Surface-Based Lunar Habitats with Inflatable and Deployable Features: A Conceptual Design and Numerical Feasibility Study

Inflatable and deployable structures are increasingly recognized as a promising solution for long-duration lunar surface missions, where mass efficiency, compact stowage, and rapid deployment are critical design drivers. This work presents the conceptual design and a preliminary numerical feasibility study of a surface-based inflatable and deployable lunar habitat. Several geometric configurations are initially investigated to identify the solution minimizing structural mass for an equivalent habitable volume. A cylindrical architecture is selected due to its favorable mass efficiency, one-dimensional deployment simplicity, and inherent modularity while preserving continuous curvature. The analyzed habitat consists of a fabric restraint layer made of aluminized Kapton Kevlar (AKK), sized with a safety factor of four, coupled with a carbon-fiber-reinforced composite floor designed to support astronaut and internal equipment loads. Habitability aspects are preliminarily assessed through a digital mock-up, enabling the simulation of astronaut presence and representative operational activities. A finite element model of the fully-deployed structure is developed to verify the analytical sizing and assess structural feasibility under the pressurization load. Modal analyses are performed to define an appropriate pressurization time profile, avoiding dynamic coupling with the first structural natural frequency. Subsequent transient dynamic analyses confirmed the absence of resonant behavior and provided element stress–strain time histories. Finally, the deployment kinematic is investigated through a multibody model, allowing the definition of stiffness and damping characteristics of the mechanisms to ensure a robust and controlled habitat deployment.