The proposed system has several critical future exploration applications including support of platform technologies for self-assembly, in-space assembly, in-space maintenance & servicing, and high-energy space platforms such as highly reliable autonomous deep-space systems. These technologies have the potential of significantly increasing safety, reliability, affordability, and effectiveness of NASA missions. One of the major applications would be in future space habitats where health monitoring is of major concern because of the costs and risks associated with each mission failure. These habitats can now be built by taking advantage of new, lightweight proven structural material design. By keeping down empty weight and operations and maintenance costs and personnel requirements, and emphasizing reusability and save-ability these habitats will greatly decrease space mission costs. Acellent Technologies is currently working towards a path breaking technology that will have a potential impact on future structural health monitoring applications. The outreach of this technology will be vast in the composites world ranging from in-service airborne, ground, and sea-based vehicles to space, and weapons system platforms that require some form of inspection and maintenance procedures to monitor their integrity and health condition, to insure the safety of mission personnel, to prolong flight vehicle life span, or to prevent catastrophic failures. Composite materials are increasingly being used in the aerospace, automotive, and ship industries for performance reasons, competitive pressures drive the need for reductions in manufacturing costs and associated improvements in fabrication reliability. The easy integration and plug-and-play aspects of the system will make it ready to use with any type of structure
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