NASA tests latest wetsuits underwater

NASA engineers are now laying the foundations for the upcoming lunar walks that will be part of the Artemis programme scheduled for 2024. To this end, new suits have been developed in which astronauts will make their next visit to the silver globe.

The Artemis programme will see two astronauts, including the first woman, visit the lunar South Pole. It should come as no surprise, then, that the programme itself is named after the Greek goddess of the hunt.

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Currently at Johnson Space Center in Houston, teams are testing tools and developing training methods for lunar surface operations. As part of a series of tests conducted at the Neutral Buoyancy Lab at Johnson, astronauts in a demo spacesuit and engineers in diving gear are simulating several different tasks the crew could perform on the lunar surface.

These early tests will help us determine many important parameters for further hardware development and requirements for future Artemis training and missions. At the same time, we will be able to gather valuable information on spacewalk tools and procedures that will help define some of the mission objectives,” said Daren Welsh, Artemis’ External Activity Test Manager

During training, astronauts practice performing a variety of tasks, including sampling lunar regolith, inspecting a lunar lander or placing an American flag. Teams must consider and work through many basics, such as how a crew can safely ascend and descend a ladder, how to safely swing a hammer and how to conduct successful moonwalks in different lighting conditions than Apollo-era moonwalks.

The tests will provide information on future mission planning, including the number of spacewalks to be conducted during the mission, how long they will last and how far from the lander the crew will travel. While NASA has extensive experience in preparing astronauts for spacewalks in microgravity, there are still many challenges in preparing for a lunar mission.

Photo: NASA