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NASA's vision for Space Exploration includes a long term human presence on the surface of the moon and missions to Mars. In support of these missions, habitation structures will be developed to support operations in these challenging gravitational environments and maximize safety and comfort to the crew. One class of structures that is under study is expandable structures because of their mass and stowed volume efficiency. These structures follow the natural paradigm of exploration that has been observed for centuries. An expandable technology demonstration unit has been constructed and is being tested in the lunar analog environment of Antarctica, over several years. The habitat has yielded test data regarding transport and deployment, sensor integration, reconfigurability, habitability, performance in harsh environments, radiation shielding and dust mitigation. Data from these tests is being used by NASA to support lunar architecture studies.

This paper summarizes the development of multi-functional intelligent flexible materials for deployable space structures, otherwise known as the InFlex program. The goal of the work was to enhance the capabilities of inflatable structures for exploration activities such as habitats, airlocks, and space suits, with improved materials ultimately to reduce crew burden and lifecycle costs, improve system safety, and reduce system mass and launch volume. Several technical areas were investigated concurrently in an effort to combine functions and create efficient structures. These included self-healing materials, structural health monitoring systems, radiation protective materials, reduced permeability materials, anti-microbial materials, and embedded power generation and storage technologies. Methods of signal transfer were also studied in conjunction with a centralized display and warning system to interact with systems operations personnel.