NASA and Axiom Space are finally ready to show what the Artemis III astronauts will wear when they walk on the Moon. The two have unveiled a prototype spacesuit that crews will use for moonwalks near the lunar South Pole. As promised, the design is intended to accommodate a wider range of body types. It’s also more flexible than previous games and includes exploration-oriented tools.
The helmet includes both lights and an HD camera to share experiences. Astronauts enter the suit through a hatch in the life support backpack. More joints allow users to kneel and move with ease, while the gloves are designed for extended wear in microgravity. The design can withstand the extreme cold of the permanently shadowed areas of the Moon, even down to your boots.
Before you ask: no, the black version is not what you’ll see in use. The cover, made by for all humanityThe costume designer, pretends to hide the patented design underneath. The finished space suit will be white to protect the astronauts against extreme heat.
The Artemis III mission is currently scheduled for December 2025. It will represent the first crewed moon landing since Apollo 17 landed in 1972, and is set to include the first woman to walk on the Moon, as well as the first person of color. The two people who make it to the surface will stay there for just under a week and undertake up to four moonwalks that include rover expeditions and ice core collection. Two other crew members will remain aboard an Orion capsule that will pick up the crew when they return using a SpaceX Starship.
This spacesuit isn’t the only one NASA will necessarily wear. Other vendors are competing for orders that would handle future moon landings and International Space Station activities. However, it could be the most high-profile example: it will be the one that helps NASA make history.
