The Next Small Steps: Creating the Artemis Lunar Boots
(Room Indiana Convention Center, Room 139)
04 Nov 25
2:40 PM
-
3:20 PM
Tracks:
Emerging Technologies Conference
At the intersection of Design and Engineering sits Innovation: more than 50 years after the last human set foot on the Moon, a new era of space exploration, the Artemis Expeditions, carry the legacy of Apollo and the spirit of Gemini. A new group of astronauts, engineers, designers, and technicians is working to return humanity to the Moon, exploring more of its surface than ever before. These next steps will be taken wearing a pair of Axiom Space’s Lunar Boots.
What does one wear while exploring the dark side of the Moon? What materials are best suited to an entirely alien environment? This presentation will explore the unique demands of lunar exploration from micrometeoroids to moon dust and the fabrics that make the mission possible.
The Lunar Boot Environmental Protection Garment (EPG) is responsible for shielding and insulating the astronaut’s feet as they traverse a surface which, in some areas, has never been touched by the Sun. Beginning with the protective outer layer which provides strength, puncture resistance, and dust resistance; followed by five layers of insulating Mylar; and a lining layer that provides strength, stability, and puncture resistance; the EPG is designed to keep the astronaut comfortable and safe without compromising functionality whilst conducting Moonwalks. Each material was selected to solve a specific set of problems, culminating in a piece of soft equipment capable of withstanding an environment unlike anything found on Earth.