Axiom Completes Initial Crew Testing of Next-Generation Spacesuits

Company says it is on track for critical design review later this year.

Jack Daleo

Thursday, July 10, 2025 at 07:30 AM ET

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Jack Daleo

Koichi Wakata, Axiom Space astronaut and chief technology officer, performs initial crew tests on the company’s AxEMU spacesuit. [Courtesy: Axiom Space]

Key Takeaways:

Axiom Space's AxEMU spacesuit, intended for NASA's Artemis III lunar mission, is reportedly on track after successfully completing initial crew tests in June at the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory.
The initial tests, involving Axiom's CTO Koichi Wakata, evaluated the suit's communications, breathing, and cooling systems, marking a key milestone in its development.
Despite previous concerns from the GAO about its schedule, Axiom expects to enter the Critical Design Review later this year.
The AxEMU is designed to improve flexibility, mobility, and life support for up to eight hours in harsh lunar conditions, featuring enhanced communication and diagnostic systems.

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Despite previous concerns about its development schedule, Axiom Space’s extravehicular mobility unit (AxEMU)—the planned replacement for NASA’s decades-old spacesuits—appears to be on track.

Axiom on Tuesday revealed that it conducted initial crew tests of AxEMU in June, putting it in the pool at NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory at Johnson Space Center in Houston. The evaluations represent a key milestone for the suit, which NASA astronauts will don as they explore the lunar south pole during the Artemis III mission, scheduled for mid-2027.