Lunar I-Hab

Concept work on the I-HAB module started in early July 2018 with a consortium of companies led by Airbus and including Thales Alenia Space. Airbus-lead consortium worked with ESA to develop an overall design concept. Airbus and Thales Alenia were also independently contracted in September 2018 to run parallel Phase A/B studies. Phase A focused on establishing the program's feasibility, and Phase B looked to develop a preliminary definition for the module. It was the second largest industrial provider to the ISS. It also built the pressure vessels for the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) and Cygnus spacecraft; and the Multi-Purpose Logistics Modules, which were used to transport cargo inside the Space Shuttle orbiters. The expected total cost of the contract with Thales Alenia will be 327 million euros, with the first tranches of payments equal to 36 million euros. == Design and manufacture ==

Mission requirements for module specified the need to provide habitation and working space for four astronauts for a duration of 30 to 90 days. I-HAB will feature four docking ports, two axial ports for connection to other Lunar Gateway elements, and two radial ports for cargo vehicle and lunar lander vehicle. I-HAB was planned to feature four docking ports. Two axial ports to be used for connection to other Lunar Gateway elements, including the Habitation and Logistics Outpost and airlock. In preparation for this review, Thales Alenia partnered with the European Astronaut Centre to allow ESA astronauts to experience the usable volume and crew accommodations within the habitat. This was achieved via virtual reality. As of May 2024, the module was well underway in the testing phase. In April 2026, NASA reported and ESA confirmed the discovery of corrosion affecting both the I-HAB and its Habitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO) module. The pressure vessels for both modules were built by Thales Alenia Space. The company described it as a "well-known metallurgical behavior" and noted that similar conditions had been encountered in modules developed for the International Space Station, which have continued to operate reliably and exceeded their original design lifespans. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman indicated that addressing the issue may not be straightforward, stating that he was "not sure there is a deterministic approach to repair". He also questioned whether repair efforts were "even warranted", in light of NASA's shifting focus to developing a lunar surface base. ==Launch==

The module was slated to launch in 2028 on the Artemis 4 mission with the Space Launch System Block 1B rocket, along with a crewed Orion spacecraft. The module would be located within a Universal Stage Adapter (USA), and attached to a payload adapter connected to an Exploration Upper Stage (EUS). ==References==