A groundbreaking collaboration has been announced between Milan-based luxury brand Prada and Axiom Space, a Texan commercial space company, marking a milestone in space and sartorial exploration.
Prada will be involved in designing the Axiom ‘extravehicular mobility unit (AxEMU) spacesuit’, utilising the fashion brand’s technical proficiency in working with raw materials, manufacturing techniques and innovative design concepts with a view to revolutionise spacesuit technology, ensuring not only astronauts’ comfort on the lunar surface but also addressing vital human factors that were lacking in traditional spacesuit designs. Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada Group’s marketing director, described the partnership “as a testament to the boundless potential of human creativity and innovation in advancing civilization.”
Artemis III, part of NASA’s broader Artemis program, is a pivotal lunar mission designed to return humans to the Moon with the aim of establishing sustainable lunar exploration and paving the way for future Mars missions. Human beings have not landed on the moon since 1972, so this is an exciting chapter in our continued exploration of our solar system. The primary objective of Artemis III is to safely land astronauts near the lunar South Pole, leveraging the knowledge and achievements from preceding Artemis missions. Notably, this mission will feature a diverse crew, marking the first woman and first person of colour to land on the moon.
Images from Pixabay courtesy of Pexels.
During Artemis III, astronauts will conduct scientific experiments, explore the lunar terrain, gather geological samples and evaluate technologies necessary for future lunar and Mars missions. The mission is anticipated to span approximately one month, including travel to and from the Moon and lunar surface operations. The invaluable insights and data from this mission will be instrumental in advancing deep space exploration technologies and objectives.
With Prada now poised to apply its expertise to crafting spacesuits for the Artemis era, this is a stunning collaboration in the realm of technology, science and design, with the fashion brand exalting itself towards a future of innovation beyond its commercially-oriented retail offerings. These spacesuits represent an evolution of NASA’s extravehicular mobility unit (xEMU) design, offering enhanced flexibility, robust protection against the harsh space environment and specialised tools to enable scientific exploration opportunities.
While we doubt the suits will be anything relatable from the runway – it certainly is ‘one giant leap for fashionkind’!
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