A new spacesuit designed for NASA’s upcoming lunar mission has successfully passed a critical internal review, moving one step closer to helping astronauts walk on the Moon for the first time in over 50 years.
The suit, known as the AxEMU (Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit), is being built by Texas-based company Axiom Space. It is specifically designed for NASA’s Artemis III mission, which aims to land astronauts near the Moon’s South Pole—a region never before explored by humans. Following the completion of Axiom’s own technical review, NASA will now evaluate whether the suit is ready to support that historic journey.
Engineered for the harsh conditions of the lunar south pole, the AxEMU is built to offer astronauts greater flexibility and mobility than the suits used during the Apollo era. Its design allows crew members to bend more easily to collect geological samples and perform scientific tasks on the uneven terrain. The suit also features adjustable sizing to fit a wider range of body types, advanced life-support systems, and enhanced protection against the extreme temperatures and abrasive dust found on the Moon.
To ensure the suit performs as expected, NASA and Axiom have conducted more than 850 hours of pressurized testing with people inside the AxEMU. Recent trials have taken place in specialized facilities at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. In the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, a massive indoor pool, the suit was weighted to simulate lunar gravity—about one-sixth of Earth’s—allowing astronauts and engineers to practice movements and tasks underwater.
Meanwhile, testing is ongoing at the Active Response Gravity Offload System (ARGOS) facility, where an overhead lift system mimics the reduced gravity of the Moon. This allows test subjects to walk, bend, and perform simulated surface operations while wearing the suit. These evaluations help refine the suit’s design, assess its safety, and gather feedback from astronauts on its functionality.
With the internal review now complete, Axiom has begun receiving parts for the first flight-ready suit, which will be assembled later this spring. NASA will conduct its own critical design review to confirm that the suit’s hardware and systems meet all requirements before final testing and delivery.
“This achievement reflects our shared commitment to deliver a safe, capable lunar spacesuit,” said Lara Kearney, who manages NASA’s Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program. She emphasized that astronaut safety remains the top priority as the agency prepares for Artemis III and future missions.
The new spacesuit is just one part of a broader effort to establish a long-term human presence on the Moon. Alongside advanced landers and rovers, the AxEMU will enable astronauts to conduct scientific research, test new technologies, and gain experience that will be essential for eventual human missions to Mars.
