Humanity is making move to head back to the lunar surface and, sooner or later, to the Red Planet, and for space-faring astronauts, comfort is mostly the last object on their mind. However, revolving around the Moon or undertaking a long tour to another world such as the Red Planet implies coping with restricted accommodations for months on the run.

Being restricted to a small accommodation for a lengthy span of time is not good for any human being and researchers are no exclusion. Bearing that in mind, the US space agency has been looking at likely space habitats that could function as a more relaxed home for explorers who will be going through lengthy stays within the interstellar. One such abode from the Sierra Nevada Corporation has just attained a huge breakthrough.

The would-be spacecraft comprises a hard frame with a huge expandable module that would be stretched once it gets to space. The module, after being filled with air, can offer spacious room for astronauts to just relax their legs by stretching them while voyaging to other worlds.

As explained by Ars Technica, the expandable nature of the habitat makes it lightweight enough that it can be packed down and lifted-off to the Moon utilizing prevailing rocket hardware, like Falcon Heavy of SpaceX. Taking rockets into account, weight savings matters a lot and the habitat can be designed in diverse sizes to fulfill the requirements of every specific mission.

Likewise, the surface of the Moon is hosting a rising number of robots, experiments, and of late tardigrades. The several subversive tunnels that sit below the lunar surface, nevertheless, stay essentially undiscovered. The European Space Agency recently asked for designs about how to map, study, and navigate these Moon caves in potential robotic operations. The drive is one of several recent missions concentrated on the examination of supposed lunar lava tubes, particularly their likelihood as locations for future Moon bases suitable for long-standing habitation by humankind.