I Tested NASA's New Spacesuit (feat. Axiom Space)

Summary

The video script details a behind-the-scenes look at the development of NASA's new spacesuits by Axiom Space for the Artemis III mission. The spacesuits, a critical upgrade from those used decades ago, are designed to allow astronauts to work for extended periods in the harsh lunar environment. The host, a civilian, experiences wearing a prototype suit, highlighting its features like the liquid cooling garment, the maximum absorbency garment (MAG) for waste management, and the suit's layers, including the bladder, restraint, and insulation layers. The suit's design is modular to fit a wide range of body types and is tested for various tasks, including a treadmill run and a squat, simulating lunar activities. The video emphasizes the suit's role as a personal spacecraft, essential for future space exploration and the interplanetary journey of humanity.

Takeaways

• 🌕 **Only 12 People on the Moon**: A small number of astronauts have walked on the Moon, all within a short span of 4 years.
• 🚀 **Return to the Moon**: There are plans for astronauts to return to the Moon to prepare for long-term living and future interplanetary travel.
• 🪖 **Spacesuit Upgrades**: The spacesuits used on the Moon have been outdated for decades and are now receiving significant upgrades.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 **Diversity in Design**: New spacesuits are being designed to fit a wider range of body types, making space travel more accessible.
• 🔧 **Customizability**: The new suits move away from custom designs to a modular approach, allowing for adjustments for individual astronauts.
• 💰 **Cost Reduction**: The development goal for the new spacesuits is to reduce production and usage costs, making space exploration more economically feasible.
• 👩‍🔬 **Handmade Precision**: Despite technological advancements, many parts of the spacesuits are still handmade to ensure quality and precision.
• 🛡️ **Protection from the Elements**: The suits are designed to protect astronauts from extreme temperatures, radiation, and the vacuum of space.
• 👀 **Visibility and Aesthetics**: The suits' color and design are not just for show; they serve practical purposes like reflecting light and protecting against the elements.
• 🤝 **Collaboration with Prada**: High fashion brand Prada is involved in the final design of the spacesuits, indicating a blend of style and function.
• 🌟 **Inspiring Future Generations**: The new spacesuits are not just technological marvels but also serve as inspiration for future explorers and the public.

Q & A

How many people have walked on the Moon?

Only 12 people have ever walked on the Moon.

Why is there a need to upgrade the spacesuits for the Moon?

The spacesuits for the Moon haven't been updated in decades and are necessary for astronauts to survive and work in space, which is one of the most dangerous conditions a human can face.

What is the significance of the Artemis III mission?

The Artemis III mission is significant as it will see astronauts return to the Moon for the first time since 1972, and it will involve the first humans exploring the region near the lunar south pole.

What are the new requirements for the spacesuits being developed for the Artemis III mission?

The new spacesuits need to provide protection against extreme heat and cold, offer more flexibility and range of motion, fit a wider range of body types, and be sustainable and cost-effective for long-term use.

How does the lack of atmosphere in space affect a human body?

Without an atmosphere, there is no oxygen or pressure to keep the human body intact. The pressure difference can cause air to rush out of the body, leading to rapid blacking out due to lack of oxygen in the blood, and potential swelling as the boiling point of bodily fluids decreases.

What are the two main types of spacesuits?

The two main types of spacesuits are launch and entry suits, which protect astronauts in case of cabin depressurization, and extravehicular activity (EVA) suits, which are used when astronauts are outside the vehicle, such as on the surface of the Moon or during spacewalks.

How does the new spacesuit design aim to reduce costs?

The new spacesuit design aims to reduce costs by being maintainable on orbit or on mission, thus increasing its sustainability and reducing the need for frequent refurbishment. The goal is to decrease both the cost of producing the suits and the cost of using them in space.

What is the role of a spacesuit in space exploration?

A spacesuit provides an atmosphere for the astronaut, supplying oxygen and pressure, and protects the astronaut from extreme temperatures, radiation, and physical hazards such as cuts and punctures. It is essentially a human-shaped spacecraft.

How are the new spacesuits tested for functionality and safety?

The new spacesuits are tested in a suit test lab where various aspects of the suit, including its pressure, mobility, and life support systems, are evaluated. Astronauts also use training suits to practice movements and tool use in simulated environments.

What are the challenges astronauts face during an EVA, and how does the new suit address these?

Astronauts face challenges such as extreme temperatures, lack of atmosphere, radiation, and microgravity during an EVA. The new suit addresses these by providing thermal protection, a life support system, radiation shielding, and improved mobility to perform tasks in microgravity.

