In June, the Space Architecture IDEAS² team made major strides in advancing the development and prototyping of inflatable habitat modules and supporting infrastructure for lunar surface applications.
The team worked on pressurized habitat modules, redesigning the core structure to improve assembly and durability by replacing glued joints with screw connections for a more secure and repeatable build. Parallel efforts focused on deployment strategies for unpressurized protective structures, testing configurations that integrate inflatable components with rigid bistable frameworks.
A key focus was defining concepts for unpressurized external structures that shield crew habitats and serve as sheltered hangars for vehicles such as the Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV). The team evaluated multiple deployment strategies, including modular domes, vault shelters, and bistable auxetic structures, to balance launch constraints and in-situ adaptability.
Parallel work also advanced three distinct site preparation strategies for lunar module placement: elevated, on-surface, and sub-surface. Each concept was critically assessed for stability, constructability, and protection against hazards such as micrometeoroids and lunar quakes.
One proposed approach positions the inflatable assembly above the rigid structure, where inflation generates vertical and radial forces to achieve full deployment.
Together, these developments mark important steps toward the design of reliable, scalable habitat systems for future lunar and planetary applications.