NASA tells Axiom to slim lunar suit for 2028 landing

NASA directed Axiom Space this week to develop a lighter Sortie Suit variant of the AxEMU lunar spacesuit so astronauts can walk on the Moon as early as 2028, Ars Technica reported. Artemis program manager Jeremy Parsons ordered the change to cut mass and complexity and simplify interfaces with SpaceX and Blue Origin landers after the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel said NASA leadership is meeting Axiom six days a week and shortening certification-duration requirements. The original AxEMU spec, which NASA's inspector general called over-burdensome, had driven the design over its mass budget and left little schedule margin for Artemis IV.