3/24/2023 - Written By Quilty Space
NASA's Artemis astronauts will be returning to the Moon in-style, as seen today in NASA's unveiling of the new Axiom Space moonwalking system. The Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) features much greater mobility than prior spacesuit generations and is also engineered to fit a wider array of astronaut body types. The updated design is part of a $228M task order Axiom received in September; competitor Collins Aerospace, received a similar, although smaller, award of $97M. Both firms will continue to compete for future solicitations under the IDIQ contract, which runs through 2034 and has a maximum cap of $3.5B. The revenue is a big win for Axiom and should help to offset R&D costs associated with their ambitious human spaceflight programs, as well as provide opportunities to continue to strengthen their already solid relationship with NASA.
SOURCE: https://www.freethink.com/space/new-spacesuits