TIAX and ILC Dover Nanotech collaboration.

TIAX, ILC Dover and the Johnson space center are working together to develop a material that can generate electricity, heal itself and protect against space radiation. This will be one of the growing number of "smart" materials that is being developed using nanotech, and has many potential applications not just in space, but on Earth as well. The hope is that this material will incorporate all the attributes of a rigid space shell into an inflatable one.

TIAX-ILC Dover

"Smart" materials are definently the future for space construction. With all the numorous attibutes rolled into one material, the safety factor and weight factors will be much more improved over current technology. I personally hope that the private space industry gets a hold of this technology soon... as it needs as much help as it can get to thrive.