Case Study

The Space Brick is a lightweight, flame-retardant, and modular construction material tailored for space environments. Combining advanced thermal and acoustic insulation, high strength, and sustainable design, it represents a cross-industry innovation that brings motorsport technology into space architecture. It's a promising solution for building safe, scalable habitats in deep space and lunar missions.

Problem

Building structures for deep space habitation hubs and moon base buildings presents major engineering challenges. Materials must meet stringent safety standards, such as passing the space flammability test, while also being extremely lightweight, compressive-resistant, and thermally stable. Traditional materials either fall short on performance in extreme conditions or add excessive weight—an unacceptable trade-off in aerospace applications where every gram matters.

Solution

The Space Brick is a ground-breaking modular building element designed for space habitats and lunar structures. Developed through a collaboration between Sabelt S.p.A. and The IES Group, it utilises flame retardant ARPRO expanded polypropylene (EPP) — a mono-material solution that meets the demanding requirements of space travel and also benefits from being 100% recyclable. Originally inspired by technology from the motorsport industry, the Space Brick transfers this high-performance know-how into the aerospace sector.

Key Features & Benefits

Flame Retardant and Space-Ready

• ARPRO FR complies with space flammability test requirements, a critical safety standard for aerospace materials.
• Compatible with deep space habitats, moon bases, and space vehicles.

Lightweight with High Structural Integrity

• The density range of ARPRO from 20g/l to 60g/l offers flexibility in weight vs. strength.
• At 30g/l, 1m² can withstand 15 tons of pressure, retaining 75% of its original shape and thickness.

Excellent Thermal & Acoustic Insulation

• Low thermal conductivity stabilises internal temperatures and minimises thermal shock.
• Acts as an acoustic barrier, dampening and blocking noise — ideal for confined living environments in space.

Easy Assembly & Modular Design

• The inherent flexibility and deformation resistance of ARPRO enables secure joining and ease of modular construction.
•  Ideal for creating scalable, customisable structures in extra-terrestrial environments.

This project is a perfect example of how our know-how in motor sport and dealing with their extreme conditions and needs can be transferred to the space sector and adapted accordingly."

Diego Cagna, Special Application BU Manager presso Sabelt S.p.A.

If you would like to learn more about the Space Brick or have a project within the space field that could benefit from this application, visit Sabelt: www.Sabelt.com