Blue Origin · Artemis Program · SpaceX · US Congress · Ars Technica
Wary of Artemis IV timeline, NASA is changing lunar spacesuit design
Compiled by KHAO Editorial — aggregated from 1 source. See llms.txt for citation guidance.
◌ Single Source
NASA has decided to use a simpler spacesuit for its initial missions to the lunar surface, Ars has learned.
Key facts
- Since arriving at NASA in December 2025, Administrator Jared Isaacman and his team have been reviewing the space agency’s Artemis Program, which had fallen significantly behind schedule
- About four years ago, NASA awarded spacesuit development contracts to two providers, Axiom Space and Collins Aerospace
- The Sortie Suit will be used for the initial landing missions flown on landers developed both by SpaceX and Blue Origin
- The agency announced the decision during an internal meeting this week as it seeks to accelerate its program to land humans at the south pole of the Moon as early as 2028
Summary
The agency announced the decision during an internal meeting this week as it seeks to accelerate its program to land humans at the south pole of the Moon as early as 2028. The Sortie Suit will be used for the initial landing missions flown on landers developed both by SpaceX and Blue Origin. Since arriving at NASA in December 2025, Administrator Jared Isaacman and his team have been reviewing the space agency’s Artemis Program, which had fallen significantly behind schedule. Isaacman has been searching for ways to get Artemis back on track and, with the blessing of Congress, has already made some major changes, including streamlining production of the Space Launch System rocket, canceling the Lunar Gateway to reduce the burden on lunar landers, and working aggressively with SpaceX and Blue Origin to understand their needs and how NASA can help.