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Forum:	Exploration: Moon to Mars
Topic:	[Discuss] AxEMU spacesuit for Artemis

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Your Reply: HTML is ON UBB Code is ON Smilies Legend	[QUOTE]Originally posted by backof: [B]Did they say what the plan was to test the suit in space before Artemis III?[/B][/QUOTE]
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<table border=0 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 width="600"><TR><td bgcolor="#000000"><TABLE BORDER=0 cellpadding=4 border=0 cellspacing=1 WIDTH="100%"><TR bgcolor="#660000"><TD COLSPAN=2><CENTER>T O P I C     R E V I E W</CENTER></TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#494949"><TD valign=top>Robert Pearlman</TD><TD><BLOCKQUOTE>Please use this topic to discuss Axiom Space's <a href="http://www.collectspace.com/ubb/Forum39/HTML/000518.html">Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) spacesuits</A>, which the company is furnishing for NASA's use on the Artemis lunar landing missions.</BLOCKQUOTE></TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#333333"><TD valign=top>backof</TD><TD>Did they say what the plan was to test the suit in space before Artemis III?</TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#494949"><TD valign=top>Headshot</TD><TD>This event felt like a poorly-written, 30-minute infomercial for Axiom space suits. They gave no metrics about how this new suit performed better and was safer, than the Apollo suits. They did not even state how many hours an astronaut could moonwalk in this suit as opposed to the old A7-LB Apollo suit. Would have been nice to see a mobility demo video of this suit, fully pressurized, in a vacuum chamber. Having someone walk around at 1 atmosphere, with a backpack sans PLSS, while attached to an A/C hose just did not cut it for me. At least the little headlights worked.I understand that there are proprietary issues that Axiom feels should be protected. But certainly NASA has measurable performance requirements for the new moon suit that could have been discussed.</TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#333333"><TD valign=top>Jim Behling</TD><TD> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Headshot: This event felt like a poorly-written, 30-minute infomercial for Axiom space suits.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> No different than <A HREF="https://texasarchive.org/2015_02319" TARGET=_blank>this NASA puff piece</A>.Stop holding the present era programs to higher standards than Apollo. You didn't get the Apollo data you are requesting until years and decades later with the books and then internet. <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Would have been nice to see a mobility demo video of this suit, fully pressurized, in a vacuum chamber.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Other than the safety implications, there is no difference in EVA suit mobility whether pressurized to 3.8 psia in a vacuum or 18.5 psia at 1 atm. All that matters is the differential, which is 3.8 psi in both cases.</TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#494949"><TD valign=top>David C</TD><TD>I’d like to see one of the old Apollo moonwalkers try it. But I suppose that's not reasonable, given their ages.</TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#333333"><TD valign=top>Robert Pearlman</TD><TD> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by backof: Did they say what the plan was to test the suit in space before Artemis III?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> They said the suit will not be tested in space before Artemis III. The suit's design will be finalized in 2025, a few months before the mission is scheduled (as of today) to launch. NASA does not have a requirement for a suit to fly before Artemis III. <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Headshot: They did not even state how many hours an astronaut could moonwalk in this suit...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> The question was asked and answered during the later press session. <BLOCKQUOTE>We're designing the suit for a nominal eight-hour length. Certainly, in the right conditions, the suit could go longer than that. It's a step up from the current-day spacesuits. The current spacesuit is designed to six and half hours at what we call low metabolic rate — basically, how hard you're working in a suit. We designed this suit to a higher metabolic rate and eight hours, which is a pretty huge step up in performance in terms of EVA capability.</BLOCKQUOTE> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Would have been nice to see a mobility demo video of this suit...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> And that might still come. This event was billed as simply the unveiling of the new suit. There will be future events demonstrating its capabilities as the Artemis III mission nears.</TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#494949"><TD valign=top>328KF</TD><TD>I wonder if the white will be a covering over this suit? There are overlapping gaps in the fabric at the hips, shoulders, and chest that are going to be big traps for lunar regolith. Given the frequency of motion in at least two of these areas, I would think the soil going to shred the fabric in short order. </TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#333333"><TD valign=top>Robert Pearlman</TD><TD>The white outer layer will be a different design than the black protective layer designed for Earth-use only. Axiom Space officials said today that the outer layer on the moon-bound suits will be bulked up in areas where they expected the most wear (like the knees) and may even feature tear-away layers, so the areas that see the most dust incursion can be cleared away. </TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#494949"><TD valign=top>Headshot</TD><TD> <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Jim Behling: You didn't get the Apollo data you are requesting until years and decades later with the books and then internet.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> In actuality, some detailed technical information about the Apollo moon suit was given as early as February 1965 in Aviation Week & Space Technology. The information, including arm elevation, what metabolic rates the suit could handle and for how long, came from the prime contractor, Hamilton Standard.</TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#333333"><TD valign=top>Jim Behling</TD><TD>That wasn't the actual suit, since the ILC suit wasn't selected until July.</TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#494949"><TD valign=top>Robert Pearlman</TD><TD>From Axiom Space (<A HREF="https://twitter.com/Axiom_Space/status/1784960879370387785" TARGET=_blank>via X</A>): <BLOCKQUOTE>The AxEMU entered the water for the first time this week at NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL). Testing was conducted with an unoccupied spacesuit, adding weights to accurately simulate the lunar environment, where gravitational forces are 1/6th of Earth's.With the successful conclusion of this trial run, the next NBL suit run will have our very own astronaut inside ... stay tuned!</BLOCKQUOTE> <center><a href="http://www.collectspace.com/review/axiom_axemu_nbl01-lg.jpg" target="AirLock"><img src="http://www.collectspace.com/review/axiom_axemu_nbl01.jpg" width="400" height="600" border="0"></a><a href="http://www.collectspace.com/review/axiom_axemu_nbl02-lg.jpg" target="AirLock"><img src="http://www.collectspace.com/review/axiom_axemu_nbl02.jpg" width="400" height="299" border="0"></a></center></TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#333333"><TD valign=top>Robert Pearlman</TD><TD>Cleo Abram video <BLOCKQUOTE>In this video, we’re taking you behind the scenes to show how Axiom Space is designing, building, and testing NASA's new space suits. I am going to put myself and this suit to the test, to give you a sneak peak into what it looks like, what it feels like, and how it could change what humanity can do in space...</BLOCKQUOTE> <center><iframe width="400" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FerFv7BZAwo?si=klP9by5sa9nQcwKP" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen>

