Spacesuits and Rovers

Providing spacesuit capabilities and surface mobility systems for humanity’s return to the Moon.

NASA’s Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program represents a key cornerstone of NASA’s Artemis program to return humans to the Moon and explore deep space, as well as continuing a critical role supporting the International Space Station and the commercialization of low Earth orbit. It serves as the agency’s program to develop next-generation spacesuits, human-rated rovers (pressurized and unpressurized), and tools, along with all the necessary spacewalking support systems for use in microgravity, on the lunar surface and, eventually, on other planets. The Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program leverages commercial and international partnerships to obtain services related to extravehicular and surface mobility activities. Using commercial partnerships enables NASA to benefit from industry innovations and efficiencies and allows the vendors to offer these services to the private sector, outside of NASA programs. In this way, the program is facilitating the advancement of U.S. industry that actively benefits the economy and American taxpayer.

Spacewalking is the pinnacle of human exploration.

Spacewalking symbolizes the human element of exploration in space more than any other activity. Any time an astronaut ventures outside the International Space Station, or leaves the confine of a spacecraft, it is called a spacewalk or EVA (extravehicular activity). The first person to go on a spacewalk was Russian cosmonaut Alexei Leonov on March 18, 1965, followed by NASA astronaut Ed White on June 3, 1965, during the Gemini 4 mission. Astronauts conduct spacewalks to perform maintenance on the space station, install new equipment, or deploy science experiments. With the assembly of the space station taking place over two decades ago, spacewalks play an instrumental role in maintaining working operations on the orbiting laboratory.

Protecting astronauts from the harshness of space.

Spacewalking is the pinnacle of human exploration and symbolizes the human element of exploration in space more than any other activity. A fully equipped spacesuit is actually a miniature spacecraft that provides astronauts from the extreme environment of space. The spacesuit worn for spacewalks outside the International Space Station is called the Extravehicular Mobility Unit, or EMU. NASA calls a spacewalk an Extravehicular Activity, or EVA, so this type of suit is often called an EVA suit.

Specially adapted tools allow astronauts to perform critical tasks in space.

Spacewalking tools play an essential role in an astronaut’s ability to perform maintenance on the International Space Station during a spacewalk or help them collect lunar samples while they are exploring the surface of the Moon.

Allowing astronauts to explore farther on the Moon than ever before.

As astronauts explore the South Pole region of the Moon during Artemis missions, they will be able to go farther and conduct more science than ever before thanks to a next-generation Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV). The LTV is an unpressurized rover that Artemis astronauts will use to traverse the lunar surface and transport crew and equipment across wide areas as they conduct science experiments and collect lunar samples.

Expanding our ability to explore while living and working on the lunar surface.

The pressurized rover will greatly expand our ability to explore, live and work on the lunar surface. Having a pressurized volume to live in, astronauts can live and work in the vehicle to conduct exploration and scientific activities without the hinderance of a spacesuit.  Outfitted with robotics, cameras, sensors, and scientific instruments, the pressurized rover will be a mobile laboratory for exploration activities across large areas of the lunar surface.