Cover Prada's space suit designed for the Artemis III team in collaboration with Axiom Space, and astronaut Christina Koch, who will be wearing it for the lunar mission (Photo: Getty Images)
Prada's space suit designed for the Artemis III team in collaboration with Axiom Space, and astronaut Christina Koch, who will be wearing it for the lunar mission (Photo: Getty Images)
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Earlier this year, NASA named Christina Koch as the first woman who will fly to the moon, following her illustrious career as an astronaut and engineer. When she does so, it will be in a spacesuit specially designed by Prada
The last footprint man left on the moon was on December 14, 1972, following the Apollo 17 space mission. Succeeding missions were halted by NASA’s limited budget and adaptation to new technologies. A woman has never walked on the moon. But that looks set to change.
After more than fifty years, NASA plans to return to the surface of the moon with the Artemis III lunar mission, which could take place as early as September 2026. But first, NASA plans to send four astronauts on an eight-day mission around the moon as part of Artemis II, set to take place no earlier than September 2025. In the space agency's efforts to champion greater diversity, the crew will include astronaut Christina Koch, who will be the first woman to go on a lunar mission, and Victor Glover, the first Black person to embark on such a voyage.
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Above Christina Koch on one of her three all-women spacewalks (Photo: Instagram / Christina Koch)
Christina Koch on one of her three all-women spacewalks (Photo: Instagram / Christina Koch)
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Koch is an engineer who has been a NASA astronaut since 2013. She has served as a flight engineer on the International Space Station (ISS), and set a world record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman when she spent 328 days in space.
Koch has taken part in six spacewalks, including the first three all-female spacewalks that totalled over 42 hours. For NASA’s Artemis II mission, for which she has been assigned as a mission specialist, the Orion spacecraft will travel beyond the far side of the moon before returning in the closest pass to the moon since December 1972.
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Above NASA's Artemis team (Photo: Instagram / Christina Koch)
NASA's Artemis team (Photo: Instagram / Christina Koch)
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Over her career with NASA, Koch and her crewmates have undergone hundreds of experiments at the edge of scientific and technological development. Some of her most significant achievements include the robotic upgrades to the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, a state-of-the-art particle physics detector operating on the International Space Station; testing 3D biological printers in microgravity; and growing protein crystals. Koch has also won many accolades, including the NASA Group Achievement Award.
Above Prada's space suit designed for the Artemis III team in collaboration with Axiom Space
Above Prada's space suit designed for the Artemis III team in collaboration with Axiom Space
Prada's space suit designed for the Artemis III team in collaboration with Axiom Space
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Preparations for Artemis III’s momentous journey are already underway, and include the recently announced groundbreaking cross-industry collaboration between Prada and Axiom Space, a provider of human spaceflight services and space infrastructure, on the spacesuit that will be used for the Artemis III mission.
As well as a long history of craftsmanship, Prada brought exceptional knowledge of materials and production processes to the spacesuit design, allowing the brand to recommend materials and features that, alongside the support of Axiom Space engineers, meant the parties developed a spacesuit that not only protects astronauts against the unique challenges of the lunar environment, but delivers comfort and also serves as visual inspiration for future space exploration.
“Going beyond our limits is one of the company’s values that perfectly reflects the spirit of the Prada brand and my parents’ vision,” said Lorenzo Bertelli, who is chief marketing officer and head of corporate social responsibility at Prada Group, and Miuccia Prada's son. “We’ve shared our expertise on high-performance materials, features, and sewing techniques, and we learned a lot. I’m sure we’ll continue to explore new challenges, broaden our horizons and build new scenarios together.”
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About
Celine first read Charlotte’s Web at the age of five–and she hasn’t stopped turning pages since. Her favourite authors are Mona Awad and Nat Cassidy. Besides writing for Tatler, she listens to BTS and spends time with her family.
Work
Celine took up secondary education with a major in English, graduating from De La Salle University in 2023. She advocates for female empowerment through creative expression by writing for Tatler Homes.
For story leads or inquiries, you may reach out to her via celine.dabao@tatlerasia.com.
