NASA Veteran Talks Artemis, Moon Missions & Space Suits

INTRO:
Welcome to Launch Pod, where we chat with innovators who are overcoming challenges, pushing boundaries, and collaborating to make space more accessible and sustainable for humanity—one launch at a time, one small step for man.
Here’s your host, Susan Wise.

Susan Wise:
Hi! Thanks for joining us here on Launch Pod: Space, Science, and Innovation. This time, we have someone with us who knows a lot about all three. Charles Armstrong is a retired NASA veteran with 45 years of experience at the Johnson Space Center in Houston—my old stomping grounds! That includes roles as a flight controller, astronaut trainer, and project manager.

An expert on extravehicular activity—EVA, or spacewalks—Charlie has worked as a space suit consultant and currently serves as a member of NASA’s EVA and Human Surface Mobility Standing Review Board.

So welcome to the show!

Charles Armstrong:
That’s a mouthful, isn’t it?

Susan Wise:
And that’s not even scratching the surface! I mean, look at all these awards and accolades—you’ve had an amazing career and still do.

Charles Armstrong:
It’s kind of fun. Yeah, it’s kind of fun.

Susan Wise:
I just want to let everybody know how we know each other. We’ve known each other since I was probably barefoot in pigtails, riding my bicycle in Missouri, because Charlie went to high school with my sister. You guys went through school together in Missouri.

And since I followed my sister everywhere, that’s how I got to know you—and how special you are. When I told her about the podcast, she said, “Oh my gosh, you should have Charlie on!” So that’s how we got to this point.

Charles Armstrong:
That’s nice. Thank you for inviting me.

Susan Wise:
Going back to our high school years—in the late ’70s, I think it was 1979—I was a cheerleader, and a local radio station invited us to a parking lot party. We had to write cheers about Skylab crashing to Earth!

Charles Armstrong:
Oh man.

Susan Wise:
Do you remember that?

Charles Armstrong:
Oh yeah, I remember Skylab. I was an intern at the Johnson Space Center back then. We called it “splatdown.”

Susan Wise:
Let’s start by talking about what you’re currently working on to further the space industry.

Charles Armstrong:
NASA has the Artemis program, which is our mission to return to the Moon and ultimately go to Mars. It has three main parts. One is behind me here—that’s the Orion spacecraft, which carries the crew to the Moon.

Then there’s the Space Launch System, the SLS—that’s the big rocket. And finally, there’s the human lander that will put people on the Moon.

My current role, as a consultant, is on what’s called the Standing Review Board for lunar surface EVA and surface transportation. Right now, we have three contractors developing unpressurized lunar terrain vehicles—rovers. The Japanese are providing the pressurized rover, which people will be able to live in for up to 30 days at a time.

So that’s what I’m doing—reviewing documents, attending meetings, and sitting there…

Susan Wise:
…nodding your head knowingly?

Charles Armstrong:
Exactly. We’re called “graybeards” for a reason.

Susan Wise:
So it’s sort of like an RV on the Moon?

Charles Armstrong:
Oh yeah. The pressurized rover is definitely an RV on the Moon. It’s big—it’ll carry two people around the lunar surface for about a month while they work and explore.

We’re also developing a new spacesuit. We’ve been using the same one since the start of the Shuttle program. It looks great, but it has some limitations. It was designed for zero gravity—not for walking on the Moon.

In zero G, you move using your hands to “translate” through the station. Your feet go into foot restraints to anchor you. But on the Moon, you’re walking—so the suit needs to support that. The weight rests more on your shoulders and transfers down through the upper torso to the lower body. Even at one-sixth gravity, it’s still a load to carry.

Susan Wise:
Is it more comfortable?

Charles Armstrong:
Hopefully! That’s part of the challenge. In zero gravity, you weigh nothing—you have mass but no weight. On the Moon, you still weigh something.

Susan Wise:
Will we explore parts of the Moon we haven’t seen yet?

Charles Armstrong:
Yes. The target is the lunar South Pole.

Susan Wise:
Wow.

Charles Armstrong:
We’ve barely explored that region. A couple of unmanned landers have touched down near the South Pole, but it’s very dark down there. The Moon has almost no axial tilt—unlike Earth’s 23.5 degrees—so the sun skims the horizon, and it’s mostly twilight.

Without an atmosphere, there’s no light scattering, so shadows are pitch black—and cold. Some areas are in permanent shadow, and we think they may contain water ice at the bottom of craters. If we can find water there, we won’t need to bring as much with us—a huge logistical advantage.

Susan Wise:
That’s amazing.

Charles Armstrong:
We recycle water all the time on the ISS.

Susan Wise:
I think I know where that comes from…

Charles Armstrong:
Exactly. Today’s coffee is tomorrow’s coffee.

Susan Wise:
(Laughs) Exactly.

Charles Armstrong:
We also get water from the air—we breathe out humidity, and we collect and process that, too.

Susan Wise:
Do any of those innovations affect things back here on Earth?

Charles Armstrong:
Absolutely. For example, NASA developed affordable water treatment systems used in developing countries to address unsafe water supplies.

You can go online and search “Benefits of the International Space Station” to see how these technologies have impacted life on Earth.

Susan Wise:
So exciting. Do we have a date for the next Moon launch?

Charles Armstrong:
That’s always the question! Artemis I flew a couple of years ago—an uncrewed Orion spacecraft around the Moon.

Artemis II is scheduled for next spring. That’ll carry a crew around the Moon, but not in low lunar orbit like Apollo—it’ll be thousands of miles out, testing Orion’s systems.

Then, a couple of years later—depending on funding—Artemis III will land people on the Moon’s South Pole. Elon Musk’s Starship is under contract to provide the lunar lander, so we’ll see how that goes.

Realistically, we’re looking at 2028 or 2029 for a lunar landing.

Susan Wise:
I hear Tom Hanks in my head saying, “When will we return to the Moon—and who will it be?”

Charles Armstrong:
Exactly.

Susan Wise:
It’s felt like we haven’t been doing much…

Charles Armstrong:
But the ISS is still going strong.

Susan Wise:
What has been your biggest challenge—and how did you overcome it?

Charles Armstrong:
In the early Shuttle program, I worked in EVA flight control. The first time we were supposed to perform an EVA—on STS-5—both suits failed. We couldn’t get out the hatch. I was new, didn’t really know what I was doing, and it was embarrassing. I swore it would never happen again.

After that, I pushed to simplify EVA readiness—making sure, even under adverse conditions, that we could still safely complete an EVA. I believed that all I really needed was a watch, a pressure gauge, and a warning tone.

Years later, on STS-49, astronaut Kathy Thornton lost her suit display during a spacewalk. The safety team panicked, but our EVA controller, Richard, followed that philosophy. We completed the EVA with a watch and a gauge.

That was my “yes!” moment—very gratifying.

Susan Wise:
A real aha moment.

Charles Armstrong:
Yes. It confirmed that all that preparation and thinking paid off.

Susan Wise:
There’s so much exciting innovation happening, especially with private companies getting involved. That collaboration seems to push everything forward.

Charles Armstrong:
Exactly. Back in the day, you either worked for NASA or one of its contractors. Now, there are so many private companies—SpaceX, Blue Origin, Axiom Space—you can get involved at the ground level. There’s so much opportunity out there if you’re passionate about space.

Susan Wise:
Well, I’ve sure enjoyed our time, Charlie. Thank you so much for joining us!

Charles Armstrong:
It’s been great—thank you for having me.

Susan Wise:
If you’ve enjoyed this episode, I’d love for you to leave us a review and subscribe. Until next time, keep looking up.CLOSE:
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