AxEMU Spacesuit
Overview
Next-generation extravehicular mobility unit evolved from NASA's xEMU design, built for the Artemis IV crewed lunar landing (targeted early 2028) after NASA's early-2026 Artemis restructuring turned Artemis III into a non-landing rendezvous and docking test flight - supporting at least two-hour EVAs at the lunar south pole and in permanently shadowed regions - with redundant life support, improved mobility joints, and broad crew sizing. Prada co-developed the outer layer (2024) and the liquid cooling and ventilation inner garment (unveiled June 2026).
In early September 2026 NASA directed Axiom to develop a lighter Sortie Suit variant of AxEMU, cutting mass and complexity and shortening certification-duration requirements so a 2028 Artemis IV landing stays in reach; NASA leadership is meeting Axiom six days a week. Axiom has said lunar and ISS suits are still targeted for late 2027. NASA OIG warned in April 2026 the original spec was ~18 months behind schedule and demos could still slip to 2031.