You might think NASA has it all set for its biggest mission series yet: the Artemis missions, which will eventually send a crew of astronauts to the lunar surface. But as Artemis 2 prepares for launch and the rocket prepares to take off, NASA is still adapting, though not necessarily for the better.
For example, the Artemis 2 Orion spacecraft had a potentially dangerous flaw, so NASA adjusted its reentry orbit to fix the problem. The flaw was first discovered during the Artemis 1 mission, when the spacecraft’s heat shield suffered scorch. Meanwhile, the new spacesuits posed another big problem: They were reportedly heavier and bulkier than the suits worn during the Apollo missions (called Armstrong suits). More than half a century later, astronauts will be wearing spacesuits that are a step backwards in terms of weight. This didn’t seem worrying since they would be bouncing in zero gravity, but the former astronaut shelved the idea. Being on the moon actually puts “extreme physical stress” on astronauts for a number of reasons.
Kate Rubins, a former astronaut and professor of computational and systems biology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, explains that stress in the body increases during a moonwalk. First, “people experience changes in their sleep,” meaning they barely get any rest. In addition, the astronauts will wear the suit for up to nine hours and perform EVA (extravehicular activities, or spacewalks) every day. According to Rubins, her spacewalk outside the International Space Station was like running multiple marathons in a row.
Read more: The 10 most expensive space missions of all time
Why does spacesuit weight matter?
Astronauts on the lunar surface – Dima Zel/Shutterstock
As Rubin explained, the Axiom Commercial Suit (also known as the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit, or AxEMU) will create additional physical exertion and stress during the moonwalk. Not just from the spacesuits, but also from the equipment the astronauts will wear and carry, such as heavy life support backpacks. The suits weigh more than 300 pounds in Earth’s gravity, but they weigh less on the lunar surface due to lower gravity (about 1/6 of Earth’s). They are still heavier than the original 185 pound Armstrong suit. Each astronaut also has to contend with the combined weight of spacesuit, equipment and body weight. Artemis 3 also won’t have a rover, so astronauts will bear all the physical exertion of moving equipment, tools and other gear.
According to the official description, the AxEMU suite gets a lot of things right. They are safer and designed specifically for the previous generation, with customized options for everyone. NASA and Artemis astronauts are working to improve the Axiom suit’s maneuverability. There are a lot of improvements thanks to the rear-entry design. Astronauts can get in and out on their own without assistance. Additionally, the suit is designed for planetary or terrestrial walking, which means support for the legs, more upper mobility, and modular support to carry a variety of tools.
Even so, the weight may pose a bigger challenge than anyone expects. Former Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison “Jack” Schmidt has said he would design a spacesuit with “four times the maneuverability and half the weight.” AxEMU may be more maneuverable, but it’s also heavier. We’ll find out how it works soon, as NASA is already building the Artemis 3 rocket, which will fly after Artemis II orbits the moon.
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