The first astronaut to land on the moon again in more than 50 years will wear Prada.
Prada is involved in the development of the spacesuits for the US moon mission “Artemis 3”, the Italian luxury fashion label announced on Wednesday. To develop the suits, Prada is working with the private space company Axiom Space.
Prada will work with the Axiom Space team throughout the design process and develop solutions for materials and design features that withstand the challenges of space and the lunar environment, the statement said. For the so-called “AxEMU” spacesuits for astronauts, the design of the NASA Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit (xEMU) spacesuit will be further developed and offer wearers “advanced capabilities and design features that meet the challenges of the space environment”.
Both companies emphasized that the development of this “next generation of spacesuits” is a significant milestone for further space exploration and builds on the collective understanding of the moon. Prada’s technical know-how in materials, manufacturing techniques and innovative design concepts will produce “advanced technologies that will not only ensure the comfort of astronauts on the lunar surface, but also take into account the much-needed human factors that are missing in previous spacesuits said Axiom Space CEO Michael Suffredini.
“Prada’s ever-forward ethos for humanity has extended to its desire for adventure and new horizons: space,” said Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada Group Marketing Director. “We are honored to participate in this historic mission with Axiom Space. Our decades of experimentation, cutting-edge technology and design know-how – which began with Luna Rossa’s America’s Cup battle in the ’90s – will now be channeled into the design of a spacesuit for the Artemis era. It’s a true celebration of the human creativity and innovation to advance civilization.”
The mission, which will send a woman to the moon for the first time and is part of NASA’s program, is planned for 2025.