The big white coveralls worn by Neil Armstrong and his fellow Apollo astronauts half a century ago are out of style. Lunar haute couture now calls for something more form fitting and appropriate for both men and women.
On Wednesday, NASA unveiled the first prototype of a newly developed state-of-the-art space suit specially tailored and accessorized for upcoming astronauts expected to venture to the lunar surface in the next few years.
The latest lunar suits were displayed at the Johnson Space Center in Houston during an event organized for media and students by Axiom Space, the Texas-based company contracted by NASA to build suits for Artemis, the successor to the Apollo lunar program.
The Artemis I mission, the maiden launch of NASA’s powerful rocket and its newly built Orion spacecraft on an uncrewed test flight around the moon and back, was successfully completed in December.
NASA and the Canadian Space Agency plan to announce the four astronauts chosen to fly as early as next year on Artemis II, another round-trip mission.
That flight, if successful, would pave the way for a planned expedition with astronaut Artemis III to the lunar surface — the first to the moon’s south pole — later in the decade. He will be the first to send a woman to walk on the moon.
NASA Chief Bill Nelson said the new spacesuits “will open up opportunities for more people to explore and conduct science on the moon than ever before.”
All 12 NASA astronauts who landed on the moon during a total of six Apollo missions from 1969 to 1972 were white men.
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
