In the first public consequence presenting the Artemis III Lunar Space Suit , NASA revealed the paradigm that will be wear by the first woman and person of color to go to the Moon . Made by Axiom Space , the next - gen spacesuit will eventually be white , but is presently on show with a black-market cover while they finalize the top layer ’s final design .
TheAxiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit , or AxEMU ( fingers crossed this is the legal brief for the mission’szero - gravity indicator plushie ) , catch a grand reveal at Space Center Houston ’s Moon 2 Mars Festival . As a prototype , it ’ll link a fleet of breeding cause sent to NASA later this yr so that astronaut can begin devise for the next crewed lunar landing , Artemis III , go down to take place in 2025 .
“ When that first woman steps down on the surface of the Moon on Artemis III , she ’s go to be wearing an Axiom Spacesuit , ” said associate decision maker for NASABob Cabanaat the reveal . “ We ’re move back to the Moon but we ’re die to the South Pole this time . Why are we going there ? It ’s take exception . "
" We ’re going to learn more , there ’s pee ice there . Water is hydrogen for fuel and oxygen to rest . We are kick the bucket to memorize how to operate on on the Moon for extended periods of clip , and learn how to function off from planet Earth [ … ] All of this is in homework for hold out on to Mars . "
" We ’ve receive to have an EVA mobility suit to make that encounter , and this is the causa that ’s locomote to do it . ”
Spacesuits have to be white on a commission to the Moon because of the path it muse heat . Anything other than ashen is n’t snuff it to protect cosmonaut from the extreme temperatures that the light side of the Moon experiences , reach as in high spirits as127 degrees Celsius ( 260 degrees Fahrenheit ) .
The AxEMU is specially design to be sufficiently compromising and warmth - tolerant , kitted out with new tools that Axiom enjoin will enable exploration of more of the lunar surface than ever before .
As for what they ’ll witness – well . You ’re just going to have to waitress until November 2025 .
