Max Space Revolutionizes Expandable Living Quarters Using 17th-Century Inspiration, Set for 2026 Launch

The dream of working and residing in space, once a distant fantasy, is now edging closer to reality. However, this brings up the intriguing question: what will future space domiciles entail? Max Space proposes a vision rooted in history, promising the advent of expandable living quarters that marry comfort and safety. Their pioneering model is slated for launch in 2026.

At the helm of Max Space are Aaron Kemmer, a veteran from Made in Space, and Maxim de Jong, an engineer with a history of shunning the spotlight while co-developing the expandable habitats now used on the International Space Station.

The team at Max Space is convinced that the moment is ripe for their in-space architecture to make a splash. By offering an upgrade to the traditional designs and targeting a burgeoning market, they aim to redefine living in outer space.

These innovative habitats by Max Space are designed to surpass current models in size, strength, and versatility, providing cost-effective and efficient solutions compared to their solid, bulky counterparts. Despite their unconventional appearance, these habitats are engineered to withstand the harsh conditions of space.

But is such a startup equipped to compete with the giants of aerospace? De Jong is unfazed by the challenge.

“Always tackle what you hesitate to attempt,” he shared with me, reflecting his adventurous spirit though admitting it often brings unexpected challenges.

The Legacy of Transhab

Expandable habitats have a long history, tracing back to the TransHab project by NASA in the 1990s, which pioneered this innovative approach.

Despite appearances, these expandables are not mere balloons. Their outer layer serves to reflect sunlight and radiate heat, but their true strength lies within, employing a “basket weave” structure developed since Transhab.

The design involves interlacing kevlar and other robust materials in a weave that, when expanded, evenly distributes internal pressure. The elegance of this solution lies in its simplicity and reliability.

Though De Jong had success with deploying the basket-weave structure through his company, Thin Red Line Aerospace, he remained skeptical about the complexity and reliability of the design. His quest for a simpler, fail-proof solution led him to astonishing discoveries and innovations.

Mylar and Bernoulli

A breakthrough came unexpectedly when De Jong, facing personal challenges, drew inspiration from the simplicity of a Mylar balloon. He realized that the stress distribution in the balloon’s structure was unique and possibly scalable to space habitats.

Diving deep into historical research, he discovered James Bernoulli’s work from over three centuries ago, that had already laid the theoretical groundwork for his idea. This led to the development of a new kind of expandable habitat based on the isotensoid concept — all tension is distributed along specific cords or “tendons”.

“It’s astonishingly straightforward,” De Jong remarked, highlighting the elegance of the isotensoid solution.

Introducing Max Space

After years of developing the isotensoid design, De Jong partnered with Aaron Kemmer, aligning their mission to revolutionize space habitats. The collaboration birthed Max Space, a venture focused on harnessing the innovative design for commercial use.

Scheduled to debut in 2026, their inaugural mission seeks to validate the isotensoid design in low Earth orbit. This mission is crucial for gaining the so-called “flight heritage,” laying the groundwork for subsequent expansions.

Max Space envisions a future where their modules not only facilitate living in space but also support a wide array of activities — from farming to scientific research. With their sights set on the Moon and Mars, Max Space is poised to carve out a new chapter in space exploration.