NASA is set to launch a new spacesuit designed to allow humans to live long-term on the Moon.
Artemis I and the Orion spacecraft shortly before rollout to the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/TNS)
The suits are expected to be worn during the Artemis III mission that will take Americans to the lunar surface in 2025 after more than 50 years since the nation’s last Moon landing.
“With Artemis missions, NASA will land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon, using innovative technologies to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before,” a NASA spokesperson said. “New spacesuits that allow humans to explore the lunar surface advance our capability for human exploration in space.
“Under Artemis, new exploration spacesuits and other human surface mobility systems, the Space Launch System rocket, the Orion Spacecraft, ground systems, Gateway, and human landing systems, will enable NASA to return humans to the Moon and establish a long-term presence there for scientific discovery.”
The prototype is set to be revealed in a televised event hosted by Axios Space on March 15 at 10:30 a.m. EDT from Space Center Houston in Texas. The event will be aired on the NASA app and the agency’s website.
The event is expected to include remarks from NASA and Axiom Space experts, a demonstration of the new spacesuit, as well as question-and-answer sessions with media and students, according to a statement from NASA.
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The Artemis missions are designed to allow NASA to send humans back to the Moon to build a long-term presence there for scientific research and more. The efforts are also part of a larger plan to prepare for sending astronauts to Mars.
Artemis I include an uncrewed test flight of the Space Launch System and the Orion spacecraft around the Moon. It took place from Nov. 16 through Dec. 11, 2022, launching from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Artemis II is scheduled for November 2024. During Artemis II, four astronauts will fly around the Moon to test NASA’s foundational human deep space exploration capabilities, the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft, for the first time with crew, according to NASA.
The approximately 10-day flight test will pave the way for the 2025 planned Artemis III mission. The new spacesuits will serve as a vital part of protecting astronauts taking part in making history in the nation’s next space operations.
Source: militarytimes.com
