A spacesuit prototype of what NASA Astronauts, including the first woman, plan to wear on the surface of the Moon during the agency’s NASA Artemis III mission was revealed today by Axiom Space.

The Artemis III spacesuit, the AxEMU, is showcased in a dark gray cover material, but the final version will likely be all-white when worn by NASA astronauts on the Moon’s surface, to help keep the astronauts safe and cool while working in the harsh environment of space.

NASA selected Axiom Space to deliver a moonwalking system to land the first astronauts near the lunar South Pole. By working with commercial partners, NASA is enabling a growing space economy that leverages industry capabilities and NASA’s expertise to provide spacewalk and moonwalk services as safely, effectively, and efficiently as possible.

New spacesuits allow humans to explore the lunar surface and advance our capability for human exploration in space. Under Artemis, new exploration spacesuits and other human surface mobility systems, along with the Space Launch System rocket, the Orion Spacecraft, Exploration Ground Systems facilities, Gateway lunar space station, and human landing systems, will enable NASA to return humans to the Moon and establish a long-term presence there for scientific discovery. This experience prepares us for the next giant leap: sending astronauts to Mars.

– Johnson Space Center

SCHRIEVER SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. — The Colorado Air National Guard’s 138th Space Control Squadron, in conjunction with the National Space Test and Training Complex, conducted a training event named “Neptune Falcon,” which took place at Schriever Space Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado, to test new capabilities for meeting wartime objectives in the space domain. 

The exercise, held over 10 days in October 2022 at a newly created forward operating base by Airmen of the 138th, simulated real-world expeditionary operations and prepared them for upcoming deployments. 
 
“This is a Secretary of Defense level joint interoperability exercise that includes aircraft from Air Combat Command, space participants from the 138th Space Control Squadron, Colorado Air National Guard, and the 25th Space Range Squadron, as well as a host of other participants,” U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Andy Gold, commander,138th SPCS, said. 
 
There have been many significant milestones that the 138th SPCS has led along the way, according to Gold. 
 
“This is the first time a U.S. Air Force or Air National Guard weapons system has ever connected to the Range Closed Loop Environment,” Maj. Matthew Thampy, assistant director of operations, 25th Space Range Squadron, said. “The RCLE provides a highly realistic electronic warfare system to train and test our systems.” 
 
This is also the first time the RCLE has been requested by a combatant command to support a joint interoperability exercise, such as Neptune Falcon. Additionally, this marks the first Total Force event (integration of Active Duty and Reserve forces) in which the combatant command and Air National Guard unit employed the RCLE, paving the way for future support for the broader Department of Defense need of realistic, dynamic environments to support the warfighter. 
 
“During this exercise, we are training to deal with crew dynamics, tactics, techniques, and procedures, as well as getting hands-on system time,”  U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Lindsey Sequoia, 138th SPCS space control operator, and Neptune Falcon participant, said. “Getting that practice on how to respond in a real-world scenario is invaluable to me.” 
 
Neptune Falcon also signifies a key Total Force Integration partnership for future training and test events involving the National Guard Bureau, Space Operations Command, and Space Training and Readiness Command. 
 
“Events like this also meet key U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force directives for highly realistic training events/scenarios in preparing Guardians, Airmen for war,” Thampy said. 
 
The 138th SPCS stood up in May 2019 and has rapidly improved the training environment to create the most realistic wartime scenarios possible, preparing space professionals for future wartime missions. Forward Operating Base Schriever is the latest iteration of technological advances in training for the members, which creates a superior training environment never before experienced by Air National Guard or Active Duty space warriors.

By Mr. John Rohrer, 140th Wing Public Affairs

Schriever Space Force Base, Colo. —

The Orbital Defense Initiation, or ODIN, is Space Delta 9’s initial training course where new members gain common knowledge on orbital mechanics, warfare principles, current threats to space assets and more.

However, their most recent graduation included Guardians wearing patches other than DEL 9’s.

The three ODIN graduates from Space Delta 6’s 69th Cyber Squadron are part of a U.S. Space Force initiative to embed cyber and intel capabilities into space operations squadrons to speed up decision making and improve readiness. They will work side-by-side space operators and intelligence experts, providing cyber capability to operational missions.

“It’s important for cyber operators to have the same fundamental orbital warfare knowledge base as the space operators. It allows them to better understand and react to the issues that space operators encounter every day,” said USSF Capt. Melanie Mohseni, ODIN deputy flight commander. “It’s also necessary to have cyber expertise on the operations floor so that when we encounter cyber issues, we have those subject matter experts helping the crew commander make decisions.”

The 69th CYS is one of several squadrons being formed from the 61st CYS and aligned under DEL 6 administratively.

“We exist to defend their terrain. The mission of 69 CYS is to enable the protect and defend mission of Delta 9 through active cyber defense,” said USSF Lt. Col. Shane Warren, 61st CYS commander.

Space operations involves around-the-clock missions, with operational squadrons continuously manned. This initiative puts the right expertise in the room instead of on-call. Cyber operators attending a delta’s initial training course ensures everyone can speak the same language.

“It helps our operators to know what normal looks like,” said Warren. “If they see indicators that something doesn’t look normal in the terrain they’re monitoring, because they’re trained and sitting side-by-side, they can determine if there is potentially malicious activity and what can we do to stop it.”

The knowledge sharing flows in both directions. The space operators are getting more in-depth cyber knowledge as well.

“The first thing I discussed with the three recent ODIN cyber grads was them helping us develop a Cyber curriculum,” said Mohseni.

