Collins Aerospace announced that it is ceasing the development of next-generation spacesuits for NASA astronauts.

 

 

This was part of a contract signed in 2022 for developing spacesuits for extravehicular activities (EVA) on the International Space Station (ISS).

The company announced in a statement on June 25 that it had agreed with NASA to halt the development.

The current spacesuits used on the ISS are the Extravehicular Mobility Units (EMU), which have been in use since their development in 1981.

These old spacesuits often cause issues such as moisture buildup inside, significantly impacting astronauts' safety and efficient work.

To address these problems and ensure more efficient spaceflight activities, NASA signed contracts in 2022 with Collins Aerospace and Axiom Space for the development of next-generation spacesuits.

However, with Collins’ decision to withdraw, Axiom is now the only company proceeding with the project.

NASA has not yet decided whether to seek a new partner to replace Collins.

In a statement, NASA explained, “Considering the progress made by Collins so far, it was determined that the spacesuits would not be completed by the planned deadline, leading to the decision to halt development.”

According to the contract signed in 2022, Collins was to develop the spacesuits for ISS astronauts, while Axiom was to develop the suits for the Artemis lunar exploration mission.

In July 2023, NASA requested both companies to confirm whether Collins’ spacesuits could be used for lunar missions and Axiom’s for the ISS.

In February, Collins announced that tests on the spacesuit prototype had been successfully completed and that development was proceeding as scheduled.

However, five months later, Collins declared its decision to cease development without providing detailed reasons.

According to local reports, Collins had signed a fixed-price contract with NASA, but delays and increased costs made the project unprofitable, leading to the decision to withdraw.

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Collins Aerospace announced that it is ceasing the development of next-generation spacesuits for NASA astronauts.