China unveils first lunar landing spacesuit design

Over the weekend, the China Manned Space Administration (CMSA) unveiled for the first time the exterior design of the lunar landing suit and invited the public to contribute ideas for the suit's name.

At the Third Spacesuit Technology Forum hosted by the China Astronaut Research and Training Center in Chongqing, the lunar landing suit was displayed in a striking white and red stripe. The red stripes on the upper body of the suit were inspired by the ribbons of the famous "Flying Apsara" fairies in Dunhuang art, while the stripes on the lower body borrowed the image of the flames during rocket launch.

Exterior design of China's lunar spacesuit for a crewed lunar mission before 2030. (Source: CMSA).

According to the video released by CMSA, the spacesuit is made from a material that can protect astronauts from the heat radiation and dust of the Moon. The suit is also equipped with an easy-to-operate multi-function integrated control panel, along with cameras that record images from close and far distances.

The suit also features flexible gloves, a panoramic anti-glare visor, and joints adapted to low-gravity environments. The overall design of the suit is very lightweight, making it suitable for activities on the lunar surface.

In the new suits, astronauts Zhai Zhigang and Wang Yaping performed many movements such as walking, squatting, bending, kneeling on one leg and climbing ladders.

According to Li Meng, an expert at the China Astronaut Research and Training Center, the development of lunar landing spacesuits began in 2020, with the goal of creating lightweight, compact, highly reliable and safe spacesuits. This process has brought about many important technological breakthroughs.

The first and second generations of China's Feitian spacesuits have assisted 17 astronauts in completing 17 space missions, contributing to the efficient construction and operation of the country's space station.

Astronaut Zhai Zhigang made history during the Shenzhou-7 mission by becoming the first Chinese person to perform a spacewalk. He was also a crew member of the Shenzhou-13 mission.

Meanwhile, Ms. Wang Yaping was a crew member on the Shenzhou-10 and Shenzhou-13 missions, and was the first female astronaut to set foot on China's space station.

The unveiling of the design marks a major step forward for China in preparing for future crewed missions to the Moon.