China Unveils Spacesuit for Upcoming Moon Landing

Astronauts will be Moonwalking in style.

Moon Suit Riot

China’s Manned Space Agency (CMSA) has shown off a spacesuit designed to be worn by astronauts on the surface of the Moon.

As SpaceNews reports, the extravehicular lunar suit is part of the country’s plans to land humans on the lunar surface before the end of the decade, a wildly ambitious plan that could result in the country becoming the first to put boots on the ground since December 1972.

Meanwhile, NASA is hoping to land its own astronauts on the Moon “no earlier than September 2026,” according to the space agency. However, given ongoing technical issues and major budgetary constraints, it remains unclear which nation will make it to the surface of the Moon first.

 

Stars and Stripes

The CMSA showed off its spacesuit at an event on September 28. According to a promotional video shared by state-owned news agency CCTV, the suit will have special shielding to protect astronauts from the extreme environment and lunar dust. The helmet will also hold cameras for a first-person view.

Red stripes on the suit’s torso are inspired by traditional Chinese art — as well as its ruling Communist Party — while its overall shape borrows elements of the country’s military past.

The video also shows the mobility of the suit, allowing its wearer to bend over and squat with ease.

“The suit allows for more actions,” China Astronaut Research and Training Center chief designer Wang Chunhui told CCTV, as quoted by SpaceNews. “So in various postures, the fitness shouldn’t be affected after a posture change. Therefore it requires a better fit on the human body.”

Wang also argued that “it is a must to greatly reduce the suit’s weight” due to the “metabolic load of the human body” while walking on the lunar surface.

Before it sends a crew to the Moon, the country is planning to launch two robotic missions to lay the groundwork for a future research station on the Moon in 2026 and 2028.

Meanwhile, it’s still unclear whether NASA’s own Moon suit, which is being designed by private space company Axiom Space, will be ready for prime time. The company is seriously struggling financially, according to a recent Forbes report, and has had to lay off at least 100 employees, while cutting the pay of those who remain.

In short, with the full might of China’s rising space program behind it, the nation might just stand a chance of beating the US to the punch.

More on Moon suits: The Company NASA’s Hired to Build the Next Space Station Seems to Be in Big Trouble, Firing 100 Employees and Unable to Pay Bills