"NASA's current space suits for space walks on the International Space Station were designed more than a half-century ago and have received no major updates in at least 20 years."
"The NASA OIG report criticizes the agency's decision to farm out the suits' development to private companies and to then rent the products instead of bringing the effort in-house."
"Collins Aerospace dropped out in 2024 because it was unable to meet NASA's deadlines for the suits, leaving Axiom Space as the lone provider."
"Originally, the space agency had targeted 2025 for demonstrations of the lunar variants, followed by tests of the microgravity versions via an ISS space walk in 2026."
NASA's plan for new space suits for the 2028 moon landing is at risk due to significant delays. The current suits, designed over 50 years ago, are outdated and unfit for use. NASA contracted Axiom Space and Collins Aerospace to develop new suits, but Collins Aerospace dropped out in 2024, leaving Axiom as the sole provider. The original timeline for suit demonstrations and tests was overly optimistic, and the agency's decision to outsource suit development has faced criticism due to limited market demand.
Read at www.scientificamerican.com
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