Washington, Jul 11 (IANS): NASA has awarded two American companies Axiom Space and Collins Aerospace task orders to advance spacewalking capabilities in low Earth orbit, as well as moonwalking services for Artemis missions, the agency said. 

The task orders, part of the latest Exploration Extravehicular Activity Services, are under existing contracts and each has a value of $5 million.

It intends Axiom Space to begin work on a spacesuit for use in low Earth orbit, and Collins Aerospace to begin work on a spacesuit for use on the lunar surface.

"These task orders position NASA for success should additional capabilities become necessary or advantageous to NASA's missions as the agency paves the way for deep space exploration and commercialisation of low Earth orbit," said Lara Kearney, manager of the Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Programme at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, in a statement.

"Using this competitive approach we will enhance redundancy, expand future capabilities, and further invest in the space economy," she added.

Each contract provider has proposed a plan to continue developing their spacesuit to perform in an environment different from that outlined in the scope of their initial task order award.

Axiom Space was previously awarded an initial task order to develop a spacewalking system for a demonstration in partial gravity on the lunar surface during Artemis III and will now begin early assessments for extending that suit for use outside the International Space Station (ISS).

Collins Aerospace was also previously awarded an initial task order to develop a spacewalking system for a demonstration in microgravity outside the ISS and will now begin early assessments for extending that suit for use on the lunar surface.

The contract enables selected providers to compete for task orders for missions that will provide a full suite of capabilities for NASA's spacewalking needs during the period of performance through 2034.

The first task orders awarded were for the development and services for the first demonstration outside the space station in low Earth orbit and for the Artemis III lunar landing.

The contract was designed to evolve with the needs of the agency and space industry and gives NASA a mechanism for adding additional capabilities and vendors as the commercial space services market evolves.