AssetID: 54913268
Headline: RAW VIDEO: NASA Astronauts Set To Wear Oakley Visors When Returning To The Moon
Caption: Astronauts heading to the Moon as part of NASA’s Artemis III mission will do so wearing Oakley visors - specially engineered for the extreme environment of space. The eyewear brand, best known for high-performance sports sunglasses, has partnered with Axiom Space to develop a sophisticated visor system for the next-generation spacesuit, the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU). The announcement was made during Oakley’s 50th anniversary celebrations at its “Interplanetary Headquarters” in California. Oakley’s High-Definition Optics, refined over decades for athletes facing sun, snow and high-speed conditions, will now serve astronauts navigating the harsh and visually complex terrain of the lunar south pole. “The next person to walk on the Moon will be wearing Oakley’s next-gen High-Definition Optics (HDO), and that’s a responsibility we don’t take lightly,” shared Ryan Saylor, SVP of Advanced Product Development at Oakley. “Developing the AxEMU visor system alongside Axiom Space marks a historic milestone. This breakthrough represents decades of relentless innovation, a clear commitment beyond reason. We’re proud to bring this legacy of optical performance and visual acuity to the Artemis III mission and define the future of space exploration.” Artemis III is set to be the first crewed lunar landing since 1972 and will explore regions of the Moon never before visited, including areas in permanent shadow. The specially designed AxEMU visor system will incorporate a range of technical features to cope with the Moon’s extreme conditions, including: It has a dual-layer deployable visor that can be slid and stowed for adjustable protection, a gold-coated finish to reflect intense light and radiation, precision-tuned light transmittance for maximum visibility in bright or shadowed terrain, anti-scratch and anti-haze coatings to withstand lunar dust, and a secondary helmet bubble for enhanced UV and impact protection. “In space the sun is really harsh, it feels as if it’s piercing through your eyes,” said Koichi Wakata, Axiom Space astronaut and Chief Technology Officer. “That’s why we need an exceptional visor system to protect our eyes and offer maximum visibility to enable astronauts to work in the challenging lunar environment.” Russell Ralston, Executive Vice-President of Extravehicular Activity at Axiom Space, said: “We are excited to work with Oakley on the visor system. With decades of pioneering expertise in optical innovation, Oakley will bring exceptional value to the design of our spacesuit. The unique collaboration exemplifies Axiom Space’s commitment to revolutionizing spacesuit development through innovative industry partnerships around the world.” The Artemis III mission, expected later this decade, will require astronauts to operate in the most visually challenging and unforgiving conditions ever encountered on the Moon. Axiom and Oakley believe their new visor system will play a critical role in the safety, clarity and success of lunar operations.
Keywords: visor,astronaut,feature,video,photo,oakley,sunglasses,space,science,design
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