The Moon wears Prada

A red line, not too thin, decorates the closures (Velcro was invented for the Nasa missions of the 1960s, ed.) on the sleeves of the space suit signed by Prada in collaboration with the technical supplier of Nasa, Axiom space. The spacesuit is showcased on the stage set up at MiCo, in the spaces of the former Exhibition fair, where the 75th Iac-International astronautical congress is taking place. The scientific press is mixed with a large number of fashionistas. «The red line has been on space suits since the Apollo missions, for a precise function. But perhaps this coincidence is significant», Lorenzo Bertelli, chief marketing officer and corporate social responsibility of the Prada Group, explained. «It is an important historical moment. And we are very honored by this partnership. Since the '90s with Luna Rossa, my father has invested over a billion in engineering with partners like Lockheed. This is an important new step, and we are grateful to Axiom space for this opportunity», he continued.

«Seeing an astronaut walk on the moon is a memorable moment. Being in the city of Leonardo da Vinci makes the unveiling of this spacesuit even more special. We really put the human being at the center of the cosmos», Matt Ondler, Axiom space chief technology officer, explained. «Finding water will be a primary objective of the upcoming moon mission to the satellite's south pole. This called for an especially difficult engineering task. To create these technologically advanced suits, various creative outlets had to be explored». Axiom space and Prada have unveiled the design of the AxEmu-Axiom extravehicular mobility unit, which will be used for Nasa’s Artemis III mission in 2026. It will be the first manned moon landing since Apollo 17, which dates back to December 1972, but it will be the first to bring a woman on our satellite.

«We broke the mold. The partnership between Axiom space and Prada sets a precedent that will help us rethink cross-sector collaborations, opening new avenues and opportunities for commercial space services», he continued. During the development phase, Axiom space showed the suit with a dark coating to hide its technology, but the version that will arrive on the Moon will be made of a white material that reflects heat and protects astronauts from extreme heat and lunar dust. «Today begins an exciting adventure. We like to face challenges, and when we look back in 30 years, we will say that we have made the right choice», said Lorenzo Bertelli. «Overcoming our limits is one of the values that best reflect the spirit of Prada and the vision of my parents. I am very proud of the result we show today; it is only the first step of the collaboration with Axiom Space. The collaboration with them does not end here».

Bertelli cannot go into details, but we can hope that this research will have an impact on Earth given how many innovations, from velcro to mobile phones, were brought about by the Apollo missions of the 1960s. «Space today, in my opinion, is what the Internet was like in the 1980s. We are just getting started», the Italian businessman remarked. «We are opening a new era of space exploration, and partnerships are essential for commercialization», Russell Ralston, executive vice president of Eva for Axiom space, commented. He then revealed a curious detail. «These spacesuits are not tailor-made, like those of the Apollo missions. They will have sizes and can be worn by men and women». It adapts to the different physiognomies of astronauts, both male and female, by adjusting anthropometric measurements from the first to the 99th percentile. It can withstand the harsh environment of continuously shaded areas, at least two hours of extreme south-polar temperature, and at least eight hours of spacewalk. The AxEmu program is the emblem of non-traditional partnerships that are gaining ground in the aerospace industry to support exploration missions. Axiom space has profited from the public-private partnership with Nasa since 2022, when it received the first order for Artemis worth 228 million dollars.

This partnership has allowed Axiom Space to bring together experts in various fields and request their input for the design and development of this next-generation suit. «Before Covid, there were initial contacts with Axiom space», as Bertelli clarified to MFF, «but we have accelerated primarily since the end of the pandemic». How much did the aesthetic taste of Prada count in the production of suits? «Fashion is often born from function. The creative process started with function. But with equal performance, aesthetics made the difference», he told MFF. The outer layer design and materials research are the result of a joint effort that began when the two companies, leaders in their respective fields, decided to combine creativity and engineering for the design of the next generation of space suits.

«Bringing together strong, cohesive teams from different companies enables us to explore advanced technologies, specialized products, and innovative services with the help of experienced people. For the first time, we are opening up to expertise from other sectors to optimize space solutions», Ralston said. Prada’s deep knowledge and experience of materials and production processes have been expressed beyond the outer layer of the suit. The design and product development teams have worked with Axiom space engineers to suggest specially designed materials and solutions that, in addition to protecting astronauts from the challenges of a hostile environment such as the moon, will be an inspiration for the future of space exploration. Prada’s know-how has also allowed the adoption of advanced technologies and innovative stitching methods to combine highly engineered functionality with the aesthetics of the white coating, increasing both comfort for astronauts and performance.

The AxEmu suit, an evolution of Nasa’s xEmu-Exploration extravehicular mobility unit, is designed to ensure greater flexibility, efficiency, and safety and integrates specialized tools for exploring the south lunar pole. «Today, space travel is already a reality accessible not only to professionals. The price ticket is too high for now. But exploring this world is in line with what my family did in the 90s with Luna Rossa. It is perhaps no coincidence that they had thought of the moon already then», Lorenzo Bertelli concluded. «The work on these space suits includes advanced research in terms of sustainability. Anyone who has been in space knows that the most beautiful thing is to see the earth. Perhaps we should remember it too». (all rights reserved)