KBR to Support $3.5B Next-Gen Spacesuit Development for Return to the Moon and Beyond

KBR (NYSE: KBR) is pleased to announce it is a major partner to Axiom Space, which NASA selected as one of two companies eligible to support the development of NASA's next-generation spacesuit and spacewalk systems through the Exploration Extravehicular Activity Services (xEVAS) contract. This comprehensive contract includes a full range of services, including design, testing, and verification of manufacturing and processing of the new spacesuits. KBR will co-locate with Axiom Space in their facilities.

The xEVAS contract, which advances extravehicular activity capability for low-Earth orbit, on the lunar surface, and future human missions to Mars, is managed out of NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC) through the Extravehicular Activity (EVA) and Human Surface Mobility Program. The milestone-based contract's period of performance continues through 2034 with a potential total value of $3.5 billion across the life of the program.

"KBR is honored to have the opportunity to help humanity return to the moon and confident in our decades of development experience to help produce a safe and flexible suit unlike any other," said Byron Bright, President of KBR Government Solutions U.S. "Having worked with every astronaut since 1968, this historic project is a fitting continuation of our existing human space flight efforts. Our team could not be more thrilled to support this exciting endeavor for the next generation."

Working together on Axiom's spacesuits, the AxEMU, is the latest collaboration between Axiom Space and KBR. The two companies worked together on Axiom's first commercial space mission, Axiom Mission 1, and will continue to collaborate on Axiom Mission 2. This new commercial partnership contract with NASA enables Axiom Space, together with KBR, to build next generation astronaut spacesuits that serve commercial customers, private astronauts, and future space station goals while meeting NASA's ISS and Artemis lunar exploration needs.   

KBR's science, space, and engineering experts have more than 25 years of experience leading spacesuit development and are key assets to the project. The company currently processes and refurbishes NASA spacesuits and related components used on the International Space Station, and will use its experience and knowledge to focus on the development and delivery of services related to the new next-generation spacesuits.