Axiom Space wins contract to design next moon suit

A Houston company will design the spacesuits NASA astronauts will wear the next time they step on to the moon.

Axiom Space will receive the $228.5 million contract to create a “moonwalking system” to be used on the Artemis III mission, NASA said Wednesday. The agency plans to have people walk on the lunar surface for the first time in 50 years.

The company will design an Artemis spacesuit and supporting systems, NASA said in a press release. Axiom was one of two companies being considered for the spacesuit contract.

“What we learn on Artemis III and future missions on and around the Moon will pave the way for missions to Mars,” said Lara Kearney, manager of NASA’s Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility program. “Spacesuits enable us to literally take that next step.”

Axiom will be responsible for the “design, development, qualification, certification and production” of the spacesuits and will have to test them in a space-like environment before the mission, NASA said.

The suits include life support, pressure garments and avionics, the company said.

Traditionally, NASA spacesuits were built by contractors and owned by the government. But with this contract, Axiom will own the spacesuits — meaning the suits could also be used by other customers. Axiom Space is also building a commercial space station and expects its customers will want to conduct spacewalks.

NASA is also looking to improve on the designs of its current spacesuits. In 2019, it abruptly canceled plans for the first all-female spacewalk because it didn’t have enough to properly fit.