8/12/23, 10:30 AM NASA Expands Options for Spacewalking, Moonwalking Suits, Services | NASA

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(/press-release/nasa-s-big-2022-
historic-moon-mission-webb-telescope- NASA has awarded Axiom Space and Collins Aerospace task
images-more) orders under existing contracts to advance spacewalking
capabilities in low Earth orbit, as well as moonwalking services
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NASA Headquarters
8 months ago The latest Exploration Extravehicular Activity Services task
orders, each with a value of $5 million, are intended to have
(/press-release/us-vice-president- Axiom Space begin work on a spacesuit for use in  low Earth
french-president-visit-nasa- orbit, and Collins Aerospace to begin work on a spacesuit for
headquarters) use on the lunar surface. Encouraging innovation in the suits
and services available from both companies helps NASA
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options should any development issues arise.
(/press-release/nasa-japan-announce-

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8/12/23, 10:30 AM NASA Expands Options for Spacewalking, Moonwalking Suits, Services | NASA

gateway-contributions-space-station- “These task orders position NASA for success should

extension) additional capabilities become necessary or advantageous to
NASA’s missions as the agency paves the way for deep space
exploration and commercialization of low Earth orbit,” said
Lara Kearney, manager of the Extravehicular Activity and
Human Surface Mobility Program at NASA’s Johnson Space
Center in Houston. “Using this competitive approach we will
enhance redundancy, expand future capabilities, and further
invest in the space economy.”

Each contract provider has proposed a plan to continue

developing their spacesuit to perform in an environment
different from that outlined in the scope of their initial task
order award. Axiom Space was previously awarded an initial
task order (https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-taps-
axiom-space-for-first-artemis-moonwalking-spacesuits) to
develop a spacewalking system for a demonstration in partial
gravity on the lunar surface during Artemis III and will now
begin early assessments for extending that suit for use outside
the International Space Station
(https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html).
Likewise, Collins Aerospace was previously awarded an initial
task order (https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-taps-
collins-aerospace-to-develop-new-space-station-spacesuits/)
to develop a spacewalking system for a demonstration in
microgravity outside the space station and will now begin early
assessments for extending that suit for use on the lunar
surface.

Both vendors’ assessments will provide NASA insight and

redundancy for use of their suit systems despite the
differences between low Earth orbit and the lunar surface,
including different gravitational fields, natural space
environments such as radiation, and mission tasks like floating
in microgravity or walking in partial gravity.

The providers will begin their design modification work through

an initial milestone set by the awardee in their respective
proposals for the task order’s initial content. Following the
completion of this initial step, NASA may exercise task order
options to continue development. Should NASA decide to
pursue the full extent of the follow-on task order options with a
given provider culminating in a flight demonstration, the
provider must complete all necessary safety and performance
verifications before flight and ultimately complete a spacewalk
or moonwalk at the respective destination.

The contract enables selected providers to compete for task

orders for missions that will provide a full suite of capabilities
for NASA’s spacewalking needs during the period of
performance through 2034. The first task orders awarded were
for the development and services for the first demonstration

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8/12/23, 10:30 AM NASA Expands Options for Spacewalking, Moonwalking Suits, Services | NASA

outside the space station in low Earth orbit and for the Artemis
III lunar landing. The contract was designed to evolve with the
needs of the agency and space industry and gives NASA a
mechanism for adding additional capabilities and vendors as
the commercial space services market evolves.

NASA’s investments in these additional capabilities will help

bolster a strong commercial space industry. Each provider on
the Exploration Extravehicular Activity Services contract will
own the spacesuits it develops under the contract and can
pursue other commercial customers and explore non-NASA
commercial applications for the associated technologies.

Expanding the commercial space services market is an

important element of NASA’s long-term goals of exploration in
low Earth orbit and in deep space, including the Moon and
Mars.

Learn more about spacewalking at:

https://www.nasa.gov/suitup (https://www.nasa.gov/suitup)

-end-

Vanessa Lloyd / Lora Bleacher

Headquarters, Washington
240-397-0807 / 202-358-1100
vanessa.c.lloyd@nasa.gov (mailto:vanessa.c.lloyd@nasa.gov)
/ lora.v.bleacher@nasa.gov (mailto:lora.v.bleacher@nasa.gov)

Victoria Ugalde
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
victoria.d.ugalde@nasa.gov
(mailto:victoria.d.ugalde@nasa.gov)

Last Updated: Jul 12, 2023

Editor: Claire O’Shea

Tags:  Artemis (/artemisprogram), Humans in Space

(/topics/humans-in-space), International Space Station (ISS)
(/mission_pages/station/main/index.html), Moon to Mars
(/topics/moon-to-mars/), SuitUp (/suitup)

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