By 2026, NASA plans to land humans on the moon for the first time since 1972. Times have changed, as can be measured by new rockets, spacecraft, and spacesuits.
To prepare for the Artemis 3 moon landing mission, two astronauts in late April donned new spacesuits from Axiom Space and for the first time tested a mock version of the vehicle that would take them to the moon.
Scientists and engineers say the test — the first of its kind since the Apollo era — provided information about how well spacesuits were built by astronauts. AxiomThey worked with a beta version of SpaceX’s Starship Human Landing System (HLS), NASA’s vehicle of choice for transporting astronauts to and from the Moon during the Artemis 3 mission. They were able to gauge the layout of the HLS, including its layout, physical design, and permits. According to A NASA statement.
The three-hour test, which was conducted at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California, was also useful in judging the flexibility of the spacesuits and the ease of getting in and out of them before storing them in an airlock with minimal assistance.
Astronauts Peggy Whitson of Axiom Space and Doug Wheelock of NASA donned spacesuits in a mock-up of an airlock located on the roof of Starship’s airlock. Each spacesuit also included a full-scale model of the backpack for the portable life support system, according to A statement By Axiom.
During the test, the astronauts interacted with the airlock control panel to ensure that the controls were within easy reach and could be activated while wearing gloves, NASA said. They also trained to use the test elevator, which will take astronauts and their equipment from the surface of the spacecraft to the lunar surface for moonwalks during Artemis missions.
“Overall, I was happy with the astronauts operating the control panel and being able to perform the difficult tasks they would have to do before landing on the moon,” said Logan Kennedy, surface activities lead for NASA’s HLS program. In a NASA statement. “The test also confirmed that the amount of space available in the airlock, on the deck, and in the elevator is sufficient for the work the astronauts plan to do.”
Related: NASA chooses the SpaceX spacecraft to land Artemis astronauts on the moon
In March last year, NASA and Axiom open A prototype spacesuit, the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU), which is designed to be worn by astronauts during flight and on the Moon. Axiom said in its statement that the company has passed the initial design review point with NASA and will enter the critical design review phase later this year.
“Integrated tests like this, with key programs and partners working together, are essential to ensuring systems operate smoothly, safely and efficiently for astronauts before they take the next steps on the Moon,” said Amit Kshatriya, NASA’s Moon to Mars program manager. He said in a NASA statement.
In April, Axiom One of the unmanned spacesuits was tested At NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, where the company added weights to the suit to mimic the lunar environment, where gravity is only one-sixth that of Earth. The company said in its latest statement that the astronaut will soon wear the suit in his first experimental test in water.
Meanwhile, an astronaut ride to the moon, Starship, is being developed by SpaceX to be fully reusable to aid economically viable journeys to the moon and eventually to Mars. On Friday (June 7), the company came close to achieving this goal with Fourth successful test flight This ended with a smooth water landing for both the Super Heavy booster and the Starship itself.
However, humanity’s return to the Moon is now expected to take place no later than September 2026, following NASA’s announcement Landing plans delayed The landing was originally targeted for late 2025. Problems with the Orion spacecraft’s heat shield, life support systems, and electrical system in the crew abort system contributed to the delay.
“As we prepare to send our friends and colleagues on this mission, we are committed to launching as safely as possible,” NASA associate administrator Jim Frey told reporters during a media conference call in January. “And we will launch when we are ready.”
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