Flexible Multifunctional Structural Health Monitoring Systems for Inflatable Space Habitat Structures

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 andnbsp;localizationnbsp;to the inflatable structures throughout the structurersquo;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 automaticallynbsp;during a mission either on a routine basis or as a quick- response basis.nbsp;Acellent has extensive experience in developing space and field-ready Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) diagnostic systems.nbsp;This program will focus on development, maturation, assembly and automation of ldquo;Flexible multifunctional Structural Health Monitoring systems for inflatable space habitat structuresrdquo;. 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 andnbsp;measure load/strain on softgoods components. The Phase II effort will focus on developingnbsp;a complete system for SHM for inflatable habitats andnbsp;testing on a sub scale inflatable habitats. Integration of sensors into the inflatable materails will be a key development conducted during the Pkhase II.nbsp;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.nbsp;