Artemis Suit Material Project Overview

This paper presents an overview of an ongoing NASA technology infusion project aimed at designing, fabricating, and testing a new outer shell fabric for a lunar Extravehicular Activity (EVA) space suit, crucial for sustained lunar exploration. Historically, fabrics such as Beta cloth (Apollo missions) and Ortho Fabric (used on the current Extravehicular Mobility Unit, EMU) have provided essential protection in space. However, both materials have been found to be inadequate for long-duration lunar missions due to challenges posed by the lunar environment, particularly abrasive lunar dust and cryogenic flexibility. The goal of this project is to develop a more robust and dust-resistant fabric suitable for sustained lunar surface operations as part of NASA’s Artemis program. The scope is multi-faceted, and a broad overview will be presented here. Detailed results including down selection and test data are planned to be presented in a future publication. The project's methodology includes evaluating commercially available textiles and coatings to better inform the design and development of a bespoke fabric solution to better meet the stringent requirements for lunar EVAs. This paper will focus on the approach taken to develop a set of comprehensive requirements that guide material selection, testing, and validation. These requirements encompass protection against dust infiltration, thermal regulation, durability, and flexibility to name a few. Initial development involves a thorough vetting process of existing, commercially available materials, coupled with the evaluation and evolution of new technologies, to produce a high-performance fabric capable of sustaining prolonged exposure to the lunar environment. The insights gained from this research will inform future development cycles and play a critical role in advancing EVA suit technology for long-term lunar exploration.