The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency is considering developing a high-tech spacesuit to participate in a U.S. project to send astronauts to the moon in 2018, officials said Wednesday.
By drawing on technological prowess from academia, industry and government sectors, JAXA is hoping to produce a suit for astronauts to wear when exploring the lunar surface, according to the officials.
Currently, only the United States and Russia have the technology to manufacture spacesuits for use outside a spacecraft, shielding humans from severe conditions, including the drastic lunar temperature changes ranging from 120 to minus 160, strong space radiation and tiny meteorites.
JAXA plans to soon start soliciting participation by government offices, companies and university research laboratories, the officials said.
The goal is to reduce the weight of the suit to around 20 kg from around 120 kg for the U.S.-made gear and upgrade the built-in life support system to enable continuous use for up to one week, they said.
The agency hopes to produce materials that are heat resistant, protect against radiation and are bulletproof, as well as create robot mechanisms to bolster kinetic movements of an astronaut and an eyeglass-like compact computer.
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