Week of 03/22/2010

1. Week of 03/22/2010 NASA is developing and testing the new and innovative technologies that will enable the future of safe and efficient human exploration. Expandable Habitat Engineering Design Unit First Deployment Description: The expandable habitat will provide a safe outpost for long duration missions to future exploration destinations. The habitat can house up to four astronauts and can be deployed by three people in less than 50 minutes. Research Objective: Researchers were tasked to design, analyze and fabricate a structural test article of an expandable habitat engineering development unit (EDU). Once fabricated, they needed to demonstrate a successful packaging and deployment of the EDU. Significance: The first deployment of the integrated mid-X hab EDU with an expandable mid-section represents the first full-scale example of a hybrid soft fabric and rigid habitable structure with integral airlock. The successful integration, packaging and deployment of the EDU demonstrated the technology feasibility. Next Steps: These early successes pave the way for the full pressure testing, future packaging, deployment and outfitting studies. This capability will enable crew habitats to be packaged into smaller units for launch and upon reaching its destination expanded to over twice its stowed volume. More information: http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/home/inflatable-lunar-hab.html The integrated mid-X hab EDU deployed at 0.2 psig. When packaged, its dimensions are: LxD: 5x3m (16.4’x9.8’) VOL: 29.3 m3 (1035 ft3. When deployed its dimensions are: LxD: 10x3m (32.8’x9.8’) VOL: 64.7 m3 (2284 ft3). http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/multimedia/highlights