Owning a space suit is probably at the top of the bucket list for many space enthusiasts. Fortunately, most stores today sell space suits, especially for kids or space-themed parties. As expected, these are super affordable. However, when it comes to the actual space suit, only the world’s wealthiest people can afford one. The environment in space is pretty different and lethal. Therefore, space suits must be fitted with the best technology, contributing to their abnormally high price tags. Here’s an overview of how much a NASA space suit costs.
What Is The Exact Cost of a NASA Space Suit?
In 1974, NASA disclosed that a space suit costs between $15 million and $22 million, approximately $83 million to $122 million at today’s rates. Ever since, NASA has been working on improving space suits and making them safer and better.
While there is no exact price tag for a NASA space suit, the current estimated price is more than $1 billion per suit. This is part of why space exploration missions are few and far apart.
The first space suit that cost between $15 million and $22 million was called the Mercury Suit. This current version will be called the xEMU, which stands for Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit.
Why Are NASA Space Suits So Expensive?
Paying over $1 billion for one suit seems absurd. This begs the question: why are NASA space suits so expensive? Well, there are valid reasons for that. Space suits are no different from space crafts. They have to be fitted with safety mechanisms and communication technology.
A typical NASA space suit should provide sufficient oxygen and prevent the sun’s radiation from passing through while being able to endure space particles. This kind of technology is not cheap. To worsen the situation, space suits aren’t like Gucci bags or Prada shoes, which anyone can make as long as they have raw materials; it’s a new concept. Therefore, thorough research has to be done before the suit can be assembled.
Something as simple as a pair of gloves can cost millions of dollars. The gloves have to be functional and safe – very complex technology is needed to pull off such a design. Apart from the suit, astronauts also need a backpack. This backpack is the suit’s Primary Life Support Subsystem. It regulates oxygen, carbon dioxide, and temperature inside the suit.
Are NASA Space Suits 100% Effective?
Because some of NASA’s space suits have had errors and glitches, this organization works around the clock to fix these mistakes. After all, one minor glitch can lead to severe injury or even death. It’s important to remember that space missions have changed over the years. NASA isn’t only focused on returning to the moon but also wants to visit planets like Mars. Because the environments differ, more costs must be incurred to ensure each space suit is perfectly built for a particular destination.
According to the Inspector General, NASA has spent $420 million on creating the perfect space suit since 2008. With so much money spent, NASA claims that they will not have two space suits that would have been used for the projected 2024 moon landing. This is despite working with more than 20 contractors, including Elon Musk’s SpaceX. The cost of a single space suit is more than that of the Falcon 9 orbital rocket, which costs $850 million. With the latter, NASA was lucky to have the support of Elon Musk, who chipped in with a whopping $396 million.
Is NASA The Only Entity That Can Create Space Suits?
Space suits are so expensive that NASA plans to ask private companies to chip in. So far, Space X has been of significant help. Unfortunately, Space X has a lot on its hands as it tries to create reusable rockets and facilitate space tourism. Companies like Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin and Dynetics have asked to chip in, but NASA seems to have other plans for this year’s anticipated moon landing.
The other company that has helped NASA develop space suits is Axiom Space. It’s the same company that designed space suits for the Artemis III Mission. They utilized the design of the xEMU, which they dubbed the AxEMU (Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit).
Unlike the older suits, this one is black and has shades of orange on the ankles and knees. The AxEMU from Axiom goes for around $228.5 million, which is way cheaper than the ones NASA is projecting to cost more than $1 billion.
Conclusion
Whether NASA space suits cost $200 million, half a billion, or even a billion dollars, the fact still remains that they are the most expensive garments in the world. That doesn’t come as a surprise because this isn’t an average suit. It has to be perfect in terms of technology, safety, communication, and functionality.