Tag Archives: axiom space

Prada designs a hidden Onesie that could keep NASA’s Artemis astronauts alive on the Moon

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The fashion and home décor industry has, for years, looked toward space for inspiration. Prada is a brand that’s pushing through to be the first luxury fashion house to inspire space travel instead. For its new adventure in space, Prada has designed an inner-layer garment that astronauts aboard the NASA Artemis headed for the Moon will wear underneath their space suits.

For some fashion enthusiasts, this could come as a surprise, but the fact is, Prada has been working for a few years now with Axiom Space. Axiom is a private company that NASA has partnered with to develop spacesuits for its astronauts to wear on the upcoming Artemis missions.

Designer: Prada x Axiom Space

Axiom Space and Prada first unveiled the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU), a next-generation spacesuit, in 2024. “AxEMU is the first major upgrade to NASA’s space suits in more than 20 years,” and it is designed for NASA’s Artemis III mission and beyond. Now, believing the astronauts need a way to keep cool and oxygenated within the bulky space suit when on the lunar surface, Prada has introduced the garment to wear under the space suit, which has been part of the design process.

With the company’s signature red stripe on the sleeve, which is apparent on Prada’s activewear collection, the onesie called the Liquid Cooling Ventilation Garment (LCVG) will go under the space suit, as an innerwear (we cannot comment whether astronauts will need another layer of innerwear underneath). The LCVG is provided with tubes running around the back, which are used to circulate cold water around the astronaut’s body. The entire thing is designed in a high fashion sense, so the onesie is sleek and a complete wear in itself.

Designed primarily to keep the astronaut’s body from overheating while they walk on the moon, it is also provided with a ventilation system to deliver oxygen and remove carbon dioxide formed inside the AxEMU. Talking about the convenience and benefits of this finely crafted innerwear, the senior vice president of spacecrafts at Axiom Space informs, “Every minute astronauts spend outside their (lunar) vehicle, the LCVG is working to keep them safe.” Axiom’s CEO and president, Jonathan Cirtain, pointed out that the LCVG “…manages their (astronauts’) thermal environment, supports their breathing, and does it all while they’re pushing their bodies to the limit.”

NASA hopes to carry out the Artemis III mission, a crewed test flight, the second such mission in the Artemis lunar exploration program in 2027. And then eventually make the first crewed landing on the Moon’s south pole in preceding missions by early 2028. The Artemis campaign is NASA’s human spaceflight mission to land American astronauts on the surface of the Moon, establish a sustainable presence on the lunar surface, and form a foundation for future manned missions to the Red Planet.

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Prada Designs Spacesuit for the First Woman Astronaut On The Moon. Here’s what is different…

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When you think of spacesuits, luxury fashion probably doesn’t come to mind—but Axiom Space and Prada are changing that. Together, they’ve unveiled the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU), a next-generation spacesuit designed for NASA’s Artemis III mission, which will return astronauts to the Moon. This suit represents a groundbreaking shift in both form and function, blending the technical precision required for space exploration with the high-performance materials and design innovations Prada is known for. And it’s more than just a style statement: the AxEMU has been carefully crafted to support the historic lunar landing of astronaut Christina Koch, who will be the first woman to walk on the Moon.

Designers: Axiom Space and Prada

An Unlikely Collab between NASA and Prada

At first glance, the AxEMU may not look like the bulky spacesuits we’ve come to expect. In fact, that’s the point. Designed with a scalable and adaptable architecture, this suit breaks free from the rigid, one-size-fits-all approach of traditional space gear. The AxEMU is built to accommodate a wide range of body types, allowing astronauts from various anthropometric percentiles—meaning different heights, weights, and builds—to feel comfortable and functional in the suit. Whether you’re on the smaller side or fall into the larger percentile, the AxEMU adjusts to ensure maximum mobility, a critical factor for a mission as demanding as Artemis III.

