Max Space is a New Space start-up revolutionizing off-world exploration through innovative expandable structures. The company’s unique approach combines proven aerospace engineering with an elegant mathematical principle first discovered in the 17th century.
Led by space industry veterans Aaron Kemmer and Maxim de Jong, Max Space brings together decades of expertise in space manufacturing and expandable structures. Kemmer, who previously co-founded Redwire Space, Inc. (Formerly Made In Space, Inc.), witnessed firsthand the critical need for more efficient space utilization during his company’s deployment of 3D printers to the International Space Station.
What sets Max Space apart is their isotensoid design, developed by de Jong, which offers unprecedented volume efficiency at minimum weight. Their expandable habitats launch in a compressed form—similar to a folded blanket—yet deploy to provide large internal spaces. The technology promises to deliver 100 cubic meters of pressurized volume at a fraction of the cost of traditional rigid modules.
The company’s first milestone comes in 2026 with a SpaceX rideshare mission, where they’ll demonstrate their technology by deploying a habitat that expands from suitcase-size to 20 cubic meters—surpassing previous expandable habitat records. This achievement will mark just the beginning, as Max Space envisions future structures scaling to thousands of cubic meters, suitable for lunar surface operations as well as for lunar lava tubes.
Perhaps most impressive is the versatility of these structures. Whether it’s manufacturing facilities, research laboratories, or human habitation, Max Space’s design can be adapted for various applications while maintaining structural integrity in the harsh space environment.
As humanity sets its sights on permanent lunar settlements and Mars colonization, Max Space’s expandable habitats could be the key to establishing sustainable human presence not just on the Moon, but across the solar system – from Mars to potential settlements on other planetary bodies.
Max Space: Expanding Off-World Habitats – Building Humanity’s Future in Space
