NASA Spacesuits: How Astronaut Fashion Has Evolved Over the Decades

Spacesuits have advanced from the 1960s to a more modern design equipped for male and female astronauts

By Joseph De Avila and Gareth Vipers
March 18, 2023
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The National Aeronautics and Space Administration recently introduced a spacesuit that’s been designed for the astronauts who will return to the moon in 2025, for the first time in over 50 years.

NASA said the spacesuits were designed to fit male and female astronauts. Here’s a look at how spacesuits have evolved since the 1960s, according to NASA.

Astronaut Alan Shepard wore the Mercury spacesuit during the first manned spaceflight launched by the U.S. in 1961. The design of the spacesuit was taken from U.S. Navy aviation suits and was made from an aluminum-coated fabric that helped reflect external heat.

NASA


Astronaut Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin wore this Gemini spacesuit in 1966. The system had a life-support pack on the chest and a support pack on the back. A hose connected astronauts to the spacecraft and supplied oxygen to their spacesuits.

NASA

Neil Armstrong and Mr. Aldrin wore Apollo spacesuits during their famous moonwalk in 1969. The equipment included a backpack that provided oxygen, regulated pressure and removed carbon dioxide.

NASA

In 1973, NASA launched its first space station, Skylab, where astronauts wore spacesuits designed to provide a life-sustaining environment outside the spacecraft or during unpressurized spacecraft operation. The spacesuits were similar to those used on Apollo missions, but were connected to the space station with a hose like the earlier Gemini suits.

NASA

During the space shuttle program, which had its first manned launch in 1981, astronauts wore suits called Extravehicular Mobility Units when they left the aircraft. The spacesuits had 14 layers for protection, and the inner layers had a liquid-cooling and ventilation garment.

NASA

For launches and reentry, the astronauts on Space Shuttle missions wore orange-colored flight suits.

George Shelton/NASA

Astronauts on the International Space Station have also used versions of the Extravehicular Mobility Unit.

NASA

NASA tapped Axiom Space to design the spacesuit that astronauts will wear when they return to the moon as part of NASA’s Artemis III mission in 2025. The new suits were built to provide increased flexibility and greater protection from the harsh environment of space, according to Axiom.

Axiom

The recently-unveiled suits have a dark-colored cover layer to conceal the specifics of the design, Axiom said. The spacesuits worn on the moon must be white to reflect heat and protect astronauts from extreme temperatures, the company said.

Axiom/AFP/Getty Images

Produced by Tania Colon-Bosch
Cover image by David J. Phillip/Associated Press
Source: Nasa