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Origami and high-performance textiles are transforming architectural plans for intelligent human habitats and research stations on the Moon and Mars. The first field trials of the MoonMars origami prototype were presented at the 2018 European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) in Berlin by Dr. Anna Sitnikova.
MoonMars is a collaboration between the International Working Group on Lunar Exploration (ILEWG), ESA-ESTEC, Research Institutes and Samira Boon Textile Architecture Studio. The MoonMars team has incorporated the structure of origami in digital weaving processes to sculpt complex shapes that are compact to carry and easy to deploy using inflatable, pop-up or robotic mechanisms in extraterrestrial environments.
"Textile origami structures can be deployed in a myriad of different shapes, are lightweight, can be easily deployed and reused in a variety of configurations and sizes for flexible spatial use, and remain functional under changing circumstances. so their use, lifespan, "said Sitnikova, who runs the MoonMars project on behalf of the ILEWG.
In the hostile environment of space, high performance textiles and the flexible nature of origami can offer unique architectural benefits. The angular facets of origami structures mean that micrometeorites are less likely to reach 90-degree surfaces, dissipating energy from potential impacts and penetration hazards, protecting astronauts inside habitats.
Solar panels embedded in textiles that change shape can follow the sun to collect more energy throughout the day. Transparent and opaque facets may change direction to alter internal lighting and weather conditions.
After the first trials of an entrance tunnel prototype during the EuroMoonMars simulation on the ESTEC ESA website in April 2018, the MoonMars team now plans a series of Ambitious testing for 2019. In June, the IGLUNA project of the Swiss Space Center will include trials of an origami habitat in the glacier above Zermatt in Switzerland. In September 2019, the team will travel to Iceland to participate in a campaign inside a system of lava caves.
"We have just returned from a reconnaissance trip and have chosen the Stefanshellir and Surtshellir cave systems, which have large galleries and a very elaborate tunnel system.We are tentatively planning to set up a small tunnel habitat. origami and woven domes, "said Sitnikova.
The next design milestone will be a self-expanding origami habitat.
"Origami for spatial architecture encourages interdisciplinary approaches and applications, providing advanced production and design methods," Sitnikova said. "Habitats enhanced by such structures are temporal and alive because they are able to transform and redefine themselves into resonance with human and environmental factors."
Related Links
Europlanet project
Space Technology News – Applications and Research
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