June 7, 2026

— Axiom Space served up a new component of its next-generation lunar spacesuit on Sunday (June 7), one tailored fit for its Italian partner, Prada — the "spaghetti" suit.

Officials from both the Houston-based human space exploration company and the fashion house gathered at the Prada Broadway Epicenter in New York to provide a first look at the liquid cooling and ventilation garment (LCVG) that will be worn by astronauts under the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) spacesuit. The LCVG circulates cold water through tubes sewn into the garment, hence its pasta-inspired nickname.

Unlike legacy garments which date back to the Apollo-era, the AxEMU LCVG features a fully redundant cooling circuit, ensuring a backup system is available if the primary loop fails. The LCVG also delivers oxygen through a separate loop, directing it across the astronaut's face to continuously wash away exhaled carbon dioxide. The C02 then is routed back through the life-support system's scrubber before recirculating oxygen.

Axiom Space collaborated with Prada on the LCGV to tap into the fashion designer's expertise in engineered knitting and innovative concepts, resulting in a suit that was developed using advanced 3D modeling techniques. Prada's familiarity with working with high-performance materials also supported the sourcing of specialized fibers to enable the undergarment to be re-worn across multiple long-duration missions.

Making of AxEMU LCVG. Click to enlarge video in new pop-up window. (Axiom Space/Prada)

"The future of space exploration will not be built by any one entity alone, and our partnership with Prada is proof of that," said Dr. Jonathan Cirtain, Axiom Space CEO and president, in a statement. "By bringing together the best in both aerospace engineering as well as luxury craftsmanship and advanced product development, we have developed a garment that neither company could have created independently."

Axiom Space and Prada first partnered in 2024 to design the exterior layer of the AxEMU so it could withstand the thermal extremes and micrometeoroid impact-prone environment of the moon's south pole. Taking on the LCVG was, according to Prada, the next logical progression: "moving from the suit's outermost protective shell to the layer worn closest to the astronaut's body, where thermal regulation, comfort and reliability are critical."

"When we unveiled the AxEMU, we announced that the collaboration between Prada and Axiom Space would continue beyond that first milestone. Today, we are proud to present a new achievement born from the unique combination of Axiom Space's pioneering expertise and Prada's know-how in design, patternmaking and advanced materials, ahead of humanity's return to the lunar surface," said Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada Group's chief marketing officer and head of sustainability.

NASA contracted Axiom Space to provide the AxEMU for use on Artemis IV, the planned first mission to return humans to the lunar surface in more than 50 years, currently targeted for no earlier than 2028. Before then, if ready, the suit may be tested in Earth orbit on the Artemis III mission in late 2027 or on the International Space Station.

The AxEMU also continues to be tested underwater in NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) and in integrated tests with the Artemis Lunar Terrain Vehicles, as recently selected by NASA.

In addition to its commercial partnership with Prada, Axiom Space is collaborating with the high-performance sunglasses company Oakley to develop the visor for its AxEMU helmet assembly.