What is the process of designing and manufacturing a spacesuit?

The process of designing and manufacturing a spacesuit involves creating a 2D pattern from a 3D model, cutting the material with automated precision, and then hand-sewing the suit with extreme care for quality and safety. The suit is tested extensively before being used.

Outlines

00:00

🌕 Moon Missions Revival and Spacesuit Upgrades

The paragraph discusses the historical context of Moon landings, highlighting that only 12 people have walked on the Moon within a short span of 4 years, followed by a 50-year hiatus. It introduces the imminent return of astronauts to the Moon, not just for short visits but to establish long-term living conditions and prepare for interplanetary travel. The crucial role of spacesuits in this endeavor is emphasized, particularly the need for updated suits that can withstand the harsh conditions of space and enable astronauts to work efficiently. The speaker expresses excitement about trying on a new, upgraded spacesuit and getting a glimpse into the design, construction, and testing process of NASA's latest spacesuits.

05:06

🚀 Preparing for Space: Medical Tests and Spacesuit Types

This paragraph details the rigorous medical testing required to wear a spacesuit, emphasizing the dangers of full pressurization for individuals with certain medical conditions. It distinguishes between different types of spacesuits: launch and entry suits, which protect astronauts in case of cabin depressurization, and extravehicular activity (EVA) suits, which are designed for spacewalks and lunar surface exploration. The evolution of spacesuits is discussed, from the early high-altitude suits to the modern EMUs, with a focus on the need for maintenance and sustainability in space. The paragraph also touches on the economic aspect of spacesuit development, with a goal to reduce costs and increase accessibility to space.

10:10

🧊 The Spacesuit Experience: Fitting and Function

The speaker describes the process of getting into a spacesuit, starting with wearing a 'cooling pajama' or liquid cooling garment, and using a 'MAG' (maximum absorbency garment) for waste management. The paragraph emphasizes the complexity of the spacesuit as a human-shaped spacecraft, with layers designed to provide oxygen, maintain pressure, and offer mobility. The speaker experiences the sensation of being inside the suit, noting the calm feeling and the unique sensation of wearing a functional piece of equipment rather than clothing. The paragraph also explains how the suit maintains life support, with oxygen and carbon dioxide processed through a backpack system.

15:15

🧵 Crafting the Spacesuit: Design, Fit, and Challenges

This paragraph delves into the craftsmanship of spacesuits, noting the majority of the work is still done by hand to ensure precision and safety. The speaker learns about the layers of the suit, the insulation properties of the boots, and the modular design that accommodates a wide range of body types. The modular approach is contrasted with the custom-designed Apollo suits, highlighting the cost and accessibility benefits of the new design. The paragraph concludes with the speaker attempting various tasks while wearing the suit, simulating lunar surface activities, and facing the physical challenges of moving in a pressurized suit.

20:19

🏃‍♀️ Spacesuit Challenges: Treadmill, Squat, and Moonwalk

The speaker engages in a series of physical challenges while wearing the spacesuit, including running on a treadmill designed for horses, performing a squat under Earth's gravity, and attempting a moonwalk. These activities highlight the suit's design for flexibility and movement, despite its weight and the restrictions imposed by the suit's pressurization. The paragraph emphasizes the technological sophistication of the spacesuit, which must be both protective and adaptable to human movement for tasks in space.

25:20

🎉 Reflections on the Spacesuit Experience

The speaker reflects on the profound experience of wearing a spacesuit, likening it to a dream from childhood. They express gratitude to the Axiom team and highlight the collaborative effort behind designing and building the suit. The paragraph underscores the significance of every detail in the suit's design and the collective work of the team. It concludes with an invitation to follow for more space-related content, hinting at future episodes about space exploration and technology.

Keywords

💡Spacesuit

A spacesuit is a protective garment worn by astronauts to safeguard them against the harsh conditions of space, including vacuum, extreme temperatures, and radiation. In the video, the spacesuit is central as it is being upgraded for NASA's Artemis III mission, allowing astronauts to survive and work for extended periods on the Moon. The new suit is described as a 'human-shaped spacecraft,' emphasizing its role in enabling space exploration.

💡Artemis III mission

The Artemis III mission refers to NASA's planned space mission to return humans to the Moon, specifically to the lunar south pole. It is significant in the video as the context for the development of the new spacesuits. The mission is set to take place in 2026 and will involve astronauts spending 6.5 days on the lunar surface, which is longer than any previous lunar mission.

