NASA is challenging college students to design concepts for inflatable habitat lofts for the next generation of space explorers. The winning concepts may be applied to the exploration habitats of the future. The X-Hab Academic Innovation Competition is a university-level challenge designed to encourage further studies in spaceflight-related engineering and architecture disciplines. The competition requires undergraduate students to explore NASA’s work to develop space habitats, while helping the agency gather new and innovative ideas to complement its current research and development.

Students will design, manufacture and assemble an inflatable loft that will be integrated into NASA’s operational hard-shell prototype lab unit. The winner will participate in a demonstration of the submitted design during the 2011 Desert Research and Technology Studies, or a similar field test next summer. For information about competition registration and requirements, visit www.spacegrant.org.xhab.

SOURCE: NASA