When Artemis III astronauts moonwalk in 2025, they will be looking sharp. That’s because Axiom Space—the company tapped by NASA to develop the spacesuits for the lunar mission—is partnering with Italian luxury fashion house Prada for the design.
The Artemis III mission is set to send astronauts to the lunar south pole, marking humans’ first return to the moon’s surface in more than 50 years.
“Prada’s technical expertise with raw materials, manufacturing techniques, and innovative design concepts will bring advanced technologies instrumental in ensuring not only the comfort of astronauts on the lunar surface, but also the much-needed human factors considerations absent from legacy spacesuits,” Michael Suffredini, CEO of Axiom Space, said Wednesday.
Last summer, NASA announced its commercial partnership with Axiom Space and Collins Aerospace to provide the next-generation spacesuits and spacewalk systems for the upcoming Artemis missions. The space agency noted at the time the contract would allow for additional vendors as the “commercial space services market evolves.”
The Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) spacesuit design will provide increased flexibility and environmental protection for astronauts. “Using innovative technologies and design, these spacesuits will enable greater exploration of the lunar surface than ever before,” Axiom Space said.
Engineers from the Milan-based apparel designer will work with a team from Axiom Space throughout the design process, the companies said.
“We are honored to be a part of this historic mission with Axiom Space,” Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada Group marketing director, said in a statement. “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 [sailing competition]—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 civilization.”