💡Axiom Space

Axiom Space is a private company selected by NASA to build the new spacesuits for the Artemis III mission. The company is highlighted in the video as a pioneer in outsourcing the production of spacesuits, marking a shift in how space exploration equipment is developed and manufactured. Axiom's involvement is crucial to the advancement of spacesuit technology.

💡EVA (Extravehicular Activity)

EVA stands for Extravehicular Activity, which is any activity done by an astronaut outside a spacecraft while in space. The video discusses the need for new EVA suits that can support astronauts in performing tasks on the lunar surface for longer durations. The new suits are designed to provide more flexibility and a greater range of motion, essential for conducting complex tasks during spacewalks.

💡Lunar surface

The lunar surface refers to the exterior of the Moon where astronauts would walk and conduct experiments. The video emphasizes the need for new spacesuits that can protect astronauts from the extreme conditions of the lunar surface, such as extreme heat and cold, and provide the necessary flexibility for exploration. The lunar south pole is of particular interest due to the potential for discovering resources like water and metals.

💡Pressure differential

The pressure differential is the difference in pressure between the inside and outside of a spacesuit. The video explains that this is a critical factor in spacesuit design as it ensures the suit can maintain a survivable environment for the astronaut. The pressure inside the suit is carefully controlled to simulate sea-level conditions on Earth, despite the vacuum of space.

💡Life Support System

The life support system is a component within a spacesuit that provides the astronaut with oxygen and removes carbon dioxide. It is vital for the survival of astronauts during extravehicular activities. In the video, it is mentioned that the oxygen and carbon dioxide will be processed inside a backpack-like system, which is part of the new suit's design.

💡Thermodynamics

Thermodynamics is the study of the movement of heat and the conversion of energy from one form to another. In the context of the video, thermodynamics is crucial for designing spacesuits that can protect astronauts from extreme temperatures in space. The new suits must manage the heat generated by the astronauts' bodies and protect them from the extreme cold of the lunar surface.

💡Modular suit design

A modular suit design refers to a spacesuit that is made up of interchangeable parts or modules, allowing for customization to fit a wide range of body types. The video discusses how Axiom Space's new suits are designed to fit 90% of men and women in the United States using base sizes with additional tailored pieces. This approach reduces cost and makes space travel more accessible.

💡Space exploration

Space exploration is the investigation and discovery of celestial objects and phenomena in space. The video's theme revolves around the advancements in spacesuit technology that will enable further space exploration, including long-term living on the Moon and potential manned missions to Mars. The new spacesuits are a critical component in preparing for these ambitious exploration goals.

💡Human factors

Human factors, also known as ergonomics, is the study of designing systems and equipment to fit the human body and its cognitive abilities. The video highlights the importance of human factors in the design of the new spacesuits, which must be flexible and adaptable to the natural movement of the human body. This ensures that astronauts can perform tasks efficiently and safely in space.

Highlights

Only 12 people have ever walked on the Moon, and they all did it within just 4 years of each other.

Astronauts are preparing to return to the Moon for long-term living and to pave the way for the first humans to another planet.

Spacesuits for the Moon haven't been updated in decades, but now they are getting a major upgrade.

New spacesuits will provide astronauts with increased capabilities and endurance for longer space operations.

Axiom Space has been selected by NASA to build the Artemis III spacesuit, marking the first time NASA has outsourced suit production.

The Artemis III mission is planned for 2026, with astronauts spending 6.5 days on the Moon, a record duration.

Astronauts will explore the lunar south pole region, searching for crucial resources like water and metals for lunar living and Mars missions.

New spacesuits are designed for better protection against extreme temperatures and increased flexibility and range of motion.

The suits are being developed to fit a wider range of body types, aiming to cover 90% of men and women in the U.S.

The new suits are designed to be maintainable on orbit or on mission, marking a shift towards sustainability in space travel.

The cost of the new spacesuits is a focus, aiming to reduce the price per suit as more are produced.

The spacesuit is likened to a one-person human-shaped spacecraft, emphasizing its role as a life-support system.

Spacesuits are critical for survival in space, providing oxygen, pressure, and protection from temperature extremes and radiation.

Astronauts use a 'MAG' (maximum absorbency garment) for bathroom needs while in the spacesuit.

The new spacesuit's outer layer is designed to be white to reflect light and stay cool on the Moon.

Axiom's spacesuit development process is mostly handmade, ensuring precision and quality control.

The new suit incorporates unique boot design for insulation and is modular to fit various body types.

