9.09.2022

(HOUSTON, 7 of September 2022) – Commercial space leader Axiom Space today announced it has been awarded the first task order of NASA’s Extravehicular Activity Services (xEVAS) Contract. Under the terms of the task order, which has a base value of $228.5 million, the Houston-based company will build the space agency’s next generation astronaut spacesuits to support the Artemis lunar missions. The new spacesuits by Axiom Space will provide astronauts with advanced capabilities for space exploration while providing NASA commercially developed human systems needed to access, live, and work in microgravity as well as on and around the Moon.  

This is the first task order awarded under the firm fixed price contract Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Contract, which extends over a 10-year ordering period and allows for two additional years for completion of services. Authorization to perform work under the xEVAS contract occurs through the issuance of NASA task orders not to exceed $3.1B with a ceiling of $3.5B for all services. 

“Our team at Axiom Space is honored to be awarded this first task order to build the next-generation spacesuit. We are excited to provide our expertise to meet NASA’s exploration needs, while simultaneously serving our commercial customers in low Earth orbit and fulfill future space station goals that enable a commercial space economy,” said Michael Suffredini, Axiom Space’s President & CEO. “Our modernized, evolvable spacesuits will enable rapid upgrades to implement better, safer technologies over time, ensuring our astronauts are always equipped with high performing, robust equipment. We look forward to providing our space pioneers with advanced tools needed to further humanity’s permanent expansion off the planet.”  

NASA will land the first woman on the Moon wearing Axiom’s xEVAS spacesuits beginning with Artemis III. Using innovative technologies and a flexible design, the xEVAS will enable exploration of more of the lunar surface than ever before. Returning to the Moon is vital for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and inspiration for a new generation of explorers: the Artemis Generation. Maintaining American leadership in space exploration will build a global alliance and advance deep space exploration to benefit all of humanity. 

Axiom’s xEVAS spacesuits accommodate a wide range of crew members. Building off NASA’s xEMU spacesuit design, the Axiom spacesuits are created to provide increased flexibility and specialized tools to accomplish exploration needs and expand scientific opportunities in space. The xEVAS spacesuits design includes life support, pressure garments, and avionics. The Axiom Space team will provide xEVA systems training and real-time operations support to NASA, among other services.   

Axiom Space has partnered with a strong team of industry experts on this contract including KBR, Air-Lock, Arrow Science and Technology, David Clark Company, Paragon Space Development Corporation, Sophic Synergistics, and A-P-T Research. 

Quelle: Axiom Space 

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NASA Taps Axiom Space for First Artemis Moonwalking Spacesuits

NASA has selected Axiom Space to deliver a moonwalking system for the Artemis III mission, which will land Americans on the surface of the Moon for the first time in over 50 years. This award – the first one under a competitive spacesuits contract – is for a task order to develop a next generation Artemis spacesuit and supporting systems, and to demonstrate their use on the lunar surface during Artemis III.

With this award, NASA has put in place another cornerstone of returning astronauts to the Moon under Artemis to support continued scientific breakthroughs, benefiting humanity back on Earth. As part of its planned human lunar spaceflight missions, NASA will land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon.

After reviewing proposals from its two eligible spacesuit vendors, NASA selected Axiom Space for the task order, which has a base value of $228.5 million. A future task order will be competed for recurring spacesuit services to support subsequent Artemis missions.

“NASA is proud to partner with commercial industry on this historic mission that will kickstart the United States building a lasting presence on the surface of the Moon,” said Lara Kearney, manager of NASA’s Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility program. “What we learn on Artemis III and future missions on and around the Moon will pave the way for missions to Mars. Spacesuits enable us to literally take that next step.”

Using more than 50 years of spacesuit expertise, NASA defined the technical and safety requirements for the next generation of spacesuits. Axiom Space will be responsible for the design, development, qualification, certification, and production of its spacesuits and support equipment that will meet these key agency requirements for Artemis III.  

NASA experts will maintain the authority for astronaut training, mission planning, and approval of the service systems. Axiom Space will be required to test the suits in a spacelike environment before Artemis III.

Under the indefinite delivery and indefinite quantity of the Exploration Extravehicular Activity Services contract, eligible industry partners compete for task orders that will provide a full suite of capabilities for NASA’s spacewalking and moonwalking needs during the period of performance through 2034.

Future task orders under the contract will consist of recurring lunar landings, the development of spacesuits for use in low-Earth orbit outside the International Space Station, and special studies. The agency is currently evaluating task order options for space station spacesuits.

The spacesuits contract, which will advance spacewalking capabilities in low-Earth orbit and on the Moon, is managed by the Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program (EHP) at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Through Artemis, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon, paving the way for a long-term, sustainable lunar presence and serving as a steppingstone for future astronaut missions to Mars.

Quelle: NASA