Collins Aerospace, a subsidiary of RTX, has recently been awarded a new task order by NASA to modify their current spacesuit design for lunar missions. This task order falls under NASA’s Exploration Extravehicular Activity Services (xEVAS) contract and will allow Collins to develop elements that are compatible for use on the lunar surface as part of NASA’s Artemis missions.
According to Dave Romero, the director of EVA & Human Surface Mobility Systems for Collins Aerospace, their next-generation spacesuit design is already 90% compatible with a lunar mission. This new contract award will support their ongoing efforts to modify the spacesuit and make it suitable for tasks on the Moon.
The task order, valued at five million dollars, was awarded to Collins after a proposal process that required the company to identify the methodologies for developing a crossover product. The next-generation spacesuit is expected to be lighter than the current extravehicular mobility unit, improving astronaut efficiency, range of motion, and comfort. It is also designed to fit nearly any body type and has an open architecture design that allows for easy modifications as missions evolve.
As part of the xEVAS program, Collins and NASA will be conducting various tests and reviews to ensure the effectiveness and safety of the spacesuit. These include a thermal vacuum test and underwater tests at NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Lab. Collins is committed to supporting NASA and its international and commercial partners as they venture from low Earth Orbit to deep space.
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