Headshot

I usually don't like these kind of "amateurish" videos, but this one was exceptionally good. Great job Cleo!

SkyMan1958

Just wondering, will Axiom's financial situation affect its ability to produce the spacesuits, or is the spacesuit insulated/stovepiped from the rest of Axiom's financial issues?

Robert Pearlman

Axiom said on Wednesday (Oct. 17) that it was on track to deliver the Artemis III suits for the mission.

The earlier reports about Axiom's financial status also noted that the company's spacesuit development program was on "better footing" than its other projects.

Robert Pearlman

I may have missed earlier mentions, but this is the first time I have read that the Artemis AxEMU suits will forgo overshoes. From former JAXA astronaut Koichi Wakata, who now works for Axiom Space:

The Apollo lunar boots were built for basic protection against sharp rocks and extreme temperatures, but faced many limitations that we have improved with the AxEMU boots. This new generation of boots are incorporated into the spacesuit design, eliminating the need for an overshoe, and feature dust repellent materials, advanced thermal insulation, and optimized tread patterns to navigate the Lunar South Pole's rugged terrain and permanently shaded regions.

To my knowledge, Axiom Space has yet to show publicly the boot tread pattern.

Robert Pearlman

quote:
Originally posted by SkyMan1958:
Just wondering, will Axiom's financial situation affect its ability to produce the spacesuits...

Axiom today announced (Feb. 12) it has raised $350-million in financing to, in part, ready the AxEMU.

NASA also released photos of the suit undergoing pressure load testing:

Robert Pearlman

NASA and Axiom Space are reportedly working together on a more basic "Sortie Suit" for the first Artemis moon landing missions.

[Originally] NASA mandated that the lunar spacesuits be capable of six spacewalks over a 6.5-day mission; that even after being stowed in a dormant condition, the suits must still be capable of further spacewalks for a period of 210 days; and have a thermal system capable of not just shedding heat from an astronaut exerting themselves but also operate nominally for at least two hours in an exceptionally cold, permanently shadowed region.
These and many other requirements led Axiom toward a suit design that was complicated, necessitated many layers of protection that drove mass upward, and had a stiffer design that reduced astronaut mobility. The result was a much heavier suit, one that was more difficult to build, was falling behind schedule, and cost more.
Essentially, with the "Sortie Suit" design, NASA is seeking to pare back requirements to allow Axiom to develop a suit that is good enough for initial Artemis missions and becomes more capable over time as NASA and Axiom learn about conditions on the surface of the Moon and can fold operational experience into upgrades.

Headshot

Relaxing the requirements for the first suits is a good way to speed up the acquisition of the suits, but it also tells me that there is a good chance that Artemis IV is NOT going to the Lunar South Pole.

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