NASA is entering a critical new phase of preparation for its return to the lunar surface, as astronauts begin intensive underwater training and engineers complete a major milestone in testing the next-generation moonwalking suit that will support the Artemis III mission. The Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) — developed by Axiom Space under NASA’s xEVAS (Exploration Extravehicular Activity Services) contract — is steadily progressing toward full qualification, combining decades of lessons from Apollo and the International Space Station with modern engineering and improved safety features.
NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara crouches to pick up a rock wearing the new AxEMU moonsuit. Credit: NASA
Designed to replace both Apollo-era suits and the ISS’s long-serving EMU units, the AxEMU introduces expanded mobility, a wider fit range for astronauts of different body types, upgraded life-support systems, and tools optimized for scientific operations on the lunar surface. Artemis crews will navigate steep slopes, gather samples, and endure extreme lighting and temperature conditions — tasks that demand greater flexibility and endurance than any spacesuit built before. To ensure the suits meet those challenges, astronauts begin their training not in lunar dust, but underwater.
Underwater Moonwalking at NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Lab
At NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) — a massive 6.2-million-gallon pool — has long served as the closest Earth analog to microgravity. For decades, it has been the proving ground for spacewalk operations, ISS repairs, and now, lunar mission rehearsals.
In September 2025, NASA completed the first-ever dual-suit run of two fully integrated AxEMU units inside the NBL. Astronauts Loral O’Hara and Stan Love donned the suits simultaneously, working side by side in a realistic simulation of lunar field operations — the first such test for the new suit design.
During the multi-hour underwater evaluation, the pair practiced collecting geological samples, maneuvering over uneven surfaces, and coordinating tasks under simulated lunar gravity. Engineers monitored mobility, dexterity, visibility, and life-support behavior as the suits performed in tandem. The successful trial confirmed that the NBL is ready for full-scale Artemis training cycles and that the AxEMU suits are maturing toward operational readiness.
Beyond underwater testing, Axiom Space and KBR completed another crucial step: the first uncrewed thermal vacuum test of the AxEMU pressure garment. Conducted at KBR’s Aerospace Environment Protection Laboratory (AEPL) in San Antonio, the test reproduced the raw conditions of space — vacuum exposure and extreme temperature swings — to verify how the suit’s materials and thermal systems behave on the lunar surface.
This achievement is particularly historic, as AEPL is the same facility where Apollo astronauts trained for their iconic moonwalks more than 50 years ago.
“It was important to evaluate the thermal performance of the new materials we’ve incorporated into the suit design,” said Russell Ralston, Axiom Space’s general manager of extravehicular activity. “These results give us data to confirm the AxEMU will protect astronauts working at the lunar south pole, including in permanently shadowed regions, for at least two hours.”
The test was completed in under one month from planning to execution — a rapid turnaround that underscores the urgency and momentum behind Artemis.
KBR, Axiom Space, and NASA have collectively achieved more than 700 hours of crewed pressurized time in the AxEMU, with the suit now in its critical design phase. These evaluations — from vacuum testing to underwater simulations — are part of a progressively complex series of trials leading toward full flight certification.
“KBR is proud to partner with Axiom Space on this major milestone,” said Mark Kavanaugh, KBR’s President of Defense, Intel and Space. “This achievement reflects KBR’s leadership in human spaceflight innovation and our role in advancing NASA’s Artemis program.”
As development continues, the AxEMU is being engineered not only for Artemis III but as a long-term solution, adaptable for future lunar missions and eventual crewed exploration beyond the Moon.
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