In a bold move to meld the worlds of high fashion and space exploration, Prada and Axiom Space have unveiled their much-anticipated new spacesuit design to be worn for NASA’s Artemis III mission.
The Prada spacesuit was unveiled during the International Astronautical Congress in Milan, and represents a groundbreaking partnership between the Italian luxury house and Axiom Space, a leader in the space industry and the creator of the first commercial orbital station.
Dubbed the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU), the Prada spacesuit will be worn by the astronauts on NASA’s upcoming Artemis III lunar mission – representing and extraordinary collaboration between international leaders in technology, innovation and creativity.
The Artemis III mission’s goals are to revisit lunar landscapes, marking the first moon landing since the Apollo 17 mission of 1972.
The spacesuit collaboration has been in the works since 2022, looking to blend Prada’s renowned expertise in garment creation with Axiom Space’s cutting-edge spaceflight technology, the suit promises not only style but superior function amidst the harshest of lunar conditions.
The sartorial brainpower of Prada was put to excellent use, focusing on customizing protective materials that can withstand the moon’s extreme heat and frigid cold. Not only does the AxEMU keep astronauts comfortable, but it’s also built to handle the enduring cold of the lunar south pole for several hours. Those living in Milan may find themselves raising an eyebrow—the biggest question here isn’t why but how on earth (or rather, the moon) these fashionistas managed to marry style with such protective functionality seamlessly.
Safety, of course, is the name of the game when you’re playing astronaut dress-up for real. The spacesuit comes decked out with the latest in survival tech, featuring everything from redundancy systems to in-suit diagnostics to prevent hiccups in space. An innovative carbon dioxide scrubbing system and air-cooling mechanisms ensure that astronauts stay alive and kicking, even while pulling some stellar maneuvers in zero gravity.
Now, about that exterior: the suit’s aesthetic is equally prepared for dust impact or red-carpet appearances. With a clean white facade, accented by grey panels and—because this is Prada we’re talking about—those iconic red straps, the design could as easily be strutting down a runway, albeit a very lunar one.
With no Artemis III launch date set earlier than 2026, the Prada and Axiom team will continue rigorously testing their creation under various conditions, tinkering with the minutiae until it’s just right. All the while, the suit hints at a future where haute couture could play an integral role in space travel, potentially opening the floodgates for other designers to venture into the final frontier.
While the development of luxury spacesuits may seem like a niche venture, the broader implications speak to an intriguing merger of industries—fashion and space tech—once considered nocturnal strangers.