Inflatable Habitat Option for a Human Lunar Return Mission

This paper describes part of NASA's ongoing effort to study inflatable habitats for use as habitat facilities in such missions as the Human Lunar Return (HLR) Mission. The habitat described in this paper is a horizontal cylindrical sectioned foam inflated and rigidized structural envelope. This inflatable habitat will provide a living and working environment for a crew of two for a surface stay of three to six days. It is 2.5-m diameter by 4.0-m long cylinder containing 14.5³ meters of volume. The outfitted inflatable habitat has an estimated mass of 1200 kg. This habitat is delivered and predeployed on the lunar surface by the same open cockpit lander the crew uses for descent and ascent.