The selection of candidate inflatable structures for future manned space exploration is driven by the materials’ resistance to the hostile space environment. After a detailed analysis of the system level requirements, a thorough characterization of innovative flexible materials with proper structural and environmental performance is being performed. Using the selected materials, lightweight flexible shields fully integrated in the inflatable structures are under development to provide protection from Micro- Meteoroids and Orbital Debris (MMOD) impacts. Hypervelocity impact tests with Light Gas Gun are ongoing onto targets simulating inflatable structures composed of thermal protection, MMOD shields, pressure and air containment. The evaluation of shielding efficiency against the trapped, solar and cosmic radiation environment is on-going based on short and long term shielding experiments aboard ISS (ESCHILO, ALTCRISS, SOFOCLE), on dedicated tests in accelerators and on Montecarlo simulations. The candidate materials are compared with the typical rigid materials used in current spacecraft, to optimise and validate the radiation shielding solutions.
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