NASA wears Prada: Spacesuit ‘capable of enabling human exploration of lunar south pole’ unveiled for Artemis III

Astronauts of NASA’s Artemis III moon mission will adorn spacesuits designed by luxury fashion house Prada in collaboration with commercial space company Axiom Space.

These new designer spacesuits were unveiled on Wednesday at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan.

The predominantly white suits showcase a cropped torso design with stone-gray patches adorning the elbows and knees. Despite being noticeably devoid of branding or logos, the designs feature red accent lines across the forearms, waist, and "portable life system backpacks," which are a subtle homage to Prada's Linea Rossa sub-brand.

At the press conference, Russel Ralston, executive vice president of Axiom Space, termed the partnership as 'groundbreaking' and said, “We’re blending engineering, science and art.”

Features of the new ‘slick looking’ suits

The Prada-designed spacesuits include a range of innovative features such as specially engineered boots, heat-reflective material and more.

Prada, on its website said, the brand's expertise in raw materials, manufacturing techniques, and innovative design, its engineers worked side by side with the Axiom Space team has creates a suit “capable of protecting astronauts from the harsh environment of space, and enabling, for the first time, human exploration of the lunar south pole.”

• Due to specially engineered boots, astronauts will be able to spacewalk for at least eight hours a day in these Prada spacesuits.
• According to a joint press release, the suits will be made of white material that reflects heat, offering protection from extremely high temperatures and lunar dust.
• The mobility of astronauts has also been improved since the Apollo 17 designs.
• "But it was Prada’s in-depth knowledge of textile production and sewing techniques that helped “bridge the gap” between functionality and style," reads the release.
• The suits, designed to be gender-neutral and one-size-fits-all, have been in development for several years.

According to Lorenzo Bertelli, chief marketing officer of Prada Group, the fashion house has been discussing the collaboration since before the Covid-19 pandemic struck in 2020.

Approximately ten Prada employees were involved in the spacesuit project, travelling between Milan and Axiom Space's headquarters in Houston.

The Artemis III mission, slated for the latter half of 2026, aims to mark NASA's first astronaut moon landing since Apollo 17 in 1972. Additionally, this mission could witness the historic moment of the first woman setting foot on the moon.

In Milan, Bertelli told journalists that today, anyone with deep pockets can go to space. “Soon it’ll become affordable and people will be able to go to the moon. So I think we’re just at the beginning of a new era.”