Microsatellites as Analogs for Animal Habitats in Space

Animal habitats used aboard the Space Station can apply principles of microsatellite design to extend their useful capability through more efficient resource utilization. A study was conducted to investigate the potential of microsatellites as analogs for animal habitats in space. Comparisons between satellites currently under development at Stanford University and habitats developed at NASA's Ames Research Center were made to assess the feasibility of this concept. This research explores the notion that common design considerations apply to both microsatellites and animal habitats for space, and that an understanding of these parallels can be used to design more efficient animal habitats in terms of resource utilization.