Engineered for Astronauts: Oakley, Axiom Space Launch Next-Gen Visor System

Wednesday, July 16 2025 | 10 h 02 min | News

As part of Oakley’s 50th Anniversary Celebration being held at its “Interplanetary Headquarters,” Oakley and Axiom Space officially announced their partnership on the visor system for the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU). 

This history-making collaboration brings two distinctly different industries together to equip astronauts, who will return to the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years, with leading technology to enhance safety and offer state-of-the-art clarity while they explore the lunar south pole as part of NASA’s Artemis III mission.

Oakley is built to take on the extremes: snow-covered slopes, sun-scorched trails, and high-speed descents. Now, it will enter its most unforgiving environment yet: space. The AxEMU visor system will bring 50 years of innovation in elite sports and performance eyewear to the Moon.

Astronauts are athletes on an entirely different level, navigating visually complex and hostile environments, where clarity and protection are paramount. Oakley’s advanced optical technologies will help them see farther, clearer, and bolder than ever before. Integrated into the next-generation spacesuit, developed by Axiom Space, the stowable two-part deployable visor is being engineered for the next era of human space exploration.

“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.”

“We are excited to work with Oakley on the visor system,” said Russell Ralston, Executive Vice President of Extravehicular Activity at Axiom Space. “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 visor system is being built for the visually challenging environment of space, where light bends differently and shadows run deeper. From starlight to direct solar exposure, the visor technology will shield against harmful radiation and deliver the clarity and protection astronauts need. Key features of the AxEMU visor system include:

• Two-part deployable visor that slides and stows seamlessly for adjustable protection
• Gold coating with reflectivity to shield from extreme light conditions
• Tuned visible light transmittance to enhance astronaut visibility from harsh sunlight
• Reduced haze to optimize visual clarity
• Multilayer coatings applied on the internal surface of the visor and secondary helmet bubble
• Scratch-resistant coating to protect against lunar dust
• Secondary helmet bubble protects the astronaut from UV radiation and lunar dust

“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.”

Axiom Space selected Oakley for its expertise in extreme sports and adventure environments. When astronauts return to the lunar surface for the Artemis III mission, they will need a spacesuit optical system to provide clarity and protection against infrared light, extreme temperatures, and micrometeorites while working in the permanently shadowed regions of the lunar south pole. The advanced AxEMU visor system is critical to ensure optimal performance in this challenging environment.

The Oakley and Axiom Space collaboration sets a new benchmark in human-rated space technology, set to advance space exploration on the Moon and beyond for generations to come.

For more information, visit www.oakley.com/axiom-space.

Source: Oakley

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