Suits Developed For Artemis III Mission In 2027

KBR and Axiom Space announced the successful completion of three crewed submersion tests of the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit, or AxEMU, at NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Lab at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The tests are critical to advancing NASA’s Artemis program to return to the Moon.

The tests required an astronaut to be fully submerged in the NBL’s 6.2-million-gallon pool wearing the next-generation AxEMU, made in a collaboration between Axiom Space and KBR. The goal of the testing was to evaluate the integrity of the suit in an environment that resembles the weightlessness of space.

The tests showed that throughout the duration, the suits remained completely sealed and airtight, signaling its readiness for more advanced testing and evaluations toward the ultimate goal of being utilized on the Artemis III mission, a return to the Moon in 2027.

Mark Kavanaugh, President of Defense, Intel and Space for KBR said, "These successful tests demonstrate KBR's leadership in supporting human spaceflight and next generation EVA systems. Working in close partnership with NASA and Axiom Space, our team delivered mission critical support that showcases our technical depth, operational excellence and ability to advance innovative space solutions. As commercial space activity accelerates, KBR remains at the forefront, delivering capabilities that drive performance, safety and long-term growth.”

Russell Ralston, Executive Vice President of Extravehicular Activity for Axiom Space said, “Axiom Space is proud to have KBR’s decades of expertise in spacesuit innovation supporting the AxEMU, With KBR further enabling the AxEMU, astronauts will return to the south pole of the Moon with more flexibility, mobility, and protection to live and work in the harsh lunar environment.”

KBR and Axiom Space are working together to continue their joint support for the next era of human space exploration, helping astronauts train, suit up and safely carry out missions in space.

FMI:  www.kbr.com/ , www.axiomspace.com/