Akashlabdhi Advances India’s Inflatable Space Habitat Mission

India is edging closer to a new milestone in human spaceflight as a Bengaluru-based startup prepares to launch the country’s first inflatable space habitat. Akashlabdhi, incubated at the Indian Institute of Science, has completed critical safety and validation tests in Switzerland, paving the way for an in-orbit demonstration of its habitat technology later this year.

Inflatable Habitats and the AntarikshHAB Vision

Conventional space stations such as the International Space Station have faced long-standing challenges of cost, mass, and limited habitable volume. Akashlabdhi’s inflatable habitat, named AntarikshHAB, is designed to address these constraints. The concept allows a compact module to be launched and later inflated in orbit, significantly increasing usable living space. The upcoming mission will deploy a 70 cubic metre module, while the final planned configuration aims for nearly 300 cubic metres, suitable for future human missions in low Earth orbit.

European Collaboration and Swiss Testing Campaign

The programme is supported by institutional participation and grants from the European Space Agency and its partners. Key testing was conducted at Versuchsstollen Hagerbach, an underground laboratory operated by the Amberg Group in Switzerland. The facility’s natural rock overburden enables realistic studies of radiation shielding, structural integrity, isolation effects, and long-duration habitat performance that are difficult to replicate on the surface.

Technology Readiness and Orbital Demonstration Plans

To reach Technology Readiness Level 6, Akashlabdhi carried out an extensive test campaign. This included pressure and leak-before-burst tests on multi-layer flexible structures, thermal cycling, accelerated ageing, and impact tests simulating micrometeoroid and orbital debris strikes. Repeated deployment trials assessed the reliability of inflation and restraint systems, supported by an integrated sensor network and digital twin framework for real-time performance correlation. The July launch, planned aboard a vehicle provided by Spanish firm PLD Space, will also attempt controlled de-orbit and atmospheric re-entry to study end-of-life behaviour and material survivability.

Important Facts for Exams

• Inflatable space habitats offer higher volume-to-mass efficiency than rigid modules.
• Technology Readiness Level 6 indicates system validation in a relevant environment.
• Low Earth Orbit sustainability now emphasises controlled de-orbit and debris mitigation.
• Underground laboratories are used globally for radiation and structural safety studies.

India–Switzerland Research Linkages in Space Technology

The project reflects growing high-technology cooperation between India and Switzerland. Indian academic partners include IISc, IIT Roorkee, and IIT Delhi, contributing expertise in space structures, materials, systems engineering, and human-centric design. Swiss institutions such as ETH Zurich, EMPA, and the Paul Scherrer Institute are supporting materials science, radiation studies, and validation methodologies. Together, the collaboration seeks to adapt proven terrestrial safety principles to the emerging field of orbital infrastructure development.