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NASA unveils prototype spacesuits for Artemis III lunar landing

In September, NASA announced it chose Axiom Space to develop a moonwalking system to help land astronauts on the moon for the first time in over 50 years.

NASA unveils prototype spacesuits for Artemis III lunar landing

In September, NASA announced it chose Axiom Space to develop a moonwalking system to help land astronauts on the moon for the first time in over 50 years.

INTENDED TARGET. SHE’S NOW STABLE AND CONTINUES RECOVERING. STEWART: NASA IS STILL BASKING IN THE SUCCESS OF ITS ARTEMIS ONE MISSION. AND NOW WE’RE GETTING A LOOK FAR INTO THE FUTURE, AT WHAT WE COULD SEE DURING ARTEMIS THREE. IT’S STILL YEARS AWAY. THE MOON SUITS THE ASTRONAUTS WILL BE WEARING ON HUMAN’S RETURN TO THE LUNAR SURFACE WERE UNVEILED TODAY. CHRISTINA: WESH 2’S SPACE COAST BUREAU CHIEF, SCOTT HEIDLER HAS A CLOSER LOOK AT THESE NEW SUITS AND WHY IT’S CRITICAL FOR THE TRIP BACK TO THE MOON. REPORTER: NASA AND AXIOM PUTTING ON A FASHION SHOW IN HOUSTON. SHOWING THE WORLD FOR THE FIRST TIME, WHAT ARTEMIS THREE ASTRONAUTS WILL BE WEARING ON THE MOON, THE FIRST HUMANS TO STEP ON THE LUNAR SURFACE IN OVER 50 YEARS. >> ONE OF THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THIS SUIT AND THE SUIT ON THE MOON IS THAT THE MOON SUIT WILL BE MOSTLY WHITE. SO WE WILL REPLACE THE BLACK WITH WHITE. AND THAT’S REALLY FOR THERMAL REASONS. REPORTER: THE SPACE SUIT PROTOTYPES DESIGNED BY AXIOM, A COMMERCIAL PARTNER WITH NASA. >> NOW WE ARE DEVELOPING A SPACE SUIT FOR A NEW GENERATION. THE ARTEMIS GENERATION. THE GENERATION THAT’S GOING TO TAKE US BACK TO THE MOON AND ON TO MARS. AND IT IS GOING TO BE SO EXCITING. REPORTER: THE INAUGURAL ARTEMIS LUNAR LANDING, AIMING FOR THE SOUTHERN POLE. THERE’S ICE TO BE EXPLORED BUT ALSO A PLACE HUMANS HAVE NEVER BEEN. SO AN UPGRADED SUIT IS CRITICAL. WITH A BUBBLE OVER THE HEAD FOR BETTER VISIBILITY AND MORE JOINTS FOR BETTER MOBILITY, IMPROVEMENTS FROM THE CURRENT NASA SUITS DESIGNED DECADES AGO DURING THE SHUTTLE PROGRAM. THERE’S A HATCH ON THE BACK WHERE THE ASTRONAUTS CLIMB IN. BUT BEFORE ALL OF THAT, THERE’S ARTEMIS TWO, AND WE WILL BE HEARING WHO WILL FLY AROUN
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NASA unveils prototype spacesuits for Artemis III lunar landing

In September, NASA announced it chose Axiom Space to develop a moonwalking system to help land astronauts on the moon for the first time in over 50 years.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration unveiled new gear astronauts will wear during the Artemis III mission.The space suits, NASA said, will enhance the capability for human exploration in space. The prototypes were unveiled this week at Space Center Houston in Texas.In September, NASA announced it chose Axiom Space to develop a moonwalking system to help land astronauts on the moon for the first time in over 50 years. In a press release, NASA added that its goal is building a lasting presence on the moon and ultimately moving on to another frontier: missions to mars. NASA and Axiom put on an out-of-this-world fashion show in Houston as they showed what Artemis III astronauts will be wearing on the moon when humans return to the lunar surface in more than 50 years.But unlike the sleek dark color as shown at the unveiling on Wednesday, the color of the lunar version will change for functionality.Video below: Some of the Axiom Space team talks about designing NASA's new spacesuits“One of the differences between this suit and the suit on the moon is that the moon suit will be mostly white. So we will replace the black with white. And that’s really for thermal reasons,” Russell Ralston of Axiom Space said.The space suit prototypes are designed by Axiom, a Houston-based space company and commercial partner with NASA.“Now we are developing a space suit for a new generation. The Artemis generation. The generation that’s going to take us back to the moon and on to Mars. And it is going to be so exciting,” said Bob Cabana, NASA’s associate administrator.The inaugural Artemis lunar landing will be on the southern pole. That’s where missions will explore and drill for ice, but it’s also a place humans have never been, so an upgraded suit is critical.A bubble over the head for better visibility and more joints for better mobility are some of the improvements from the current NASA suits designed decades ago during the shuttle program.Another big difference is there’s a hatch on the back where the astronauts climb into the suit.But before all of that, there’s the Artemis II mission, and we will be hearing who will fly around the moon when NASA makes its crew announcement on April 3 for next year’s flight.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration unveiled new gear astronauts will wear during the Artemis III mission.

The space suits, NASA said, will enhance the capability for human exploration in space. The prototypes were unveiled this week at Space Center Houston in Texas.

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In September, NASA announced it chose Axiom Space to develop a moonwalking system to help land astronauts on the moon for the first time in over 50 years.

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In a press release, NASA added that its goal is building a lasting presence on the moon and ultimately moving on to another frontier: missions to mars.

NASA and Axiom put on an out-of-this-world fashion show in Houston as they showed what Artemis III astronauts will be wearing on the moon when humans return to the lunar surface in more than 50 years.

But unlike the sleek dark color as shown at the unveiling on Wednesday, the color of the lunar version will change for functionality.

Video below: Some of the Axiom Space team talks about designing NASA's new spacesuits


“One of the differences between this suit and the suit on the moon is that the moon suit will be mostly white. So we will replace the black with white. And that’s really for thermal reasons,” Russell Ralston of Axiom Space said.

The space suit prototypes are designed by Axiom, a Houston-based space company and commercial partner with NASA.

“Now we are developing a space suit for a new generation. The Artemis generation. The generation that’s going to take us back to the moon and on to Mars. And it is going to be so exciting,” said Bob Cabana, NASA’s associate administrator.

The inaugural Artemis lunar landing will be on the southern pole. That’s where missions will explore and drill for ice, but it’s also a place humans have never been, so an upgraded suit is critical.

A bubble over the head for better visibility and more joints for better mobility are some of the improvements from the current NASA suits designed decades ago during the shuttle program.

Another big difference is there’s a hatch on the back where the astronauts climb into the suit.

But before all of that, there’s the Artemis II mission, and we will be hearing who will fly around the moon when NASA makes its crew announcement on April 3 for next year’s flight.