Axiom received a nearly $230 million task order to develop the AxEMU suit, which Artemis astronauts will test out on the lunar surface. The task order is part of a contract with NASA worth up to $3.5 billion that also includes Collins Aerospace, which earlier this year abandoned efforts to develop extravehicular activity (EVA) spacesuits under its own $100 million task order.

NASA’s current EVA suits are more than four decades old, and recent malfunctions have forced the space agency to postpone several spacewalks.

“We have broken the mold,” said Matt Ondler, president of Axiom Space. “The Axiom Space-Prada partnership has set a new foundational model for cross-industry collaboration, further expanding what’s possible in commercial space.”

Artemis III will land a crew at the lunar south pole, so Axiom’s suit is designed to withstand extreme temperatures in regions devoid of sunlight. Its portable life support system will keep astronauts safe on spacewalks for up to eight hours, the company says.

Axiom says its design is more flexible, efficient, and safe than NASA’s existing suits. The AxEMU boots, for example, are built to withstand rough terrain and the freezing cold, while the helmet and visor covering are designed to improve astronauts’ vision of their surroundings. The suit can accommodate crew of nearly all body types.

Several AxEMU systems are redundant, including an onboard diagnostic system that tracks the wearer’s vital signs. Astronauts can control its temperature using a carbon dioxide scrubber and cooling system. A 4G/LTE communications system allows them to keep in touch with the rest of the crew during excursions.

The outer suit material, which was designed in partnership with Prada, will reflect heat and protect against small projectiles like dust.

“I’m very proud of the result we’re showing today, which is just the first step in a long-term collaboration with Axiom Space,” said Lorenzo Bertelli, chief marketing officer and head of corporate social responsibility for Prada Group. “We’ve shared our expertise on high-performance materials, features, and sewing techniques, and we learned a lot.”

According to Axiom, the suit will be designed for missions on the moon as well as in low-Earth orbit. That could be enticing for non-NASA customers that have different missions in mind.

The firm on Wednesday said the AxEMU suit is close to the final stage of development, with a critical design review expected next year. Already, it has endured underwater, reduced gravity, and pressurized simulation testing at NASA facilities. In the coming months, the space agency will perform crewed underwater testing at its Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory and gauge the suit’s fit with the prototype lunar rover the Artemis astronauts will drive.

Simultaneously, Axiom is developing the Axiom Station: one of several commercial space outposts that could replace the International Space Station (ISS) when NASA destroys it at the end of the decade. The firm has already completed three NASA-approved private astronaut missions to the ISS and is scheduled for a fourth in Spring 2025.

NASA’s largest commercial partner, SpaceX, meanwhile, has developed its own EVA spacesuit, which debuted during the first civilian spacewalk on September’s Polaris Dawn mission. The company claims it will one day manufacture thousands of suits for future astronauts to build and explore on Mars.

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The multinational crew of Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3)—the first all-European commercial astronaut mission to the space station—docked with the orbital laboratory Saturday morning and will spend two weeks conducting more than 30 experiments for NASA and its countries’ respective space agencies.

Wednesday marked the crew’s fourth day aboard the space station and the seventh day of its mission. Astronauts are now well underway conducting microgravity research, educational outreach, and commercial activities.

“The four Ax-3 crewmembers had their hands full as they explored cancer research, space botany, and robotics for Earth and space benefits,” NASA said in a blog post Tuesday.

Ax-3, the third private astronaut mission to the space station chartered by Houston-based Axiom Space, lifted off Thursday from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule carrying the four-person crew was launched using a powerful Falcon 9 rocket, which the Elon Musk-owned company also uses to deploy Starlink satellites and conduct Commercial Crew rotation missions for NASA.

Axiom Space chief astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegría, a Spanish-born former NASA astronaut, is commanding the mission. Lopez-Alegría has made six trips to the space station, including as the commander of the company’s Ax-1 mission in 2022.

The crew also includes mission specialist Alper Gezeravcı, who became the first Turkish astronaut in space. European Space Agency (ESA) project astronaut Marcus Wandt of Sweden and pilot Walter Villadei of Italy—who also flew a commercial spaceflight mission for Virgin Galactic last year—round out the crew.

The Crew Dragon spacecraft docked with the space station Saturday morning, making Ax-3 the third mission with a fully private crew to arrive at the orbital lab. The astronauts were greeted by the Expedition 70 crew—NASA’s 70th long-duration mission to the space station—which helped them adjust to life in zero gravity and get the lay of the land.