Testing of the new spacesuit includes challenges that simulate lunar tasks, such as sample collection and movement in reduced gravity.

The experience of wearing the new spacesuit is described as being akin to wearing an Iron Man suit, highlighting its advanced technology and protective capabilities.

Transcripts

Only 12 people have ever walked on the Moon and  they all did it within just 4 years of each other...

Then, for the last 50 years, no one has gone back.  But that is about to change. Soon, astronauts will

return to the Moon to prepare for people to  live there long term and to get us ready to

send the first humans to another planet. But to  do all of that, they need to be able to survive

outside in space and work for hours in one of the  most dangerous conditions a human being will ever

face. The problem is our spacesuits for the  Moon haven't been updated in decades. But now

to make this next chapter in space possible,  spacesuits are getting a major upgrade. These

new suits will give astronauts the superpower  to do more for longer and I am one of the first

civilians to put one on. In this video, we're  taking you behind the scenes to show you how

they're designing, building, and testing NASA's  new spacesuits. I'm going to put myself and

this suit to the test to give you a sneak peek  into what it looks like, what it feels like, and

how it might change what humanity can do in space...

"Ignition sequence starts...."

"Liftoff! We have a liftoff!"

"Altitude: 1600."

"The eagle has landed..."

"That's one small step for man..."

... one giant step for Huge If True!

JUSTIN: Are you ready to go see a spacesuit? CLEO: I have never been more ready for anything in

whole life. Like this is the episode that  is most what 10-year-old Cleo would have

desperately wanted to be doing now. The stuff we  get to do for this show is just ridiculous! Today

we're at Axiom Space, the company that NASA  selected to build the Artemis III spacesuit.

Hi! So nice meet you! This is a big deal. It's  the first time that NASA has outsourced

the production of their suits, to replace the  legendary but now aging and outdated suits that

they have. That's where Axiom comes in. These  new suits that they're building will be used

for NASA's upcoming Artemis III mission. Here's  the plan: In 2026, four astronauts will leave

Earth on one of the most powerful rockets ever  made and take the several day journey to the

Moon. When they arrive, two of them will descend  to the surface and spend 6.5 days there

which is twice as long as anyone has ever spent  on the Moon and the first time that humans will

have been back since 1972. And they'll be the  first humans to explore this region near the lunar

south pole, where they hope to find resources  like water and metals which are crucial for

living on the moon and getting to Mars. To  do all of that, these astronauts need to

be able to stay outside on the lunar surface  longer than ever before. They need new kinds of

protection against extreme heat and extreme  cold. No one has ever spent so long in areas

that never get any sunlight. They need more  flexibility and even more range of motion

to do their job, and they need suits that fit  more kinds of people. For this big ambitious

mission and for the future of space travel,  astronauts need the next generation of space suits...

RUSSELL: "So this is our prototype space suit that  we use here at Axiom Space and this is our

suit test lab. So this is the lab where we do  a lot of our testing." This suit is almost done

but they're still testing and updating this  prototype. The lives of astronauts depend on

the people, technology, and work being done in this  room. "That's the purpose of a space here right, is

yeah we want to go into space, we want  to go to explore wherever it is, you know low earth

orbit or the surface of the Moon, and the spacesuit is there to enable you to do that. That's

its job." One of my big questions that I've  always had is: If I were to snap my fingers and

instantaneously be in space, in the vacuum of space, how would I die? "So this is a controversy in

the in the community actually..." Amazing. Basically there  are dozen things that are gonna kill you, the

controversy is what order they're going to kill  you in. Most sci-fi gets this wrong. You probably

wouldn't immediately freeze or explode. If you  snapped your fingers and you were in space right

now, your first problem is going to be there's no  atmosphere, meaning no oxygen but also meaning no

pressure keeping you together like on Earth.  So the pressure difference between inside and

outside of your body would immediately cause all  of the air to just rush on out of you. Imagine a

balloon... but don't hold your breath because then  your lungs might [POP]. Then, in about 15 seconds, your

brain would stop getting the leftover oxygen in  your blood, so you'd black out, which is probably

good because your body would be swelling up since  the lower pressure would then start to lower the

boiling point of the water inside of your blood  and your tissues turning it into vapor inside of

you, though you likely wouldn't explode because  your skin is super stretchy. Your next problem

is temperature. Because there's no atmosphere,  there's no ambient temperature around you but

if you were in the Sun, the light would make  that side of your body heat up to potentially

