"NASA's delivery dates were overly optimistic and ultimately proved unachievable, warning that Axiom Space won't have demo suits ready before 2031, jeopardizing the 2028 moon landing."
"NASA's choice to use a firm-fixed-price, service-based acquisition strategy for xEVAS aligns with the Agency's strategic decision to shift the risk of cost overruns to the contractor."
"The report criticizes overly burdensome requirements like requiring offerors to bid on both microgravity and lunar spacesuits, limiting the pool of capable companies."
The NASA Office of Inspector General warns that next-generation spacesuits may not be completed in time for the Artemis III Moon landing in 2028. NASA initiated the xEVAS program in 2022, allocating $3.1 billion to develop two suits. Axiom Space and Collins Aerospace were selected, but Collins dropped out in 2024. The report criticizes NASA's overly optimistic delivery dates and the firm-fixed-price contract strategy, which conflicted with the high risks of spacesuit development. The report also highlights the lack of a commercial market for spacesuits prior to the xEVAS contracts.
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