The Expedition 70 team, which comprises NASA, ESA, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronauts and Roscosmos cosmonauts, arrived in August on the Crew-7 Commercial Crew rotation mission for a monthslong stay.

Now the Ax-3 and Expedition 70 teams—a total of 11 crewmembers from more than half a dozen nations—are living and working together on a two-week dual mission.

“The crew has seamlessly adjusted to microgravity and are now busy conducting research and outreach engagements,” Axiom Space said in a blog post on Tuesday.

The more than 30 experiments being conducted will focus on low-Earth orbit, such as the effects of microgravity on the biochemistry of neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s, for example). One study will monitor cancerous tumors in microgravity, aiming to identify early warning signs and prevent and predict cancer diseases.

Wandt carried out a pair of outlandish experiments. On Tuesday, he used a laptop computer to command a team of robots on Earth, testing the ability for explorations on other planets to be controlled remotely from spacecraft. Wandt also recorded his brain activity to study how isolated environments affect an astronaut’s cognitive performance and stress levels.

Beyond human-centric research, Ax-3 crew members also conducted a space botany experiment. Researchers studied how space-grown plants responded to the stress of microgravity. The aim is to uncover better agricultural practices both in space and on Earth, including the possibility of genetic modifications to adapt plants to weightlessness.

The Ax-3 crew is expected to depart the space station on February 3, splashing down off the coast of Florida. NASA in August tapped Axiom Space for a fourth private astronaut mission to the orbital lab, with a launch targeted for August at the earliest. The mission is similarly expected to fly on a SpaceX Crew Dragon and span two weeks.

NASA’s relationship with Axiom Space actually extends beyond trips to the space station. The company was selected to provide next-generation spacesuits for Artemis III, NASA’s planned attempt to return Americans to the lunar surface. Testing on the spacesuits began earlier this month, the same day NASA pushed the Artemis III timeline from 2025 to 2026.

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Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) on board SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft lifted off via a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 4:49 p.m. EST from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

Falcon 9 launches Ax-3, Dragon’s 12th human spaceflight mission pic.twitter.com/VaswQz7npo

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 18, 2024

On board the spacecraft is the first all-European commercial astronaut crew, which is scheduled to spend about two weeks aboard ISS conducting microgravity research, educational outreach, and commercial activities, according to NASA.

“Together with our commercial partners, NASA is supporting a growing commercial space economy and the future of space technology,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement. “During their time aboard the International Space Station, the Ax-3 astronauts will carry out more than 30 scientific experiments that will help advance research in low-Earth orbit.”

• READ MORE: First U.S. Moonshot in Decades Will Fall Short—What It Means

In a quick check-in shortly after liftoff, “Ax-3 commander Michael López-Alegría confirmed the crew’s well-being and safety,” according to Axiom Space.

The Dragon spacecraft is expected to autonomously dock with the forward port of the ISS Harmony module on Saturday around 4:19 a.m. EST.

“Hatches between Dragon and the station are expected to open after 6 a.m., allowing the Axiom crew to enter the complex for a welcoming ceremony and start their stay aboard the orbiting laboratory,” NASA said.

NASA is providing live coverage of the docking event starting at 2:30 a.m. EST. It may be viewed here.

The Ax-3 astronauts are scheduled to leave the ISS on February 3 for their return to Earth and will splash down off the coast of Florida.

The post SpaceX Launch Sends 4 Private Astronauts to ISS appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The Artemis III mission is set to send astronauts to the lunar south pole, marking humans’ first return to the moon’s surface in more than 50 years.

“Prada’s technical expertise with raw materials, manufacturing techniques, and innovative design concepts will bring advanced technologies instrumental in ensuring not only the comfort of astronauts on the lunar surface, but also the much-needed human factors considerations absent from legacy spacesuits,” Michael Suffredini, CEO of Axiom Space, said Wednesday.

• READ MORE: NASA Selects Axiom Space and Collins Aerospace To Provide New Spacesuits

Last summer, NASA announced its commercial partnership with Axiom Space and Collins Aerospace to provide the next-generation spacesuits and spacewalk systems for the upcoming Artemis missions. The space agency noted at the time the contract would allow for additional vendors as the “commercial space services market evolves.”

The Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) spacesuit design will provide increased flexibility and environmental protection for astronauts. “Using innovative technologies and design, these spacesuits will enable greater exploration of the lunar surface than ever before,” Axiom Space said.

• READ MORE: Booster Delivery Marks NASA Artemis II Moon Mission Milestone

Engineers from the Milan-based apparel designer will work with a team from Axiom Space throughout the design process, the companies said.

“We are honored to be a part of this historic mission with Axiom Space,” Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada Group marketing director, said in a statement. “Our decades of experimentation, cutting-edge technology, and design know-how—which started back in the ’90s with Luna Rossa challenging for the America’s Cup [sailing competition]—will now be applied to the design of a spacesuit for the Artemis era. It is a true celebration of the power of human creativity and innovation to advance civilization.”

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The space tourism firm on Sunday launched Ax-2, its second private astronaut mission to the International Space Station in conjunction with Houston-based space infrastructure developer Axiom Space. 

The launch is SpaceX’s third fully commercial flight and its 10th crewed mission to space. And it’s backed by NASA, which has agreed to support two private space tourism missions per year. The collaborative team secured one of FLYING’s Editors’ Choice Awards in 2020.

Ax-2 launched from Kennedy Space Center’s Pad 39A Sunday evening in Florida, sending four people—three paying customers and one longtime NASA astronaut—hurtling toward the space station aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule.

Crew Dragon took off on top of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, whose reusable lower stage booster separated from the capsule and landed vertically on the pad about eight minutes after launch.

“If SpaceX can perfect their launch infrastructure and produce a rapid-turnaround capability for these vehicles, it would greatly reduce the human effort and processing time required to fly space missions,” David Cunniff, a space strategist for national security firm Peraton, told FLYING. “Workforce labor is one of the largest cost elements in the space industry.”

The capsule then separated from Falcon 9’s upper stage as planned, arriving and docking at the space station Monday morning.

Now the crew will spend eight days aboard the satellite, conducting more than 20 experiments supporting research on cancer, DNA, the impact of gravity on inexperienced astronauts, and more. That will support Axiom’s goal of developing its own independent commercial space station when the ISS is retired at the end of the decade. Axiom will even begin adding its own rooms to the space station, with plans to later remove them and form a stand-alone outpost.

After learning from the space station’s current occupants, the crew will return to Earth, splashing down off the coast of Florida.

“This journey is the culmination of long hours of training, planning, and dedication from the crew and the entire Axiom Space team, our partners at SpaceX, and of course, a credit to NASA’s vision to develop a sustainable presence in low-Earth orbit,” said Michael Suffredini, president and CEO of Axiom.

The Ax-2 crew is led by Peggy Whitson, an Axiom employee and former NASA astronaut who has spent more time in space than any American or woman in history.

“Good to be here. It was a phenomenal ride!” Whitson radioed to SpaceX Chief Engineer Bill Gerstenmeier, who congratulated the crew from the ground after Crew Dragon separated from Falcon 9.

Three more crew members paid an undisclosed fee to Axiom for their seats: pilot John Shoffner, an American racecar driver, investor, and businessman; Ali al’Qarni, a fighter pilot in the Royal Saudi Air Force; and stem cell researcher Rayyanah Barnawi, the first Saudi Arabian woman in space.

“We are now living a dream that we did not expect to become a reality,” Barnawi said Sunday after reaching the space station. “This trip represents Saudis and the entire Arab world. It is also an opportunity to discover space.”

Ax-2 follows Axiom’s 2022 Ax-1 mission, the first privately crewed launch to the ISS, which sent another former astronaut and three paying customers to space. It’s also a milestone for SpaceX, which is rapidly becoming the leader in commercial space travel and is currently evaluating last month’s Starship test launch to identify areas of improvement.

“SpaceX has often used ‘failures’ as valuable data gathering events,” Cunniff said of the attempt. “One might say that they have re-defined what a failure is for the industry, as any mission or launch activity can and does produce valuable data that can be useful for future successful attempts. Often, this data is obtained at much lower cost (and in less time) than otherwise required for a rigorous engineering analysis and test series.”

While it’s unclear how large of an impact Ax-2’s research efforts will have on the creation of a new space station, the mission undoubtedly will give NASA, SpaceX, and Axiom more information to use in future missions.

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