Tensegrity Space Laboratory

What would a habitat on another planet look like? The Tensegrity Space Laboratory is a unique and futuristic concept using technologies of today (and the near future). This outpost of humanity would be the semi-permanent residence of up to five brave astronauts. It would have all the technologies and provisions necessary to sustain human life for years, allowing plenty of time for the mission to be accomplished. The mobile aspect of this engineering marvel comes from the tensegrity beams that seemingly float around the spherical lab in the center. The design is based off of an existing NASA robot that I'll talk about later. This laboratory is capable of extended missions on foreign planets, traversing great distances from the landing/build site, and commencing research on its own instead of relying on sending samples back to Earth.

I made this 3D model and all of its components myself in Fusion 360. To easily explore the laboratory and see all it's detail, I've separated the bodies and components into selection sets by level when you open the file in Fusion 360.

All of my sources are hyperlinked throughout the text.

Four massive space shuttles would travel to the target planet. They would land upright (like the Space X rockets) in a square configuration. The future crew would disembark and set up a gantry system between the rockets. This gantry system would have a 3D printer hot end, turning the whole configuration into the largest 3D printer ever. The UV-blocking glass outer shell and composite inner walls and tables would then be 3D printed into place using graphene-based composite materials inside the spaceships. Graphene, when arranged into a ultra-thin sheet, is one of the strongest and lightest materials in the universe. Three of the spaceships would house the printing materials, and the fourth would bring all the computers, scientific equipment, and provisions for the crew. The entire lab would be printed in place, and the six beams would be printed in a triangle configuration. Finally, once the lab was completed, the gantry system would turn into a crane system for the assembly of the tensegrity structure. The lesser gravity of a planet such as mars or the moon would make this huge undertaking much easier than on Earth.

The inspiration for this laboratory comes from NASA's SUPERball bot. This unique concept from almost a decade ago shows how this sort of tensegrity structure could move and hold something inside. My idea is a scaled up version that houses and transports an entire living and research facility across the surface of another planet or moon. The lab stays upright via a gyroscope system.

The first and second floors of the Tensegrity Space Laboratory are dedicated to the survival and well being of the five person crew. The remaining space at the very bottom is used for water storage. The water is continually being recycled and reused so that minimal water shipments are needed. On the first level, you will find four large storage containers. They hold enough prepackaged meals, oxygen, spare parts, tools, clothes, medicines, and anything else that the crew might need for their entire mission, which could last years. The three silver cylinders on the left are very small nuclear reactors. The three will reliably produce energy for the entire lab for years.

In the middle you can see NASA's G2 flywheel. Traditional chemical batteries can degrade over time when they are constantly being charged and discharged. A flywheel stores kinetic energy rather than chemical energy, making it better for this project since this mega structure will constantly be drawing and producing energy.

Finally there are some water pipes and metal drums for specimen storage. The spiral staircase in the center connects all the floors.

The second floor is the main living space for the crew. There are five bedrooms, each with a bed, desk, laptop, and shelves for their personal belongings. There are two full shared bathrooms for the crew. The exercise bike and free weights in the gym help the crew stay healthy during their mission. The kitchen is stocked with a fridge, microwave, and plenty of ingredients and prepackaged meals. Finally there is a table for the crew to eat, socialize, and watch TV.

The work that the crew does is on another level. Literally. The third floor houses all the scientific equipment that the crew needs to accomplish their mission. The equipment I put into the laboratory would be needed to test solid, liquid, and gas samples for composition, structure, radioactivity, and biological presence. Here is a quick breakdown of all the equipment and their uses, going from right to left in the second picture.

• Lab Sink- to clean equipment
• Microscopes- to examine samples
• Beakers, flasks, graduated cylinders, and test tubes- for chemical testing
• Centrifuge- to seperate particles in liquid samples by size and density
• Hot plate- to warm samples
• Mortar and pestle- to grinde up samples
• Laptop- for reseach and documenting findings
• Handheld X-Ray Fluorescent (XRF) Spectrometer- for quick chemical composition readings of samples
• Gamma-Ray Spectrometer- to measure the type and quantity of isotopes found in samples
• X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analyzer- to determine phase composition and crystal structure of mineral samples
• Mass Spectrometer- for detailed sample composition data that is much more precise than the XRF spectrometer
• Fire extinguisher

Extra equipment, as well as tools and spacesuits are located in the two storage closets. Surrounding the stairs in the center is a powerful computer/server that transmits and receives data from Earth. Its air ducts suck in air to both cool the system and convert carbon dioxide back into oxygen via an integrated Oxygen Recovery system.

This lab is capable of rapidly testing samples from all over a planet's surface. To collect the samples, the crew would access the planet's surface via the airlock located between the two storage closets. The crew member would enter the single door wearing their spacesuit. The airlock would then spin 180 degrees, lining up its door with the opening of the glass shell to the outside. The door would then open up and the astronaut would climb down to the surface via a rope ladder.

The fourth floor is where the crew would operate and monitor all aspects of the Tensegrity Space Laboratory. Such aspects include oxygen levels, energy consumption, and messages from Earth. Touch screen monitors and desk space surround the crew, while the high vantage point lets them see for miles in all directions. Cameras and sensors in the tensegrity beams allow the crew to see underneath the structure and map out the surface. This is important so that the computers aboard the lab can determine its movements based on the landscape.

The Tensegrity Space Laboratory would allow humanity to thoroughly explore the surface of another planet or moon, and also collect and test a variety of samples in the process. The unique outer structure lets the lab traverse difficult landscapes and even shallow rivers and lakes like on Titian.

Throughout my research process, I learned about many cool technologies that could help people down here on Earth. 3D-printing house construction could help with insane housing costs, especially if scaled up. The water recycling could help places such as Las Vegas whose residents are facing a water crisis.

In conclusion, space innovation historically has resulted in huge technological leaps for everyday citizens. The development of the Tensegrity Space Laboratory would advance humanity's knowledge and understanding of our solar system while helping to solve problems on Earth.