NASA Space Suit with Prada Cooling Undergarments Headed to the Moon in 2028

Axiom Space and luxury fashion brand Prada have revealed new details about their collaborative lunar spacesuit project. According to a report by The Verge, the two companies have unveiled the actual Liquid Cooling and Ventilation Garment (LCVG), a base layer worn underneath the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) previously presented last month. This technology will serve as a foundation for sending humans back to the Moon, scheduled for the Artemis IV mission in 2028.

A Base Layer That Integrates Cooling and

Ventilation

The LCVG is worn directly against the skin inside the AxEMU spacesuit—essentially a “high-tech long-sleeve undergarment.” Its most critical role is to maintain the astronaut’s body temperature during extravehicular activities. The system circulates cold water through thin tubes embedded throughout the garment, drawing heat away from the body and expelling it outside.

According to the original article, the cooling system features a redundant design, with a backup activating if the primary system fails. This is an improvement over previous cooling garments and enhances safety in the challenging, hard-to-repair environment of the lunar surface.

The LCVG also incorporates a ventilation system that supplies fresh oxygen to the AxEMU helmet and routes carbon dioxide from exhaled breath to a scrubber. This prevents fogging inside the helmet and maintains clear vision and comfortable breathing conditions during prolonged spacewalks.

Where High-End Fashion Meets Space Exploration

Prada’s involvement in this project goes beyond brand value. According to Axiom Space’s press release, Prada provides expertise in material selection and manufacturing processes. The sewing techniques and knowledge of body fit developed by the luxury apparel brand are directly applicable to designing spacesuits that are worn for hours in extreme environments.

In fact, NASA has previously funded concepts like the “BioSuit” designed by MIT professor Dava Newman, who collaborated with architect Guillermo Trotti. The fusion of high-performance materials and design thinking is not a novel approach in space development.

Why the LCVG Matters Now

Artemis IV is a mission to resume manned lunar landings, envisioning longer stays and broader exploration compared to the Apollo program. The time spent on spacewalks is expected to increase significantly, making the reliability of the cooling system more critical than ever.

The LCVG is a far more advanced engineering feat than it appears. The cooling tube layout is optimized based on the human body’s thermal distribution, and the circulation pump is designed to avoid interfering with communications and measurement instruments through noise and vibration. The design also considers ease of putting on and taking off, as well as quick removal in emergencies.

This cooling technology is expected to have applications beyond space, such as cooling wear for firefighters and field workers in harsh environments, as well as medical thermal management devices. The collaboration between Axiom Space and Prada could have ripple effects that go well beyond spacesuit development.

Editorial Perspective

Short-term impact: The unveiling of the LCVG confirms that spacesuit development for Artemis IV in 2028 has entered its final phase. Within the next six months, NASA and Axiom Space are likely to announce the schedule for integrated system testing. While Prada’s brand power may raise general public interest in space development, the short-term focus will essentially be on verifying the reliability of the redundant cooling system.

Long-term view: The trend of luxury fashion brands entering space development may accelerate over the next one to three years. The cooling tube technology and ventilation design used in the LCVG could also be adapted for athletic wear and protective clothing for use on Earth. The back-and-forth between space development and consumer technology has historical examples like Tang and Teflon, and wearable cooling technology could become the next major wave of technology transfer.

Editorial question: While the LCVG’s redundant cooling system contributes to improved reliability, it also presents a trade-off of increased weight and complexity. As lunar activity durations extend, how will the balance between cooling efficiency and mass be optimized? Additionally, attention is needed on whether Prada’s involvement will serve as a new model for commercial brand participation in international space collaboration.

References

• The Verge: NASA will wear high-tech Prada long johns to the Moon — Published June 7, 2026
• Axiom Space Official Announcement (Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit related materials)