Sierra Space has won a significant contract from NASA to study the use of the company’s expandable space station technology on the moon.
Sierra Space has been awarded a major contract by NASA to study the potential use of its expandable space station technology on the lunar surface. The agreement, part of NASA’s NextSTEP-2 Appendix R initiative for Lunar Logistics and Mobility Studies, places the company at the forefront of efforts to develop advanced systems that will support future moon-to-Mars missions.
The contract focuses on exploring how Sierra Space’s inflatable LIFE habitat and related technologies can be adapted to meet a range of logistical and habitation needs on the moon. This includes applications such as tunnel systems around lunar bases, storage and tracking of equipment and supplies, waste management, and the integration of comprehensive frameworks for sustained human presence on the lunar surface.
Sierra Space brings considerable expertise to the project, with prior experience in design and analysis of lunar landers, rovers, and habitats. The company has also worked closely with teams supporting human landing systems and lunar terrain vehicles—critical components for building a long-term lunar infrastructure.
Earlier this year, in April, Sierra Space completed hypervelocity impact tests at NASA’s White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico. These trials, which used a .50 caliber two-stage light gas gun to simulate micrometeoroid and orbital debris strikes, were aimed at reinforcing the structural integrity of the LIFE habitat. The successful results marked a key milestone in adapting the habitat for potential lunar and orbital deployment.
Dr Tom Marshburn, Chief Astronaut and Vice President of Human Factors Engineering at Sierra Space, said: “We believe our expandable softgoods space station technology can thrive in low-Earth orbit for commercial uses and for deep space exploration with NASA. Sierra Space is able to leverage existing technologies to deliver robust and scalable solutions that support both near-term and long-term mission objectives on the moon. We’ve developed a versatile technology with our expandable habitation products that we feel supports NASA’s moon to Mars goals.”
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