ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot has completed a third and likely final test of EuroSuit, a European intravehicular activity (IVA) spacesuit prototype, aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The suit was developed under a CNES contract by a French consortium led by Spartan Space, which also includes the sporting goods retailer Decathlon.
In a 20 July daily update on ISS operations, NASA disclosed that Adenot had “tried on and tested” the EuroSuit prototype during that day’s activities but provided no further details. The session appears to have been the third and final in a planned three-test campaign assessing how quickly and easily the suit could be put on and removed, as well as its comfort and ergonomics while being worn.
In a similar daily ISS update published on 29 May, NASA described Adenot trying on a “prototype internal spacesuit.” Although the update did not identify the suit by name, it linked to NASA’s EuroSuit project page. A subsequent update on 11 June reported that Adenot had tested the EuroSuit prototype in the Columbus laboratory, in what appears to have been the second session. Together with the 20 July activity, the updates indicate that Adenot has now completed three tests.
According to the NASA project page, “three [testing] sessions are required to monitor the improvement in suit donning.” By that standard, testing of the EuroSuit prototype appears to have been completed.
Despite the apparent completion of the test campaign, neither CNES nor the project partners have issued an official update. Additionally, no footage or photographs of the on-orbit testing had been made public at the time of writing.
Under its current contract with CNES, the Spartan Space-led consortium is expected to follow on-orbit testing with the development of a final ground version of the suit. This phase of the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2027 and will serve as a precursor to the development of a flight-ready version of the spacesuit.
A second suit was also being tested
Alongside EuroSuit, NASA’s 20 July daily update described Adenot testing what it called the “EasyMotion-2 suit.” EasyMotion-2 is actually the name of the study, which uses the commercially available EasyMotionSkin electro-myostimulation (EMS) bodysuit that was adapted and qualified by OHB for use aboard the ISS.
The study, which is being led by ESA, uses the EMS suit to trigger muscle contractions during or after regular exercise, helping to boost muscle activity. The technology could help astronauts to preserve muscle strength in microgravity while reducing the time and equipment needed for exercise during long-duration missions.
An initial EasyMotion study was conducted by ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer in 2022. According to NASA’s EasyMotion-2 project page, the test provided the “first observational proof of concept to further support the research team’s hypothesis.” However, the page notes that these findings need to be supported by testing “higher numbers of EMS subjects from International Space Station crew members for better statistical outcome.”
Following the 20 July test, NASA updates published on 30 July and 3 August described two further EasyMotion-2 sessions during which Adenot jogged on the COLBERT treadmill in the station’s Tranquility module.
ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot has completed a third test of the EuroSuit prototype aboard the ISS. There has still been no confirmation from CNES or its project partners.
