Prada and Axiom Space Unveil Next-Generation Spacesuits for 2026 Moon Mission

Prada Designs Spacesuits for the 2026 Moon Mission

NASA is making history again after a 53-year break. The highly anticipated Artemis III mission will send astronauts back to the Moon, a place last visited in 1972 during the Apollo 17 mission. This time, astronauts will wear spacesuits designed by the luxury Italian fashion house, Prada.

Prada teamed up with the commercial space company Axiom Space to create the spacesuit, called the “Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU).” They unveiled the suit during a press event at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan, Italy, on October 16, 2024.

Lorenzo Bertelli, Chief Marketing Officer of Prada Group, expressed pride in the partnership. He said, “Pushing boundaries is one of our core values that reflects Prada’s spirit and my parents’ vision. We shared our expertise in high-performance materials and tailoring techniques, and we learned a lot. I believe we will keep exploring new challenges, expanding our horizons, and creating new scenarios together.”

Prada’s deep knowledge of materials and production processes helped in designing innovative aspects beyond the outer suit layer. Prada’s design and product development teams collaborated closely with Axiom engineers to select materials and features that protect astronauts from the Moon’s harsh conditions while inspiring future space exploration. Their craftsmanship enabled advanced technology and innovative sewing methods, merging functionality with the suit’s white exterior, and providing better comfort and material performance.

A Blend of Style and Functionality

At first glance, the suit looks similar to traditional spacesuits—white, bulky, and equipped with a helmet featuring an integrated reflective visor. There’s no Prada logo, only the Axiom logo and the American flag, but red stripes run along the arms and torso, reminiscent of a famous Prada line from 1997.

The suit offers improved flexibility, performance, and safety, as well as special tools for exploring the Moon’s south pole. It fits various crew members, male and female, of different body sizes, withstands the Moon’s extreme temperatures, and operates for up to eight hours of spacewalking. It also has backup systems and diagnostics to ensure crew safety, an advanced cooling system, and an updated carbon dioxide filter. The helmet’s visor has a special coating to enhance visibility, while the custom-made gloves offer significant upgrades over current versions. The suit includes life support systems, pressure garments, avionics, and other innovations to meet exploration needs and expand scientific opportunities.

Over the past two years, Axiom Space has refined the next-generation suit to support the Artemis III mission. The AxEMU underwent rigorous testing and simulations with various astronauts and engineers at Axiom, SpaceX, and NASA facilities. Tests included underwater simulations at NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) to mimic the Moon’s environment and low-gravity simulations at the Johnson Space Center.