CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Moonwalking astronauts will wear sleeker, more flexible spacesuits that come in a variety of sizes when they step onto the lunar surface later this decade.
Exactly what it looks like remained under wraps. The company that designs the next-generation space suits, Axiom Space, said Wednesday that it plans to have new versions for training purposes for NASA later this summer.
The moonsuits will be white, as they were during NASA’s Apollo program more than half a century ago, according to the company. This is so they can reflect heat and keep future moonwalkers cool.
The suits will provide greater flexibility and more protection against the harsh lunar environment, and will come in a wider range of sizes, according to the Houston-based company.
NASA awarded Axiom Space a $228.5 million contract to provide the clothing for the first lunar landing in more than 50 years. The space agency aims to land two astronauts on the moon’s south pole by the end of 2025 at the earliest.
At Wednesday’s event in Houston, an Axiom employee modeled a dark spacesuit, doing squats and twisting at the waist to demonstrate its flexibility. The company said the final version will be different, including the color.
“I didn’t want anyone to mix it up,” said Axiom’s Russell Ralston.