Construction

Folding of the habitat

As the folding habitat is constructed around the solid airlock it is possible to pull a vacuum through a non return valve which will effectively collapse the habitat against the airlock. This is done in the lab during flight preparation.

The non return valve will hold the habitat in its collapsed state during transit.

Stowing of the habitat for flight

The habitat is stored in the spacecraft against compressed springs and held in place by a pneumatic actuator.

At deployment time the hatch opens on the craft and the actuator retracts. The springs under compression will throw the habitat out of the spacecraft. There is a flexible umbilical attached to the craft which provides various connections between the craft and the habitat.

Inflating and rigifying

There are compressed air vessels in the delivery craft. One of these is for inflating the deployed habitat.

Once the habitat is inflated the expoxy dosing system mixes the resin and the hardener and the fills the skeleton of the habitat with the copolymer. When this sets the habitat becomes rigid.

Umbilical and airlock docking

The umbilical from the craft carries the necessary services to be delivered to the habitat. The airlock also contains a further docking mechanism for further life support systems (delivered by a second purpose built craft).