150° C while simultaneously the other side of your  body would be slowly freezing down to 150°. Oh and

if somehow you survive that you'd be getting so  blasted by radiation that it would probably poison

you and give you cancer, and you might eventually  get shred to bits by flying objects going fast

than bullets. But if you got rescued before about  90 seconds, you might actually survive! After that

though... So... spacesuits are really important. The  first step to putting on a spacesuit is to

basically sign your life away and get a bunch of  medical tests. This is a medical history that says

that I'm fit to be inside a spacesuit. Probably.  The reason I need these tests is that they're

going to fully pressurize the suit around me,  which protects astronauts from dying but can

have dangerous consequences if you have certain  medical conditions. "Perfect. I want you to close

your eyes really tight and don't let me open them.  Chicken wings. Don't let me press down... don't let

me pull up. Perfect." One thing I realized as I was  prepping to get in the suit is that we've got to

stop thinking about spacesuits as clothing. These  are not clothes, not even really high-tech clothes.

This is a one-person human-shaped spacecraft. But  not all spacesuits are the same. There are a few

big buckets you should know: "One is what's called  launch and entry suits. And the other one is what I

would call EVA suits or extravehicular activity  suits. And that's the suit that we're working on

here. Launch and entry are those orange orange  space shuttle suits, they're the white and

black suits that SpaceX uses, they're essentially  high altitude suits such that if your vehicle

experiences a problem and loses its ability to  control the atmosphere of the vehicle those suits

become an atmosphere for you and allow you to at  least re-enter to get back to Earth safely." Spacesuits

began in this launch and entry bucket. "So  when you go back and look at the Mercury program

really what they were dealing with is these high  altitude suits that protected you in case your

your cabin lost pressure or something like that.  It's kind of like being on an airplane. They tell

you like, hey your mask will come down if we lose air pressure and that's to give you

oxygen. The difference with space flight is you're  so high not only do you need oxygen you also need

a suit to keep the pressure on your body, right." But as humans did more in space, we needed

suits that could do more too. The kind of extravehicular activity suit that NASA uses is called

the "'Extravehicular Mobility Unit,' or the EMU. Those  are ones where you're outside - extra vehicular

right - you're on the surface of the Moon or you're  floating a low earth orbit and those suits are the

ones that let you go out and explore into space."  Some EMUs allow astronauts to walk on the surface,

like this, and some are just for zero gravity  space walks, like this. But until now an EMU has

been basically impossible to fix in space which  is a problem if we want to live there. "That suit

was originally designed for these 14-day missions  of flying up, coming down, being refurbished, flying

up, coming down, being refurbished. This is different  than that. We've designed this suit from the ground

up from the very beginning to be maintained on  orbit or on mission. It's much more sustainable in

terms of helping space flight costs come down  over time, so that more people can access space."

The goal is to bring down the cost of getting  the suits to space and also the cost of the space

suits themselves. The NASA suits from the 1970s  were each reported to cost about 150 million in

today's dollars. NASA gave Axiom 228 million for  the development of the new model but the plan is

to reduce the cost per suit as they make more of  them. The future of space travel needs suits that

are cheaper to make and cheaper to use. It sounds  like this moment reflects a major transition in

the way that we're thinking about humans in  space at all. "Absolutely." That's why this new

suit is so "huge if true." It's part of this big  change in what humans can do in space. So now

it's time to put this new suit to the test. Hang  on, I want to show you something. So traveling to

see a spacesuit is just one of the episodes that  we've been making for Huge If True. We've also been

traveling to visit CERN in Switzerland. We went  to go see a Formula 1 car in Bahrain. It's been

awesome. But one of the things I always do when I'm  traveling is I want to make my computer feel like

I'm still in the United States. Just so websites  are automatically in English and things are in

dollars and none of my streaming shows get blocked,  that kind of thing. It just feels like home online

to me which is nice and I do that with a virtual  private network or VPN like Surfshark and they're

sponsoring this video. So here's what this looks  like: I can set it to the US when I'm abroad

like this but then when I get home, sometimes I  want my computer to think that I'm in another

country like when I'm doing research I sometimes  want to see what a site looks like in another

country or some government sites, stuff like that.  That's super easy too. With Surfshark, I can just

set it to one of a hundred different countries  so I can be anywhere in the world right here in

my studio. If you don't use a VPN, I think you might  find it useful. I know I do. And if you want to try

it, they offer a 30-day money back guarantee and  you can get get an extra 3 months free by using

the link in my description or using promo code  "CLEO" at Surfshark.deals/Cleo. Now back to the

spacesuit. Now I got to go put on my cooling pajamas  before I get in the suit. The "cooling pajamas"

that astronauts wear look like this. They're  technically called liquid cooling garments. You

wear these under the suit and water runs through  these tubes to make sure that you don't get too

hot. So this is the answer to the question  of how to astronauts go to the bathroom.

