In an event that will mark the history of space exploration, NASA astronaut Christina Koch is set to become the first woman to set foot on the Moon. But it is not only its scientific and historical prowess that attracts attention. During this exceptional mission, Koch will wear a spacesuit designed in collaboration with the famous Italian fashion house Prada.
The first woman to go to the Moon
Christina Koch, an electrical engineer and astronaut since 2013, is no stranger to record-breaking. She already holds the title for the longest stay in space for a woman, with 328 days spent in orbit aboard the International Space Station. But this new mission is part of an even grander framework: NASA’s Artemis III program, which aims to send humans back to the Moon for the first time since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.
An unexpected alliance between Prada and Axiom Space
For this exceptional mission, the astronaut will not wear an ordinary outfit… but in Italian fashion. Since it was Prada who was chosen to participate in the design of the spacesuits. The fashion house has teamed up with Axiom Space, a company specializing in space technologies, to help create the next generation of exploration suits, designed to meet the extreme challenges of lunar conditions.
Prada, with its expertise in technical materials and design precision, was entrusted with the task of improving both the functionality and comfort of the suits. These must be flexible, durable and allow increased mobility while providing maximum protection against the harsh conditions of the Moon, such as extreme temperatures, solar radiation and abrasive dust. Prada’s expertise in designing high-performance clothing translates into attention to detail and the use of advanced textiles, a combination of aesthetics and technology. Prada’s technical director, Lorenzo Bertelli, stressed that this collaboration represents “an honor for the brand”, while pushing “the limits of their expertise in areas still unexplored by fashion”.
An inclusive spacesuit
The essential aspect of this new generation of wetsuits? Their inclusive design, adapted to both female and male body types. Historically, spacesuits have been designed overwhelmingly for men, with very few adaptations for female astronauts. To the point of leading to grotesque situations, such as the cancellation in 2019 of the first 100% female spacewalk, due to a lack of suits adapted to women’s sizes.
Prada and Axiom Space, teaming up for this mission, worked to solve this problem by creating a suit capable of adapting to different body types, while providing the comfort, mobility and protection necessary for extreme missions . The fact that the first woman to walk on the Moon could do so in a suit specifically designed for female needs represents tangible progress in recognizing the distinct needs of women. Although we may be surprised that we had to wait until 2024 to finally look into it.
Between skepticism and celebration
Of course, it is impossible not to perceive the whole “marketing” aspect of the operation, nor to wonder about the real need to “glamorize” an exploration on the Moon carried out for the first time by a woman. The choice of Prada inevitably focuses attention on the fashion house, thereby diverting that of record holder Christina Koch. The question of the superficiality of the approach also arises. Do mercantile interests enjoy such ubiquity that a space mission turns into a promotional opportunity for a fashion brand?
We will nevertheless highlight, whatever the interest behind it, the small step forward for gender equality in a field where women have historically been under-represented. This partnership also has the merit of opening up new possibilities in the world of haute couture, demonstrating that fashion and technological innovation are far from incompatible. Proof that traditionally distinct industries can collaborate to solve complex problems and dare to perform where they were least expected.
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