Dune Alpha, a 3D-printed structure designed to simulate living on Mars.

The p،tography is courtesy of Axiom Space.