NASA Expands Developers' Contracts For Its Next-Gen Spacesuits (engadget.com) 5
NASA has expanded its contracts with Axiom Space and Collins Aerospace to design and develop new spacesuits, providing each company with an additional $5 million. Engadget reports: NASA has ordered a spacesuit from Axiom Space meant for use in Low Earth Orbit, specifically for spacewalks outside the International Space Station. The original contract for Axiom was for a spacewalking system that the Artemis III astronauts will wear on the lunar surface when they land on the moon. Axiom unveiled a prototype for its original order in March, showcasing a suit with joints that allow wearers to move around with ease and a helmet equipped with a light and an HD camera. Meanwhile, Collins Aerospace has received an order for a spacesuit meant for use on the lunar surface. The company was previously contracted to develop a spacewalking suit for use outside the ISS. In other words, each company has received a new order that mirrors the other's previous one.
Redundancy is an important part of space tech development. In this case, spacesuits meant for the same purpose developed by two different companies could ensure that astronauts will have something to use if the other one fails for any reason. That said, the new task orders are for the companies' initial "design modification work" -- they're essentially modifying their original suits for a new purpose -- and NASA wants to see them first before committing to their continued development. Axiom told SpaceNews that if NASA decides to push through with the new spacesuits' development, the full order will cost the agency $142 million over four years.
Redundancy is an important part of space tech development. In this case, spacesuits meant for the same purpose developed by two different companies could ensure that astronauts will have something to use if the other one fails for any reason. That said, the new task orders are for the companies' initial "design modification work" -- they're essentially modifying their original suits for a new purpose -- and NASA wants to see them first before committing to their continued development. Axiom told SpaceNews that if NASA decides to push through with the new spacesuits' development, the full order will cost the agency $142 million over four years.
No ChatGPT handsfree helmet interface? (Score:2)
Now that is disappointing...
Why another one? What happen to previous model? (Score:1)
Re: (Score:3)
The one shown off in March was a prototype. It was black for a start, they will be white for use in space and on the lunar surface, to help with thermal management.
They proved the concept of their suit, and some key technologies like being able to have a wide range of movement while still routing all the necessary electrical and liquid conduits. For example, the arms and gloves need to have water pumped through them to maintain a comfortable temperature, which one one of the things that limited the range of
Re: (Score:3)
Two companies produced prototypes for two different purposes -neither is a general use spacesuit.
Company A built a prototype for purpose a, and Company B built a prototype for purpose b.
Now, NASA has asked Company A to build a prototype for purpose b, and Company B to build a prototype for purpose a.
This will give two versions of each suit, produced by two separate companies. Competition for the final production order should produce a better product -if they decide to choose only one design (of each purpo