Space travel is meeting high fashion with NASA’s latest space suit.
Prada is partnering with Axiom Space, a Texas-based commercial space company, to design the lunar spacesuits for the Artemis III mission that is planned for 2025, Axiom Space announced in a press release.
“The constantly forward-thinking ethos of Prada for humanity has broadened to his desire of adventure and to brave new horizons: space,” Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada Group marketing director, stated.
Why is Prada designing spacesuits?
The luxury fashion brand’s design and engineering team is working with Axiom Space to make spacesuits that have “advanced capabilities for space exploration,” including increased flexibility and protection.
“We are thrilled to partner with Prada on the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) spacesuit,” Michael Suffredini, CEO of Axiom Space, stated.
“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.”
What do the Prada spacesuits look like?
The prototype for the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit spacesuit was revealed in March sporting dark gray and orange colors, but the final version will be white, according to Business Insider.
The prototype for the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) spacesuit is displayed Wednesday, March 15, 2023, in Houston. Axiom Space was chosen by NASA to design its spacesuits.
David J. Phillip, Associated Press
Axiom was hired by NASA in June 2022 to design the new spacesuits.