Private space company Max Space premiered their expandable space habitat at the 39th Space Symposium on April 9, 2024, citing its use of material from ALUULA Composites Inc. (“ALUULA”) to reinforce the structure.
Max Space demonstrating their modules at Amazon MARS 2024. Image Credit: ALUULA Composites Inc
“This has been an exciting project to be involved with and we’re proud of the part that ALUULA is playing in exploring the possibilities of space habitation,” said Sage Berryman, CEO of ALUULA.
The habitat is slated to launch with Space X in 2026 and, according to Max Space, is currently able to orbit the moon and ultimately Mars. Max Space plans to create a family of scalable habitats in varying sizes by 2030, potentially creating stadium-sized expandable structures.
“Unless we make usable space in space a lot less expensive and much larger, humanity's future in space will remain limited," said Max Space co-founder Aaron Kemmer.
ALUULA’s lightweight material is used as part of a custom laminate that adds strength and durability to the structural elements of the habitat, making it possible to create a large living and working area at a fraction of the weight and transport costs of traditional crew modules.
“The laminate used in the habitat has an incredible strength-to-weight ratio with a combination of high resistance polymers, which is ideal for use in applications where weight and safety is critical, like space travel,” said ALUULA’s Chief Innovation Officer Richard Myerscough.
Space habitats are just the latest in a string of product developments from brands using ALUULA. Last month Michelin announced their involvement with ALUULA in a joint research and development project, and late last year outdoor brand Arc’Teryx announced they were evolving their product offerings using ALUULA materials. ALUULA has more product developments in the works, with many slated to launch later this year.
“While we can’t discuss details, we are working closely with multiple brand partners to bring fantastic products to market in the outdoor and wind sport industries and beyond,” said Berryman.
Source: https://aluula.com/