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Where are NASA's new spacesuits?
NASA needs new spacesuits, but the current plan to develop them isn't working, according to a new reporter from the Inspector General. The contractor working on the suits is behind and the delay could jeopardize future moon missions.
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - NASA has spent billions of dollars and more than 20 years attempting to modernize its aging spacesuit fleet, but a scathing new report from the Office of Inspector General (OIG) suggests the agency is still far from the finish line.
The spacesuits currently used on the International Space Station (ISS) were designed over 50 years ago for the Space Shuttle Program and carry "significant safety risks," including water leaks in helmets and thermal regulation malfunctions.
Despite the urgency, the OIG warns that the next generation of suits may not be ready for years.
Spacesuit Struggles
NASA’s current strategy relies on "renting" spacewalking services from private industry rather than building hardware in-house.
In 2022, NASA awarded $3.1 billion in contracts to two companies: Axiom Space and Collins Aerospace.
The goal was to foster competition, but the plan hit a major snag in June 2024 when Collins Aerospace withdrew from its primary tasks, citing an inability to meet the schedule. This leaves NASA almost entirely reliant on Axiom Space as its sole provider.
The OIG found that NASA’s initial timelines were "overly optimistic" and "unachievable". The OIG notes that if the company follows historical averages for space flight development, the suits might not be ready until 2031.
The Impact on Artemis
The delays pose a direct threat to the Artemis campaign, which aims to return humans to the lunar surface. The current lunar landing mission is planned for 2028, but without the new suits, astronauts cannot safely explore the Moon's South Pole.
According to the report, Axiom’s lunar suit is already facing technical hurdles.
- Weight Issues: The suit has exceeded the allowable mass requirements.
- Resource Consumption: The design currently requires more oxygen, water, and power than NASA permitted.
- Safety Risks: If Axiom cannot deliver, NASA may be forced to continue using the problematic "legacy" suits or significantly adjust its lunar landing plans.
What Needs to Change
The OIG criticized NASA's "firm-fixed-price" contract approach, arguing it is incompatible with a high-risk, developmental project like a spacesuit.
This structure shifts financial risk to the contractors, which the report suggests may have stifled innovation and contributed to the current situation.
The report also highlighted a major lack of interoperability standards. Currently, different lunar vehicles (like the landers being built by SpaceX and Blue Origin) may not be compatible with the same spacesuit.
For example, Blue Origin may have to redesign its airlock layout because Axiom changed its suit connection design.
What's next:
In response to the audit, the OIG issued two primary recommendations for NASA:
- Seek Industry Input: Re-evaluate contract requirements to attract more competition and avoid being locked into a single provider.
- Standardize Interoperability: Create a plan to ensure all future Moon vehicles and suits can work together seamlessly.
For its part, Axiom Space still remains publicly confident. In a statement on social media on Tuesday, the company said it remains "confident in our path to a 2027 demonstration and to supporting America’s return to the lunar surface in 2028."
The Source: FOX 35 reporter Esther Bower read the report and spoke with space researchers on the impact going forward.