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A small West Coast company is helping astronauts return moon In 2026. ALUULA Composite Materials has been contracted to provide durable, lightweight fabrics to build space habitats.
The Max Space inflatable can be transported in a very small package and then expanded to create a larger workspace.
“Max Space is doing the design work and they are assembling a scalable space habitat,” said Sage Berryman, president and CEO of ALUULA.
“They are doing this under contract with NASA. So they are doing a really great and amazing job. We are fortunate to provide them with textiles that can be used in that environment. They are building and will use SpaceXwe heard, is in 2026.”
Berriman explains that ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) laminate is attractive because it has a strength-to-weight ratio eight times that of steel and is very tough.
“It was actually started by a group of engineers, chemists and wind sports enthusiasts. When you use a kite or a wing on the water, you need something very durable and very light, and it was developed in that context.”
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Berriman said material formulations can be customized and the company has also established a research and development partnership with Michelin.
“We’ve had some companies look at it and try to use it in airships, and it works pretty well for that. There are a lot of different uses where the old materials don’t work as well as they could because they’re not strong enough or light enough.”
This BC company is fairly young (founded in 2020) and is also committed to sustainability.
“This is the first composite material that doesn’t use glue, so it can also be recycled at the end of its life, which is very different from polyethylene plastic-based materials,” Berryman said.
“Our goal is to make products that can be fully circular, which is something that’s very exciting.”
Berryman said it’s so cool that the deal will send her creation to the moon.
“It’s really exciting to have the opportunity to use these unique materials for unique applications. When you start talking about a project that’s not a big project for us but is significant, when you’re working with Max Space, working with NASA, working with SpaceX, it’s exciting,” she said.
“It’s really a unique opportunity for a small company to operate on the west coast of British Columbia and have such an impact.”
© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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