Manufacturing Process for Large Space Structures and Supporting Long-duration Human Space Mission

The ambition to expand human presence deeper into the solar system necessitates the development of technologies capable of fabricating, deploying, and maintaining large-scale space structures with minimal Earth-based support. Traditional logistics, reliant on frequent cargo resupply, incur exponentially increasing mass and volume penalties with distance from Earth. For long-duration lunar outposts, orbital missions, and Martian habitats, structures must be compact during launch, mechanically robust when deployed, and manufactured via scalable and adaptable in-situ processes. Composite materials are critical due to their superior strength-to-weight ratios and resistance to fatigue and corrosion. Out-of-autoclave (OoA) manufacturing techniques have emerged as key enablers, reducing production costs and increasing efficiency for large, complex components such as deployable composite booms, which facilitate compact storage and reliable deployment of membrane-supported systems (e.g., solar sails, antennas, reflectors). The integration of OoA methods with advanced materials promises transformative advances in space structure manufacturing. Concurrently, in-space manufacturing (ISM), including fused filament fabrication (FFF) 3D printing, enables on-demand production and customization of mission-critical components, decreasing dependency on Earth resupply. This study further shows the use of local material (regolith) into composite filaments suitable for FFF printing, enabling a closed-loop material lifecycle aboard space habitats. By combining ultra-thin composite booms with in-situ recycling and additive manufacturing, a sustainable, modular approach to structural maintenance and fabrication for long-duration missions on the Moon and Mars can be realized. This work presents ongoing research on OoA and ISM process development using novel materials to advance sustainable space exploration architectures.