NASA cancels plans to develop new spacewalk suits

A NASA announced, this Wednesday (26), that it has abandoned plans to develop next-generation spacesuits. The space agency and its longtime partner, Collins Aerospace, “mutually agreed” to end the deal, which committed the company to delivering spacesuits by 2026.

The abandoned contracts were worth more than US$100 million (approximately R$557 million). “This action was agreed upon after Collins recognized that its development timeline would not support NASA’s space station timeline and mission objectives,” NASA said in a statement. blog post .

Collins, for his part, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

How are NASA suits used for spacewalks?

Currently, astronauts wear spacesuits — called Extravehicular Activity suits, or EVA — designed more than 40 years ago when performing spacewalks.

This week, NASA abandoned plans to remove a faulty electronics box from outside the space station because an EVA suit worn by astronaut Tracy Dyson developed a leak.

The problem affected the spacesuit’s cooling unit, which keeps astronauts at a comfortable temperature while they work. It is not yet clear how or whether NASA will renew or replace plans to develop a new generation of EVA suits for the space station.

Spacesuits from other companies

Another company, Houston-based Axiom Space, has a contract with NASA worth almost US$230 million (about R$1.286 billion) to develop new spacesuits under the same program that Collins operated. However, Axiom suits are designed to be used on the Moon.

When contacted, NASA did not respond to a request for comment regarding the Axiom suits and whether they could be repurposed for use on the space station.

SpaceX, another key NASA partner that provides astronaut transportation to the International Space Station, is also developing its own EVA suit and revealed the design in May this year.

But those plans focus on providing protection for four astronauts on a mission called Polaris Dawn, a completely private venture funded by billionaire financier Jared Isaacman that could take off as early as this summer. Polaris Dawn could mark the first spacewalk conducted by a private company and a citizen astronaut.

SpaceX also did not respond to a request for comment on whether NASA has reviewed these spacesuit designs or considered them for use on the International Space Station. The company led by Elon Musk does not typically respond to inquiries from news organizations.

NASA plans to retire the space station sometime within the next few years. In a press release detailing plans to destroy the space station when it retires, the federal agency noted that it is committed to continuing space station operations until 2030. But Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, has only guaranteed its participation until “at least 2028”.

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