Prada’s expertise in material science plays a key role here. The luxury fashion house worked closely with Axiom engineers to develop an outer layer that not only looks sleek but also performs under extreme conditions. Crafted from a reflective white material, this layer helps regulate temperature by reflecting the sun’s heat while simultaneously protecting the astronaut from lunar dust and radiation. While traditional spacesuits focus on pure functionality, the AxEMU integrates aesthetics with performance, combining Prada’s advanced sewing techniques with Axiom’s life support technology to create something truly revolutionary in both appearance and utility.

High-Tech Meets High-Street Fashion

What truly sets the AxEMU apart from its predecessors is its balance between high-end design and cutting-edge technology. The suit boasts enhanced safety systems, including a regenerable carbon dioxide scrubbing system that ensures astronauts can breathe safely during spacewalks lasting up to eight hours. It also features advanced cooling technology, which is crucial for maintaining comfort in the extremes of the lunar environment. Astronauts will be better equipped to perform complex tasks thanks to upgraded dexterity in the gloves—something previous spacesuits struggled with, often limiting the fine motor control astronauts need to manipulate tools or conduct experiments.

The helmet also offers significant upgrades, with an advanced visor that improves visibility in the harsh lighting conditions of the Moon’s surface. The design of the AxEMU is about more than just protection; it’s about enabling astronauts to push the boundaries of what’s possible in space exploration. Thanks to Prada’s involvement, the suit’s exterior may feel more like high-performance sportswear than traditional space armor. But make no mistake—this is gear built to survive the extreme cold and searing heat of the Moon’s surface, with every detail engineered to keep astronauts safe and functional in one of the most hostile environments known to man.

What Makes The AxEMU So Different?

Compared to existing spacesuits, the AxEMU is a leap forward in versatility and user experience. Most current spacesuits, like NASA’s EMU (Extravehicular Mobility Unit), were designed decades ago, with little adaptation for the variety of missions astronauts now face. The AxEMU, by contrast, is built with a flexible architecture that can evolve for different missions, from the lunar surface to low-Earth orbit. This flexibility allows Axiom Space to customize the suit for a wide range of environments and tasks, whereas older suits were often mission-specific, with limited adaptability.

Safety is another area where the AxEMU shines. Conventional spacesuits are built with basic redundancy, but the AxEMU integrates a more robust set of redundant systems, ensuring multiple fail-safes in life support and mobility functions. This suit also goes beyond standard temperature control, using Prada’s material expertise to provide better heat management, allowing astronauts to remain comfortable during long spacewalks, even in the harsh lunar environment. Furthermore, the AxEMU has been tested with advanced simulations, including underwater testing to mimic the reduced gravity on the Moon, setting a new standard for preparation and reliability.

Designed for Christina Koch: A Spacesuit for the First Woman on the Moon

Christina Koch will make history as the first woman to walk on the Moon, and the AxEMU has been designed with that momentous occasion in mind. While traditional spacesuits were largely designed for male astronauts, the AxEMU has been engineered with inclusivity at its core. One of the key differences lies in its customizability: unlike older suits that often required uncomfortable modifications for female astronauts, the AxEMU offers a better fit right from the start, making adjustments seamless and comfortable for a wide range of body types. This is particularly important for Koch, as a properly fitted suit means enhanced mobility and reduced fatigue during long spacewalks.

Additionally, the suit’s gloves, helmet, and overall design have been tailored for precision, allowing Koch to work more efficiently on the lunar surface. The improved dexterity of the gloves will enable her to conduct more intricate scientific tasks, such as collecting samples and performing experiments, without the restrictions of older spacesuit designs. For Koch, the first woman to explore the Moon, having a suit that adapts to her needs, rather than her adapting to the suit, marks a symbolic and practical step forward in space exploration, ensuring that future missions can be more inclusive.

The AxEMU represents the future of spacesuits—one where technology, design, and inclusivity come together to push the boundaries of human potential. With Christina Koch set to wear this groundbreaking suit during her historic moonwalk, the AxEMU is leading the way into a new era of space exploration, where astronauts of diverse backgrounds, genders, and physiques will have the tools they need to reach new frontiers.

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