NASA spends billions of dollars developing a new, more versatile space suit

On June 1, the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said it had selected two companies to carry out the project of developing a new generation of spacesuits for missions on the National Space Station. (ISS) and the Moon.

Apollo 11 astronauts in spacesuits set foot on the Moon for the first time.

Accordingly, the two winning companies of NASA's contract are Axiom Space and Collins Aerospace, in which Axiom Space has made commercial flights to the ISS and has a private space station. The two companies will independently develop samples of the spacesuits, then test them in a vacuum chamber on Earth, in space, or just outside the ISS.

This process will last until 2025, before NASA launches the first flight to return humans to the Moon (Artemis 3 mission). NASA will conduct evaluation and select suitable designs for further use for future missions.

Speaking to the press, the director of NASA's Johnson Space Center - Vanessa Wyche, said: "The space suits will be steeped in history when humans return to the Moon. We will have astronauts. first black man and first woman who will wear and use the next generation of spacesuits".

NASA has not announced the value of the contracts, but it is known that the maximum cost is $ 3.5 billion through 2034.

According to NASA, the current spacesuit has been in use for the past 40 years. The new spacesuits will be more flexible, versatile and durable than previous designs. NASA has issued technical requirements to the two companies responsible for the design and production. Accordingly, both the suits for the ISS and the Moon need to have modern communication features, computer technology and life support systems with a stronger reserve for emergencies.

The Moon version will also feature enhanced mobility for easier walking, crouching and backing over uneven surfaces.