An industry group, including Tucson-based Paragon Space Development Corp., has been selected by NASA to deliver the lunar rover system for the Artemis III mission, which is slated to take Americans to the moon for the first time in more than 50 years.
The award to a team led by Houston-based Axiom Space – the first in a competitive spacesuits contract – has a starting value of $228.5 million, NASA said.
The task order calls for the Axiom team to develop the next generation of Artemis spacesuits and support systems and demonstrate their use on the lunar surface during the Artemis III mission, which is scheduled to launch in 2025.
“What we learn on Artemis III and future missions to the Moon and around the Moon pave the way for missions to Mars. Spacesuits allow us to take the next step,” said Lara Kearney, NASA’s Advanced Vehicle Mobility and Human Surface Mobility Program Manager.
See how Tucson-based Paragon Space Development is creating space suits for NASA.
In June, NASA awarded long-term contracts to the Axiom team and a second team led by Raytheon unit Collins Aerospace to develop spacesuits for the Moon and International Space Station missions, totaling more than $3.5 billion. The life of the program.
Paragon, which has 30 years of experience designing and developing life support and thermal control systems for extreme environments, acquired New York-based spacesuit supplier Final Frontier Design in January.
UA-Space Command partner in training
The University of Arizona will play a role in training the next generation of space scientists and advancing research related to space and national security, after the US Space Command selected it as the first academic partner of the US’s new Academic Engagement Enterprise.
Space Command established the new program Sept. 1 to “engage the future workforce, advance the space-based research and innovation program, expand space-focused academic partnerships, and increase dialogue between the agency and academia,” UA said.
UA President Robert C. Robbins cited the school’s long and well-established leadership and expertise in planetary science, astronomy, astrophysics and space technology.
The introduction of mega-constellations, new space stations and orbital servicing facilities into the interstellar space is expected to increase the volume of space traffic – both on Earth and on the moon, said Jiekan Tang, associate professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering at UA.
“The expected broader expansion into space will require expertise in living and working in cislunar space,” Taga said.
Tangga said he will work with various space-related entities of the university to establish a regular and graduate program in space research that will address the needs identified by the Space Command.
NASA Technology in Tucson
NASA fans can hear about new space technologies next week in Tucson when scientists from the space agency’s Advanced Research Program come to a free, open-to-the-public symposium.
About 150 NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program fellows will meet Tuesday through Thursday, September 20-22 at the Tucson Marriott University Park Hotel, 880 E. Second St. They are expected to attend the event. Live streaming.
Among the technologies under discussion are a radio telescope planned to be built in a lunar crater, solar “sails” and Mars tunnel-sliding robots.
Registration is available at tucne.ws/1ldf. For more information, including the event agenda and livestream links, or to attend in person, go to nasa.gov/content/niac-symposium.
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