HOUSTON/MILAN, Oct. 4, 2023 – In the first groundbreaking partnership between an Italian luxury fashion house and a commercial space company, Axiom Space, industry leader and architect of the world’s first commercial space station, announces a collaboration with Prada on NASA's lunar spacesuits for the Artemis III mission.
As the first crewed lunar landing since Apollo 17 in December 1972, this Artemis mission, planned for 2025, will also be the first time a woman walks on the Moon.
"We are thrilled to partner with Prada on the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) spacesuit," said Michael Suffredini, CEO of Axiom Space. "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."
Shown here is the current white cover layer of the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) spacesuit prototype. Prada’s engineers will work alongside the Axiom Space systems team throughout the design process, developing solutions for materials and design features to protect against the unique challenges of space and the lunar surface. Credit: Axiom Space
Prada’s engineers will work alongside the Axiom Space systems team throughout the design process, developing solutions for materials and design features to protect against the unique challenge of space and the lunar environment.
“The constantly forward-thinking ethos of Prada for humanity has broadened to his desire of adventure and to brave new horizons: space,” said Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada Group Marketing Director. “We are honored to be a part of this historic mission with Axiom Space. 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 – 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.”
The new AxEMU custom glove design will enable astronauts to work with specialized tools to accomplish exploration needs and expand scientific opportunities. Credit: Axiom Space
The AxEMU spacesuit will provide astronauts with advanced capabilities for space exploration, while offering NASA commercially developed human systems needed to access, live and work on and around the Moon. Evolving NASA’s Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit (xEMU) spacesuit design, the Axiom Space spacesuits are created to provide increased flexibility, greater protection to withstand the harsh environment, and specialized tools for exploration and scientific opportunities. Using innovative technologies and design, these spacesuits will enable greater exploration of the lunar surface than ever before.
The development of these next-generation spacesuits is a significant milestone in furthering space exploration, and enabling a deeper understanding of the Moon, the solar system, and beyond.
ABOUT AXIOM SPACE
Axiom Space is building for beyond, guided by the vision of a thriving home in space that benefits every human, everywhere. The leading provider of human spaceflight services and developer of human-rated space infrastructure, Axiom Space operates end-to-end missions to the International Space Station today while developing its successor, Axiom Station – the world’s first commercial space station in low-Earth orbit, which will sustain human growth off the planet and bring untold benefits back home.
ABOUT PRADA
Prada is a luxury fashion house founded in Milan, Italy, in 1913. The brand is universally renowned for its design innovation, blending time-honored craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology in a fusion of tradition and newness. Prada offers a wide range of products, including clothing, accessories, and fragrances, and has a network of stores spanning the globe. Across its contemporary history, Prada has partnered with a range of artists, designers and innovators, including Rem Koolhaas, Herzog & de Meuron, Damien Hirst, Nicolas Winding Refn and Wes Anderson to create unique and ground-breaking immersive experiences, fashion pieces and campaigns. Prada is committed to sustainability and has implemented a number of initiatives to reduce its environmental impact, including the use of eco-friendly materials and production methods throughout its supply chains. The Prada brand is part of Prada Group, a global leader in the luxury goods industry, which owns some of the world’s most prestigious luxury brands including Miu Miu, Church's, Car Shoe, the historic Pasticceria Marchesi and Luna Rossa. For more information about Prada, visit prada.com.