They use a diaper! And they don't call  it a diaper, they call it a "MAG" - a maximum

absorbency garment. And then this and  then I'm ready. Okay awesome. Okay go away!

Let's do this thing. Put me to work. I'm  technically a test subject! Oh I get a little

hat! I wanted to say I've never been more ready  for anything in my life but I am also really

nervous. "And hey Cleo, scratch your face before you get in!" Oh I was going to ask! How

you deal with being itchy? "Use the neck ring and the  valsalva but like sometimes you're like, I can't

get to it!" Those were two of my big questions: How  do you pee? And how do you itch? And it seems like

the answer is... "You deal with it." All right boss. "Let's  get you to walk back here. You to walk up

the steps." "If you're uncomfortable at any point  just say so. We can get you out fast." Thank you.

"Are you reading me?" I read you. "Can you give me  a quick five count?" 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. They're hooking up

my cooling. I'm starting to feel it cooling my  lower legs. Now my upper legs. Now I'm feeling

it in my top as well. Huh wow I feel cooler. "So at  this point, you're clear to drop into the suit..."

This suit is just a marvel of  human engineering. It represents decades

of achievements, not just in space flight but  in manufacturing and design and chemistry and

textile science and thermodynamics and so much  more. It's the next step in our interplanetary future.

Now it's the big moment...

As the helmet went on, there was this moment where I just felt...

calm. I closed my eyes and I imagined being an astronaut...

This feels as cool as I thought it would  when I was a kid. I can't believe I'm inside a spacesuit

right now and it's everything that I ever  imagined. Can you hear me now? Okay yeah testing

testing. I don't know I know how to describe this.  It doesn't feel mechanical, it doesn't feel like

fabric, it doesn't feel like a big coat. It's  like wearing an Iron Man suit? It feels like a

spacesuit! It feels like you imagine a spacesuit feels! I don't know how else to describe

it. The thing that's becoming really clear to me  right now is that spacesuits are not clothes. This

is much more like a humans shaped spacecraft. "Yes  it is. Yeah, it's a human-shaped spacecraft.

Your life depends on this. It has that reliability  and that robustness built into it to protect you

from all these things that could harm you."  Okay so here's how this spacesuit stops you

from dying in space. "First and foremost, the suit  provides you an atmosphere. It provides

you oxygen that you can breathe and pressure  that your body can can operate in." The oxygen

that I'm breathing right now comes from tubes  running into the suit from this machine but in

the final suit all of the oxygen and carbon  dioxide being breathed in and out will be

processed inside a big backpack, the primary life  support system. As they're pumping oxygen into the

suit with this machine, the pressure inside  the suit for me is increasing. And that new

pressure will be contained by the inner bladder  layer. There are lots of layers to a spacesuit but

you can think of them in three major sections.  Before I got into the suit, we got to see each

of them being made. "So what we have here is that  bladder layer right. So this is the layer of the

glove that actually holds the pressure." If  you want to know what these feel, like go

find a pair of dishwashing gloves it's basically  similar except with a really fancy proprietary material.

material. Then on top of the bladder layer, there's  a restraint layer that stops the whole thing from

inflating like a balloon because of the pressure.  And this restraint layer also defines how the

suit can move. Astronauts need to practice how  to move in a space suit with a model like this.

"This is what we call our 1G analog suit or you can  just think of it as a training suit. This

is what the astronauts will wear when they're  doing geologic training out in say the

desert somewhere. We use this to train them on  what motions they can and can't do with tools

and so we have a variety of different joints  and mobility elements that kind of teach the astronaut."

If you think about how your shoulder moves, it doesn't  only move that way. That's one way you could lift

your arm. So astronauts have to learn, lift your arm  this way, like this. It was wild to actually feel

that inside the suit. Oh that's very interesting,  I can already feel that my arms move in these very

specific ways. I feel like I could do anything I  want with my arms but I would have to follow a

specific path to get there. That's the motion that  I can do right now. But as they add pressure like

they would on the Moon, it gets harder to move and  it feels a little weird too. What's happening right

now is they're very very slowly pressurizing the  suit so I'm feeling a little bit of weirdness in

my ears. "Just notice how the resistance changes as  the pressure increases." Spacesuits get pressurized

to 4.3 PSI or pounds per square inch. The pressure  that you'd normally feel at sea level is 14.7 PSI

so getting pressurized an extra 4.3 PSI feels  like diving to the bottom of a pool. Just enough

where you need to pop your ears. You can experience  this yourself right now if you're watching this

by holding your nose and blowing through it.  That feeling in your ears is what I'm feeling

right now. The way that I clear my ears since I  obviously can't hold my nose is, I go like this...

