Axiom Space Completes NASA’s Critical Design Review for Next-Generation Spacesuit
Axiom Space has closed out the Critical Design Review (CDR) for the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU), a major milestone on the path toward NASA certifying the new spacesuit for flight.
Completing the Critical Design Review (CDR) confirms that a component’s design and manufacturing plans are ready for production and qualification testing. The review evaluates supporting documentation, including engineering drawings, structural analyses, component packages, and prototype test results.
"With the closure of CDR, we've delivered the large body of work that provides Axiom Space confidence going into production," said Tammy Radford, Axiom Space Extravehicular Activity Services (xEVAS) Program Manager. "This is the kind of milestone that only comes together when everyone brings their best work to the table, and I couldn't be prouder of this team."
Axiom Space began work on the Critical Design Review (CDR) in summer 2025, delivering initial suit components and flight support equipment to NASA before year-end. The review evaluated tested prototypes and completed engineering analyses, including system-level performance measures such as overall suit mass and pressure-drop performance.
With CDR complete, the xEVAS program moves into qualification testing, covering performance, thermal vacuum, vibration, and lifecycle assessments. Axiom Space is now advancing production of the AxEMU, targeting completion of the pressure garment and Portable Life Support System assembly by early 2027, followed by qualification and certification testing ahead of delivery to the International Space Station.
The progress also supports development of the AxEMU-S1, or Sortie suit, designed for short-duration lunar excursions during early Artemis missions. Built on existing AxEMU components, testing infrastructure, and supply chains, the configuration gives NASA greater mission flexibility as it targets a return to the Moon in 2028. Together, the two suit configurations are intended to support future exploration in low Earth orbit and on the lunar surface.