Since the initiative is at the ground level, DEL 6 is allowing many Guardians the chance to have a voice in their assigned operational cyber squadron, numbered in the 60’s to match the delta they support, with the 69th CYS supporting DEL 9, the 68th CYS supporting DEL 8 and so on.

“We describe to the Guardians, ‘this is the Space Domain Awareness mission, this is the Electromagnetic Warfare mission, this is the SATCOM mission,’ and ask, ‘What interests you the most?’,” said Warren.

According to Warren, there are roughly 175 Guardians in the 61st Cyber Squadron, with a large portion assigned to active and future squadrons according to their own inputs.

This initiative is not just making space operations squadrons more capable, it is also providing force development for the future of the USSF.

“This is how we develop senior master sergeants in the Space Force. We’ve tried to go beyond ‘I’m cyber, you’re intel.’ In the Space Force, we all work on space,” said USSF Senior Master Sgt. Charles Presley, 69th CYS superintendent. “A superintendent for a Space Force squadron could come from any operational background, so it’s important to expose the next generation of enlisted leaders to all aspects of the space enterprise as early in their career as possible.”

As the USSF builds its culture and forges its own identity, Guardians in cyber are one step closer. They are a weapon system, practicing their craft to safeguard and enhance the space mission.

“You can see the spark in these Guardian’s eyes when they come in,” said Warren. “They’re definitely excited, and we’ve got some really talented Guardians.”

DEL 6 plans to have cyber squadrons embedded in other space deltas, expanding capabilities to more USSF missions, in the near future, eventually shaping a future where everybody is looking at the same problem through different lenses, tackling the same problem with different skillsets.

By Mike Slater, Space Base Delta 1 Public Affairs

PATRICK SPACE FORCE BASE, Fla. – Scientists and engineers across the U.S. Air and Space Force are being deployed to more than a dozen bases in the United States to develop innovative solutions to a variety of problems.

The Airmen and Guardians are part of Project Arc, a program that sends scientists and engineers to 13 bases in nine states where they use their skills to promote innovation and enhance mission efficiency.

“We need to be able to solve problems faster and with this program, we can put scientists and engineers side by side with operators to solve problems,” said Capt. Jason Goins, Air Force Technical Applications Center assistant director of operations and Project Arc manager.

“We talk about if we don’t accelerate change, we will lose,” Goins said. “And we know the next battlespace is going to be technologically focused. This is how we get after that. Our greatest strength is our diversity. Our advantage is our Airmen and Guardians. By taking advantage of their talents, we can deliver real time capabilities at the point of need.”

One Project Arc mechanical engineer deployed to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, in October 2021. That engineer cut a monthly inventory check from eight hours to 20 minutes by automating tasks and using weight-based systems, Goins said. This saves “five-man weeks a year” at one base.

A team of computer scientists at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, in November 2021, developed a software prototype for centralizing repair facility work order management that accelerates the repair process and saves 2,000-man hours a year, the captain said. The innovation is currently being considered for implementation across the service.

“The acquisition processes are in place to develop solutions, but they can take time to manifest and implement, so we are here to look at problem sets that are small in nature but can be scaled quickly through the products we develop,” said Space Force 2nd Lt. Kevin Tran, Space Analysis Squadron developmental engineer, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

Tran is deployed to Patrick Space Force Base, Florida, where he works alongside Air Force 1st Lt. Kennith McLoud, Air Force Operations Test and Evaluations Center operations research analyst, who is deployed to Patrick from Eglin AFB, in Space Launch Delta 45’s innovation center, The Forge.

Since the duo arrived in April, they have met with several units at Patrick and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Those meetings identified several concerns including the damage corrosion causes, as well as the need for a medical training interface and a collaborative space launch environment where all launch data is centralized in one place.

“Corrosion is a big problem we are working on right now,” McLoud said. “Just from all the salt from the ocean and ultraviolet light, the environment is highly corrosive. Because of that the HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) chillers, which cool buildings and are supposed to last 15–20 years, are only lasting for four or five years.”

Research discovered corrosion was eating away the material the chillers are made of which eventually causes them to break down and be replaced.

Corrosion is also a concern of the 45th Logistics Readiness Squadron. The unit manages SLD 45’s government vehicle fleet.

“Many of those vehicles have to be serviced by a third-party company about every two years because the coating they’re using now isn’t holding up well,” McLoud said. “We discovered a silicon ceramic non-conductive coating that can be applied to multiple surfaces to prevent corrosion. That is something that can be used to extend the life of the chillers, protect government vehicles, and even extend the life of lighting fixtures.”

The coating can extend the life expectancy of HVAC systems and vehicles by at least four or five years, Tran added. This could lead to an estimated savings of $100,000 in annual maintenance costs.

Tran and McLoud are currently working on a dozen projects to enhance the space launch mission.

“Our adversaries are developing different ways to launch their payloads into orbit and if we don’t find ways to innovate, we will not be able to secure space and ensure access to space the way we want to,” Tran said. “We need to constantly push ourselves, take advantage of the expertise of our Airmen and Guardians, and help our warfighters. When we stop innovating, we start to lose the fight.”

McLoud echoed Tran’s sentiment and said he hopes Project Arc continues to grow.

“We have the capability, the Airmen and Guardians to do so many things,” he said. “We have people who know how to program, code, and so much more who can save money, several man hours, and enhance our mission, so why not? Let’s Invest in our Airmen and Guardians, so they can use their skills to advance our mission.”

By TSgt James Hodgman, Space Launch Delta 45 Public Affairs