NASA astronauts will wear Prada‑designed LCVG under AxEMU suits

NASA, Axiom Space, and fashion house Prada have teamed up to produce a Liquid Cooling and Ventilation Garment (LCVG) for the AxEMU extravehicular mobility unit. The LCVG will be the base layer for astronauts on the Artemis IV lunar mission, scheduled for 2028, and replaces the older cooling garment used on the International Space Station. [The Verge]

The garment’s core function is to circulate chilled water through a network of thin tubes sewn into the fabric, pulling heat away from the astronaut’s body during spacewalks. A secondary ventilation loop activates automatically if the primary pump fails, ensuring continuous airflow and preventing overheating. This redundancy marks a clear upgrade over previous suits, which relied on a single cooling circuit. [The Verge]

Prada’s involvement brings high‑performance textile engineering to the hardware, leveraging its expertise in breathable, lightweight fabrics. The collaboration demonstrates how private‑sector design talent can be integrated into NASA‑approved hardware, blurring the line between fashion and functional aerospace equipment. [The Verge]

Effective thermal management is essential for extravehicular activities that can last up to eight hours, during which an astronaut can generate more than 500 watts of metabolic heat. By maintaining a stable skin temperature, the LCVG reduces fatigue and lowers the risk of heat‑related illness, directly supporting mission safety and performance. [The Verge]

The LCVG will be sewn into the AxEMU suit’s inner layer, sitting directly against the astronaut’s skin. Its cold‑water circulation system and backup ventilation are now standard components of the suit’s design, ready for testing ahead of the Artemis IV launch. [The Verge]