Astronauts on the Artemis 3 mission, scheduled for 2026, will wear spacesuits designed in collaboration between Prada and Axiom Space, according to an announcement made in Milan on October 16, 2024. This mission will mark the return of astronauts to the Moon, a first since the end of Apollo program.
The American company Axiom Space, responsible for the design, called the famous Italian designer Prada to add a touch of style to these combinations. Although the design remains predominantly white, in homage to the outfits of the Apollo missions, gray accents and red stripes inspired by the Italian sailboat Red Moonsponsored by Prada, have been integrated, as AFP sources report.
Equipment designed for the extreme
Despite its classic appearance, the suit promises maximum comfort and safety. Equipped with tailor-made gloves, boots capable of withstanding extreme temperatures and pressure regulation and radiation protection systems, it guarantees eight hours of autonomy for astronauts. “The extreme environments that astronauts will encounter during the mission, including the lunar South Pole, one of the coldest places in the universe, have imposed significant technical challenges,” explained Matt Ondler, president of Axiom Space, quoted by AFP.
A technological and stylistic challenge
Russell Ralston, suit development program manager at Axiom Space, highlighted that thermal insulation of the boots was one of the biggest challenges of this project. The final model is unisex and adaptable, as Artemis 3 will carry the first woman to the Moon.
Prada also insisted on the confidentiality of the materials used, clarified by Lorenzo Bertelli, marketing manager of the Italian house. “This collaboration allows us to acquire new know-how by combining engineering, science and art,” he told AFP. To date, only five countries have managed to land a spacecraft on the Moon, but the United States remains the only country to have sent humans to the Moon.
