Description: Inflatable structures are being pursued as candidates for long-term habitats in space. The ability to monitor and assess the structural health of an inflatable module is an important factor in determining the feasibility of using inflatable technologies for habitat requirements, especially in the presence of micrometeoroid and orbital debris (MMOD) threats. There is therefore a need for Structural Health Monitoring methods to perform impact detection and localization to the inflatable structures throughout the structure’s mission. This capability must be accomplished within real constraints for sensor volume, mass, and crew resources, including being able to perform effective damage monitoring of the inflatable habitat layers automatically during a mission either on a routine basis or as a quick- response basis. Acellent has extensive experience in developing space and field-ready Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) diagnostic systems. This program will focus on development, maturation, assembly and automation of “Flexible multifunctional Structural Health Monitoring systems for inflatable space habitat structures”. The program will enable the low-cost manufacturing of integrated sensing capabilities in inflatable softgoods material systems that are needed to monitor impact detection in situ and measure load/strain on softgoods components. The Phase II effort will focus on developing a complete system for SHM for inflatable habitats and testing on a sub scale inflatable habitats. Integration of sensors into the inflatable materails will be a key development conducted during the Pkhase II. The work will be done in close co-ordination with NASA and subcontractors that will provide Vectran materails, manufacture the sub scale inflatable and perform testing.

Benefits: NASA is currently looking for SHM technologies that are small and lightweight to provide onboard monitoring capabilities and are easy to install. The proposed system has several critical future exploration applications including support of technologies for self-assembly, in-space assembly, in-space maintenance & servicing, and highly reliable autonomous deep-space systems. These technologies have the potential of significantly increasing safety, reliability, affordability, and effectiveness of NASA missions.

The proposed SHM system can be used in several different platforms including Commercial and Military fixed wing, rotorcraft and unmanned Aircraft, Commercial and Military space structures, Mining, Bridges, Buildings and other platforms.