Axiom Space is working to revise its lunar spacesuit design as NASA prepares for the early Artemis missions, including the first crewed lunar landing in more than 50 years. 

The company was awarded a $228.5 million NASA contract to develop the spacesuit system for Artemis 3, with the design based partly on NASA’s xEMU reference suit. 

Axiom has been conducting testing and making changes intended to improve the suit’s performance, flexibility and ability to support astronauts working on the lunar surface.

The effort has become especially important after Collins Aerospace, the other major NASA spacesuit contractor, ended its development work because its schedule could not support NASA’s objectives, Space News has reported.

Axiom’s suit, developed with help from Prada and other contractors, is therefore expected to play a central role in NASA’s upcoming Artemis lunar missions.