Collins Aerospace selected to outfit next generation of space explorers

Collins Aerospace (Charlotte, N.C., U.S.), a Raytheon Technologies business, along with teammates ILC Dover (Newark, Del., U.S.) and Oceaneering  (Houston, Texas, U.S.), have been selected to produce NASA’s (Washington, D.C., U.S.) next-generation spacesuit, which astronauts could wear when working outside the International Space Station (ISS) and — within the next decade — on the moon. The team consists of Collins as both the prime contractor, and provider of the portable life support system (PLSS), ILC Dover as the provider of the pressure garment assembly (PGA) and Oceaneering as the provider of the tools needed for orbital maintenance and lunar exploration missions.

The new suits are designed by astronauts for astronauts and offer enhanced mobility and weigh less than the current generation spacesuits, enabling increased mission times. The suits are also designed to accommodate nearly every astronaut body type and can rapidly incorporate new technologies. According to Collins Aerospace personnel, ILC Dover is no longer using the composite hard upper torso assembly as used in the current generation EMU spacesuit, and the Z-2 prototype (the latter reported by CW). For these next-gen spacesuits, ILC says materials decisions are still being made.

“Astronauts returning to the moon and venturing beyond need a spacesuit that’s as modern as their new missions,” Dan Burbank, senior technical fellow at Collins Aerospace and former NASA astronaut, says. “The next-gen spacesuit is lighter, more modular, a better fit and easily adaptable, which means that wherever the journey into space may lead, our crew will be ready.”

Collins Aerospace says it designed the first spacesuit that enabled astronauts to walk on the moon, as well as the suit NASA astronauts currently use when operating outside the ISS. “Collins was there when the first man walked on the moon, and we’ll be there when humankind goes back,” Phil Jasper, president of Mission Systems for Collins Aerospace, adds.

Patty Stoll, president of Space Systems at ILC Dover, says that ILC Dover is looking forward to partnering with NASA as their lunar spacesuit provider and inspiring the next generation through Artemis. “We are excited to return to the moon and build on our 50-year legacy of supplying EVA suits to NASA from the Apollo program to today on the International Space Station,” Stoll says.