Works great! I'm at 2.5 right now,  we're going up to 4.3. And you can tell that

my hands are getting stiffer. The suit itself is  starting to feel a little bit different but I

can still do some things. I can... I am feeling okay!  "Another thing for you to just think about while

you're sitting right there is, on a real EVA day,  an astronaut will be doing this right here for

about 13 hours. So you're in there for the next 13  hours. It's a challenging job." 13 hours... I'm wearing

a diaper and I can't scratch my face. So together  the bladder layer and the restraint layer contain

the atmosphere that you need and define how you  can move. The final insulation layer helps protect

you from all of these. That's the black outer  layer. One thing you might be wondering is, why

is it black and not the iconic white? The answer  is because this is just a prototype. On the Moon,

it'll be white like this. And you might have heard  that Prada is helping with pieces of the final

design but the color isn't just stylistic. They  have to use white because they want to reflect

as much light as possible to keep cool. This outer  layer also protects astronauts from certain kinds

of dangerous radiation and against cuts and  punctures from dust and debris. They're still

testing exactly what fabric to use to do all of  that and before I got into the suit I got to see

that process. "So here we've got one of our cutting  tables and so one of the things people may not

realize is that you know this this space suit is  this three-dimensional thing but it starts out

as a two-dimensional shape." And how much of this  is handmade versus done by a larger

machine? "It's mostly handmade. There's there  there are some things that we've automated

through machines. The cutting process is is  now automated. But in some cases you're turning

these machines by hand very slowly because of the  precision that we need in the stitching. A lot of

inspection, a lot of quality control on it so that  we know that whatever we're building is going

to be safe." I'm a little bit surprised that it's so  handmade, that that precision is human precision as

opposed to computer precision. "That's right yeah  and some of that comes from you know we don't

make millions of space suits so you would  bring in that automation when you talk about

a high production environment but for us you  know we're not making those kinds of volumes and

so it's not really necessary right now." I got  to talk to one of the people actually hand sewing

these prototype suits. "Sewing a spacesuit is a  very unique job even within the world of sewing.

It's highly technical, very precise. So this crew of  of people, they're the ones that are making

sure this suit can keep someone alive basically!" As I  was in the suit, I could feel the craftsmanship

that they put into it. It's an incredible piece  of technology from the top all the way to the

bottom. One new aspect of this suit is how well  this outer layer insulates your feet. "These boots

have some unique proprietary features in them  that essentially will insulate your foot from

the surface in the moon because the surface will  be very very cold. In permanently shaded regions,

regions of the Moon that haven't seen sun, it's  going to be very very cold." Another feature of

these suits is that they're designed to fit a  wide range of body types which is crucial for

sending more people to space. They're supposed to  cover 90% of men and women in the United States.

This is unlike previous Apollo suits that were  custom designed to fit each astronaut which is

very expensive and also limiting." To fix this, Axiom  uses a small, medium, and a large base option and

then they swap out and tailor additional pieces  for the person inside in the days leading up to

this shoot I had to and my measurements. Not just  my height and my weight, but also my chest breadth

and my inter wrist measurement and my crotch  height. They assembled this suit for me. This

kind of modular suit design will open the  door to space to so many more people. This

suit is incredible. Every little bit is pushing  modern technology to the max. It's a spacecraft

made as small and flexible and human-shaped as  possible to make it easier to collect samples

and do research and traverse the lunar surface. And  now... I'm going to get to show you a tiny taste of

some of those tasks... if I can. It's tricky! Ooh I  really don't want to fall down in your spacesuit.

