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Quoted from Cnet on Saturday (14/8/2021), Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX offered assistance to NASA. Musk responded via a tweet on twitter about the delay of the astronaut’s uniform reported by an space reporter CNBC, Michael Sheetz.
“SpaceX can do it if need be,” Musk tweeted.
Sheetz points out that there are 27 different companies that supply components for the astronaut suit.
“It seems like there are too many cooks in the kitchen,” Musk said, implying too much choice.
NASA has so far been willing to work with commercial providers on space projects, from sending astronauts and cargo to the ISS to shipping hardware to the Moon.
In July, NASA said it would embrace commercial partnerships to optimize spacesuit technology and inspire start-ups in the space market so Musk’s offer is still being considered.
NASA says it will continue to develop its in-house Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit (xEMU) in parallel with any procurement activities. The agency expects to release a formal request for proposals for spacesuit and spacewalk support services later this year with the aim of awarding the award in early 2022.
The OIG report details some of the big numbers for xEMU development costs. NASA has spent $420 million on the project with the initial goal of producing two ready-to-fly spacesuits by November 2024.
The Inspector General suggested the price tag would swell to more than $1 billion by the time the garments were developed and assembled.
NASA has been working on the SLS rocket and the Orion spacecraft to bring astronauts back to the Moon. Rocket systems are also experiencing delays, although NASA officially hopes to launch the unmanned Artemis I mission around the Moon later this year.
Sending a spacecraft to the Moon must ensure astronauts land safely on the lunar surface and then bring them back home. Therefore, the astronaut suit must increase the mobility and comfort of the astronaut compared to the Apollo era outfit – a key component for lunar exploration.
Reporter: Ruth Flowers
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