NASA is preparing to send astronauts farther into space than any human has ever traveled, but one of the biggest challenges they face has nothing to do with rockets. Instead, it’s what they'll be wearing as they reach distances of approximately 4,600 miles beyond the Moon during the Artemis II mission.
It comes as adverse winter weather set to affect Florida this weekend has delayed the mission's start date.
Yes, wintery conditions in Florida - you read that right!
Light snowfall and usually cold temperatures are set to sweep parts of the state, which has delayed NASA being able to safely fuel its Space Launch System rocket.
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In a post to X, formerly Twitter, the US agency confirmed the the mission has now been pushed back until Sunday February 8 at the earliest.
It was due to launch from Friday February 6.
The historic mission is the first crewed lunar expedition since Apollo 17 in 1972, marking 54 years since humans last traveled beyond low Earth orbit.
When astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen eventually make it around the Moon, they'll be kitted out in a next-generation lunar spacesuit designed by Axoim Space and Prada.
And it sounds as though designing a suit to protect them from the elements of deep space has been quite the challenge.
Veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson, who holds the record for the most cumulative time spent in space by a NASA astronaut at 695 days, has highlighted just how extreme the feat is. In a recent social media post, she explained how temperatures at the Moon’s south pole are incompatible with human life, with NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter measuring lows below −410F.
"...so extra thought has to go into every detail of the suit," she wrote.
Peggy went on to explain how the sole of the suit's boots is one of 'the most complex problems.'
Describing the 'significant engineering challenge,' she explained: "[It's] maintaining direct contact with a surface potentially as cold as -410F while keeping the astronaut's feet warm, flexible, and functional."
That's not the only issue the suit poses, however.
According to Futurism, the new Axiom Space suit is much heavier than the Apollo-era suits, weighing around 300 pounds on Earth.
While the Moon’s lower gravity will offset some of that weight, concerns remain. Speaking to Ars Technica, NASA astronaut Kathleen Rubins warned that although the suits are 'definitely much better than Apollo,' they are 'still quite heavy,' with flexibility issues that could lead to astronauts falling over.
Getting back up after a fall is also risky. Rubins explained that it requires a 'jumping pushup' motion - a manoeuvre she described as 'non-trivial.'
Not everyone shares these concerns, though.
NASA astronaut and physician Mike Barratt said during a committee meeting that the suit is 'getting there,' noting that astronauts have already logged around 700 hours of pressurized testing. He added that bending down in the suit 'is really not too bad at all.'
Considering the launch is due in a little more than a week, let's hope that's the case!
How can I watch the Artemis II launch?
NASA will be live-streaming the Artemis II launch from their YouTube channel.
You can watch it below here:
Ellie Kemp