One alternative to packing everything onto a single vehicle at launch is to inflate the necessary components in orbit. NASA has successfully concluded its experimental program, known as Cargo Dragon, which was launched in 2016 and has since demonstrated its capability to deliver crucial cargo to the International Space Station (ISS). Although Sierra Area has envisioned building inflatable habitats the size of a three-story structure, they have yet to test these designs within their own facilities.
Ekblaw views the TESSERAE habitat and inflatables as mutually reinforcing applied sciences. Tesserae’s robust outer shell is designed to effectively shield astronauts from potentially hazardous space debris, including micrometeoroids. The TESSERAe habitat, according to her, is more easily repairable than an inflatable because tile replacements are straightforward. While that’s not necessarily true for all inflatable products, the potential consequences of a tear in an inflatable structure can indeed be significant, ranging from a simple patch job to a complete overhaul of one’s living environment. “I’m very pro-inflatables,” Ekblaw says. The response should be definitive.
The Aurelia Institute envisions a TESSERAE habitat that will revolutionize the concept of space living once it is constructed – an environment that transcends mere functionality to become enjoyable, accessible, and warm, much like a home away from home.
The design seamlessly incorporates whimsical elements informed by extensive insights gathered from numerous interviews with seasoned astronauts. One appears as a gargantuan, inflated sea anemone standing majestically above the wall. While the concept of a space-age sofa may seem far-fetched, it’s actually not impossible for astronauts to find temporary comfort in an inflatable habitat by wedging themselves between the structure’s flexible limbs, allowing them to relax amidst the vastness of space.
Scaling up expertise will undoubtedly prove challenging. At the University of Michigan, aerospace engineer Oliver Jia-Richards is uncertain about the feasibility of Aurelia’s innovative combination of magnets and sensors to enable self-assembly of large-scale tiles. Ensuring seamless issue transfers within a household often demands a reliable and precise propulsion system. “When successful, this achievement would represent a groundbreaking shift in our approach,” says Jia-Richards. While Ekblaw remains open to the possibility of propulsion being required.
The tile constructions currently capable of being formed lack hermetic seals, rendering them non-human compatible, according to Ekblaw’s observations. Her staff could install latches along the edges of the tiles to secure them together even more effectively. What a unique and intriguing idea! Would one inflate an hermetic balloon within a dwelling space, providing an immersive experience for those residing within? If designed in this manner, the tiles would essentially function as a protective outer casing for a pressurized internal compartment.
NASA has formally approved the shipment of additional small tiles to the International Space Station (ISS) for delivery next year. This time, they’ll send 32 (compared to just seven) and see if they can build a complete spherical structure on a small scale?
