A space startup called Max Space aims to launch an expandable “stadium-sized” habitat into Earth’s orbit aboard a SpaceX rocket by the end of this decade.
In theory, the startup’s goal is simple. The habitat is designed to provide as much space as possible for us to live in space by minimizing the payload mass and volume required for the notoriously expensive launches into space. Masu.
“The problem with space today is that there isn’t enough habitable space in space,” co-founder Aaron Kemmer said in a statement. “Humanity’s future in space will be lost if we don’t make available space cheaper and much larger.”
will remain limited. ”
The year-old company’s “scalable habitat” designs range from 20 cubic meters to 1,000 cubic feet, or 700 cubic feet and 35,300 cubic feet, respectively. This would dwarf existing habitat concepts if launched in 2027 and 2030 as planned.
The company says these habitats could float in microgravity in orbit or even be deployed on the surface of the Moon or Mars.
“My dream is to build a city on the moon before I die,” Kemmer said. “So I look at this as, this is a habitat, this is a structure, and it’s going to go into a lava tube that’s buried underground. [lunar] It came to the surface,” Kemmer said. space dot com.
Of course, this comes with a big disclaimer. This is a very ambitious plan, and the company is sure to encounter many obstacles along the way.
At least startup leaders have existing experience to draw on. Kemmer co-founded Redwire Space (formerly Made in Space), a company that has sent multiple of his 3D printing devices to the International Space Station to explore extraterrestrial manufacturing.
Making the habitat inflatable has several important benefits, including making it small enough to squeeze into a rocket fairing.
This idea is not entirely new.as space dot com It points out that there are currently three inflatable space habitation modules in Earth’s orbit, all developed and manufactured by Bigelow Aerospace, which pioneered the concept.
Max Space co-founder Maxim de Jong worked on pressure-suppression hulls for two of these habitats with Canadian contractor Thin Red Line Aerospace.
The startup has lowered costs by using a new, highly scalable approach and is now ready for its first extraterrestrial test – a module roughly the size of two suitcases that can expand to 700 cubic feet of volume. We hope to start in just two years.around space dot com.
If all goes to plan, this prototype could set a new record by surpassing the volume of all three inflatable habitats currently orbiting the Earth.
But Max Space isn’t the only company looking to launch a new generation of expanding habitats in space.
Competitor Sierra Space is also busy intentionally blowing up a full-scale inflatable habitat prototype on Earth, and plans to begin developing flyable hardware by mid-2026.
Inflatable habitat details: Life-size prototype space habitat explodes under pressure
