According to two informed sources, Collins Aerospace, a subsidiary of RTX Corporation, is in discussions with NASA to exit its contract for manufacturing new spacesuits for astronauts on the International Space Station. This development is a setback for NASA, which has been struggling with its decades-old spacewalking suits.
The contract is part of a $3.5 billion project awarded by NASA to Collins and Axiom Space in 2022, aimed at developing new spacesuits for the International Space Station and future lunar missions. Collins initially received $97 million in funding for the development of the space station suits and was eligible to compete with Axiom for additional funding to develop lunar suits.
However, Collins has not made satisfactory progress on the project and has fallen behind schedule. According to the two informed sources, Collins has been discussing with NASA officials how to conclude its role in the project.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Collins said, "After a comprehensive evaluation, Collins Aerospace and NASA have mutually agreed to reduce the Exploration Extravehicular Activity Services (xEVAS) task order." This refers to the spacesuit contract.
NASA has not commented on the matter yet.
NASA has historically faced numerous difficulties in modernizing humanoid space apparatuses, and the spacesuit issue is just one part of the larger challenge. These bulky and complex systems are the tools used by American astronauts for routine maintenance outside the International Space Station, which orbits roughly 250 miles (400 kilometers) above Earth and is comparable in size to a football field laboratory.
