Axiom Space, a Houston-based company, has been awarded a task order by NASA to modify its Artemis III lunar spacesuit design for the International Space Station (ISS) Extravehicular Activity (EVA) spacesuit. The initial commitment for the task order is $5 million, with a potential value of $142 million over four years. This is the second spacesuit task order awarded to Axiom Space by NASA, following a $228 million task order in 2022 for the development of a lunar spacesuit for the Artemis III mission.
The new task order allows Axiom Space to utilize a single architectural design for both the lunar and ISS spacesuits, streamlining the process and ensuring consistency. Axiom Space is already working on the low-Earth orbit (LEO) spacesuit effort for its commercial space station, Axiom Station, which is being designed to cater to private space explorers.
Mark Greeley, Axiom Space EVA Program Manager, expressed excitement about the opportunity to provide spacesuits for NASA’s Artemis missions and develop spacesuits for future ISS missions. He highlighted the benefits of aligning spacesuit architecture for commercial LEO, lunar, and ISS purposes.
The Axiom Space ISS suit will be designed to accommodate various crew members and offer increased flexibility and specialized tools. It will include life support systems, pressure garments, power avionics, and communication capabilities. Axiom Space will provide design, certification, hardware, and support services for EVA systems training and real-time operations to NASA.
Russell Ralston, Axiom Space EVA Deputy Program Manager, emphasized the significance of astronauts wearing Axiom Space spacesuits during EVAs outside the ISS, as it pays tribute to those who have worked on NASA suits in the past and those currently involved in developing future spacesuits.
Both task orders awarded to Axiom Space are part of NASA’s Extravehicular Activity Services (xEVAS) contract, which allows the company to compete for contracts related to NASA’s spacewalking needs until 2034. The xEVAS contract has a combined maximum potential value of $3.5 billion for all task order awards.
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