Luxury fashion house Prada and commercial space company Axiom Space have introduced a cutting-edge spacesuit design intended for NASA’s Artemis III moon mission. This announcement took place at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan, showcasing sleek, predominantly white suits adorned with stone-gray patches on the elbows and knees.

Red accent lines, reminiscent of Prada’s sub-brand Linea Rossa, provide a stylish flair to the otherwise minimalist aesthetic. This collaboration merges the worlds of high fashion and aerospace engineering, creating a new paradigm in spacesuit design.

Engineered for superior functionality, the spacesuits will enable astronauts to conduct spacewalks for up to eight hours each day. The suits feature specially designed boots and are made from a reflective white material, providing protection against extreme temperatures and lunar dust.

Improvements in mobility over previous designs, particularly those from the Apollo 17 missions, are also notable. Prada’s expertise in textiles has played a crucial role in achieving a balance between aesthetics and the practical requirements of space exploration.

Prada and Axiom Space Revolutionize Spacesuit Design for NASA's Artemis III Mission
Prada and Axiom Space Revolutionize Spacesuit Design for NASA’s Artemis III Mission

The development process for the suits has spanned several years, with discussions about this collaboration beginning before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. A team of approximately ten Prada employees collaborated closely with Axiom Space, frequently traveling between Milan and Houston to refine the suit’s design. This partnership exemplifies a successful integration of artistic vision and scientific engineering, aiming to produce a suit that excels in both function and style.

Scheduled for the latter half of 2026, NASA’s Artemis III mission represents a significant milestone, as it will be the first astronaut moon landing since Apollo 17 in 1972. The mission carries immense historical significance, potentially marking the first time a woman walked on the moon.

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The innovative design of the spacesuit is critical for the mission’s success, ensuring that astronauts are well-equipped to tackle the challenges of lunar exploration.

Lorenzo Bertelli, chief marketing officer of Prada Group, shared insights about the future of space travel, emphasizing that while currently, only affluent individuals can travel to space, advancements in technology will soon make such experiences more accessible.

He envisions a new era where more people can participate in lunar exploration, highlighting that this collaboration extends beyond fashion, symbolizing a transformative shift in the relationship between humanity and space travel.