A space habitat inspired by SpaceX’s Starship is perched in a Swiss experimental park.
Six to eighteen-year-old students at Institut auf dem Rosenberg laboured for years on a prototype for future astronauts that would fit into the powerful Starship rocket of SpaceX.
The results, which were shown on Wednesday (July 20), reveal a structure suffused with light that was designed in collaboration with Danish architecture firm SAGA Space Architects. The three-story structure contains designated workspaces and relaxation areas for analogue astronauts.
Within the environment, students will complete “immersive learning modules” in the following years. They will work within what is reported to be the highest 3D-printed polymer structure in the world at a height of 23 feet (7 metres), according to a statement released by the institution to coincide with the 53rd anniversary of the first human lunar landing.
“Our aim is to provide future leaders with early exposure to the question of advanced space exploration, allowing our students to approach and solve … complex questions from a collaborative and holistic point of view,” Bernhard Gademann, director general of Rosenberg, said in the statement.
The three-floor Rosenberg Space Habitat prototype includes dedicated areas for work and rest, to promote crew well-being. (Image credit: Institut auf dem Rosenberg)
According to the organisation, it took two years to develop the Rosenberg Space Habitat from “initial creative concepts and paper models.” Industrial partners contributed, with the exterior shell being 3D-printed in Milan and the inside structure being manufactured in Copenhagen.
Using polymer in 3D printing was a conscious option, but relatively unusual, as “it provides more versatility than concrete that is used in most 3D printed structures.” In preparation for intense ultraviolet (UV) radiation on the moon or Mars, the material contains a UV stabiliser to increase its durability. If necessary, the habitat can be disassembled and the polymer recycled into new construction.
Add-ons for student assignments include a robot named Spot and multi-functional furniture that allows occupants to make the most of confined living spaces.
Institut auf dem Rosenberg students and SAGA Space Architects designed the Rosenberg Space Habitat to house two crew members with plenty of space and light. (Image credit: Institut auf dem Rosenberg)
Rosenberg added that planned investigations will include hardware, software, remote mission control systems, and “sensory stimulation” including light, sound, and scent. In addition, students will participate in projects designed to imitate “systems thinking” (how the pieces of a complex system interact) and artificial intelligence.
Rosenberg said that they believed their habitat’s internal research would benefit future lunar explorers by teaching students “not to fear new technology, but to embrace it and develop it for the next generation.”
