Axiom Space astronaut and the company's chief technical officer Koichi Wakata became the first, who tested the new AxEMU suit (Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit) at NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL).
Tsey spacesuit, developed by Axiom Space, designed to support the first for over 50 years of landing a man on the moon - as part of the Artemis III mission, which should take place in the area of the south pole.
Wakata conducted the first tests, after which they were joined by NASA engineers Christine Davis and Richard Rhodes. Testing at the NBL, one of the world's largest astronaut training pools, allowed for simulations of tasks on the lunar surface in partial gravity conditions.
Axiom Space Extravehicular Activity Program Team (EVA) tested communication systems, breathing and cooling of the suit in the water environment. Engineers also trained NBL divers to support operations with the new equipment.
Preparations for Artemis III continue: AxEMU is undergoing intensive testing, among which — 23 tests in the ARGOS system, which simulates reduced gravity, tests with lunar instruments, as well as tests with regolith, who confirmed the suitability of the space suit to the mission requirements. Integration with lunar vehicles is currently underway (LTV), and at the end of the year AxEMU is due to undergo a critical design review (CDR).
Source: https://www.axiomspace.com