They're about to put me through four challenges to  see if I have what it takes to even try to be an

astronaut. I'm doing this on Earth which has six  times the gravity astronauts will experience on

the moon. Axiom wouldn't share exactly how much this  prototype suit weighs but it felt like I could

stand in it for maybe 5 minutes without help and  the weight is distributed all around my body so

I would guess that it's somewhere between 150 to  200 lb on Earth. On the Moon, it will feel feel much

lighter though it'll be way harder to use for  other reasons. So to get a more realistic sense

of its Moon weight they're using pulleys to help  lift me up. I both feel very serious, this is

one of the greatest honors of my life. I also feel  quite silly. "Oh man!" All right, challenge number 1:

collect a sample. "This is going to be a challenge  'cause those gloves are very long." Okay so just to be

very clear, this is not indicative of what an  astronaut will be able to do in space partly

because I'm going to stink at this and partly  because these gloves are both prototypes and quite

large. The first tools that they had me use were  a chisel and a hammer. I can do it, I can do it, I

can do it, I can do it. The goal here is to simulate  the process of breaking off and collecting lunar

rock samples. Okay so now I've broken off a piece...  The next part of this challenge was to collect

my sample using only the tools.

This was a lot harder than it looked!

I got it! So I would swing my arm...

Aha! I got it. I got it.

I feel like an extremely technologically sophisticated squirrel.

One small step for mankind, one giant step for Huge If True. Oh no

my nose is running and I can't do anything about  it! Don't look at me... I'd say challenge number one

accomplished. Challenge number 2: Run. And by  run I mean walk fast. That treadmill that I'm

about to get on is built for horses. Let's  go. Put me on the treadmill. I got it, I got it...

Alright. Work me out!

It's not that it feels heavy. It's that it  feels... weird. It's like, I'm not actually moving

my legs straight like you would normally walk. It's  like I'm rotating the inside of the bearing and

that's how I'm walking. So it's sort of like,  imagine waddling like a duck but like in a much

more graceful way. I could go faster. How fast is fast? "Oh this, it'll go fast." Okay, take me to 2!

Ok 2.5! I mean I couldn't do this for very

long! Yeah I mean, I'm definitely warmer but I'm  not I'm not hot. This feels quite comfortable. I

mean it's a relative term. Listen, not to  brag but later they told me that this is

the fastest they'd ever seen a guest go on  the treadmill. Wait guys, wait for the best part!

I don't think I've ever been so happy.  Challenge 2: check! Challenge 3: Do a

squat in full Earth gravity. I would love  to attempt that. I about to try bearing all

of the weight of the suit by myself which at  Earth gravity is quite heavy. This is much much

heavier than it will be on the moon or on Mars.  All right here we go, the hardest squat of my life...

Thanks guys. Challenge 3? Check! Final challenge: Kneel

and get back up. So the goal  is to put one knee on the

ground. I feel like I'm planting a flag. This is an  example of something you would not be able to

do in the current EVA suits, being able to be in  a position like this in a full EVA suit. Thank you and

now for extra credit: Do the moonwalk. "Yeah you  got to try to do the moonwalk, you got to." Wait

yeah okay, how do you do the moonwalk? I can't even  do the moonwalk without a spacesuit on! But it's

like [WOMP WOMP]. You let a YouTuber inside a spacesuit. Okay so I am not the most graceful person to

have ever dawned a spacesuit. But I was just so  impressed by what they had built: a portable

spacecraft that not only protects you from the  harsh realities of space but it can also bend

and flex and work with our human bodies. The  hope is that the suits that they make here

will help us reach beyond our planet and unlock  interplanetary future that as far as we know only

our species has ever even attempted. Getting to  try on this spacesuit was the experience of a

lifetime. It's what I dreamed about when I was  a kid. And likely one day this suit and other

prototypes like it will be in museums for other  kids to see in exhibits dedicated to the people

and the equipment that prepared humanity to go  farther than we've ever gone before. If there's

only one thing you take away from this video  it's how much work goes into designing a suit

like this. Every time you see an astronaut do  something new, every time you see an astronaut

take a space walk or set foot on the moon again  or set foot on Mars don't just think about that

astronaut. Think about all of the people that  designed all of the things that that astronaut

uses all the way down to the intricate  details of the suit that they're wearing.

This is so cool!

Wait can you say that again into my mic? [LAUGHTER]  What was that? "You're the first person

that has gone up to 2.5 on the treadmill so very  very impressive. We've not had anybody go up that high."

Thank you for giving me the opportunity. I wanted to say a big thank you to the Axiom team. We are the

first creators that they've let into their  facilities and we were blown away by all of

the amazing people on their team. Also while we  were there, they showed us a model of the SPACE STATION

that they're building which was insane so subscribe if you want to see more because this

is not the last episode that we'll be making  about space. If you want to see that and more

optimistic stories about space and our future,  subscribe. We've got so much in the works for you.