Bhartiya Extraterrestrial Expandable Modular Habitat: A Modular Panel Based Architecture

Paper number

GLEX-2025,2,3,7,x92119

Author

Mr. Mritunjay Baruah, Indian Institute of Science, India

Coauthor

Mr. Amogh Jadhav, Indian Institute of Science, India

Coauthor

Dr. Bimalendu Mahapatra, Indian Institute of Science, India

Coauthor

Mr. Shubhanshu Shukla, Indian Institute of Science, India

Coauthor

Prof. Aloke Kumar, Indian Institute of Science, India

Year

2025

Abstract

We propose the Bhartiya Extraterrestrial Expandable Modular Habitat (BHEEM), a conceptual panel-based habitat that tries to solve the problems of long duration permanent habitation on extra-terrestrial environments of Moon and Mars. BHEEM allows for around a 4-fold increase in volume from the original payload capacity. BHEEM’s shape design is carefully considered and experimentally measured for structural stability using numerical and analytical analysis methods.

Our design methodology consisted of using the bottoms-up approach to human-centered design. We studied the various common activities that typical space missions have and calculated the average volume requirement for a single human in a spacesuit to optimally complete the task. The activities are then aggregated to provide segregated volumes that would function as standalone pressurized modules. A panel-based modular architecture is proposed that would join to form the various pressurized modules. We explored all the possible configurations that can be formed from simple panel shapes such as square, triangle, and pentagons to form 34 possible solids. A comparative analysis was done on the solids and the best solids were selected based on their volume efficiency and structural rigidity. The structural rigidity of each module was determined by using numerical analysis and further validated by analytical methods.

From the experiments, we were able to gather 5 shapes that show maximum panel efficiency and structural rigidity. These shapes also combine with other optimal shapes providing a modular architectural framework for habitat design. The experimental analysis showed the maximum deflection of each module to be around 0.014%, thus showing that the geometry of the modules has sufficient structural rigidity.

BHEEM’s modular nature and shape design ensure comfort for astronauts to conduct daily activities while making mission logistics easy. The modular nature of the architecture allows for efficient habitat transportation on payloads of lesser capacities. The panel-based architecture allows for easy construction, repair, and maintenance of the habitat.

Abstract document

GLEX-2025,2,3,7,x92119.brief.pdf

Manuscript document

GLEX-2025,2,3,7,x92119.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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