Author Archives: Gaurav Sood

Toyota’s $2,500 GR KART lets you own a real racing machine without the usual hassle

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Owning a racing kart usually comes with a few less exciting considerations. You have to ask where to keep it, how to get it to a circuit, and how much maintenance it will need between track days. Toyota Gazoo Racing has designed its new GR KART around those everyday concerns, creating an entry-level machine that is meant to make getting into motorsport a little less complicated.

Priced at approximately $2,500, the compact kart is aimed at newcomers and families who want something more serious than a rental kart without taking on the usual ownership headaches. Toyota is initially offering it in Japan through 36 participating kart tracks and seven GR Garage locations.

Designer: Toyota

The GR KART uses a 215-cc engine and weighs 183 pounds. Its driving position is designed to work for more than one person, with adjustable pedals and a tilting steering wheel accommodating drivers between 135 and 185 centimeters tall. That means a single kart can be shared within a family instead of being set up around one specific driver. Transport and storage have also been a major consideration of the design, as the kart can fit inside Toyota’s Noah and Voxy minivans without being disassembled. This means taking it to a circuit does not require a dedicated trailer or transport vehicle. Toyota has also designed its fuel system and oil catch tank so the kart can be stored vertically without first draining the fluids.

Maintenance is quite straightforward as there is no chain drive commonly found on racing karts. Toyota uses a belt-drive system with an automatic tensioner instead. It is a small change, but one that removes some of the routine adjustment and mess associated with a conventional chain. Toyota has also built a small digital layer around the ownership experience. A dedicated GR application provides instructional material for drivers, while buyers receive a digital driver’s passport. The passport can be used at participating tracks, helping simplify access for people who may be trying circuit driving for the first time.

The idea behind the GR KART is closely tied to Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda’s interest in making motorsport more accessible. Rather than positioning racing as an expensive hobby that requires specialist equipment and considerable preparation, Toyota is treating the kart more like an approachable piece of recreational equipment. The company says the project is intended to help more people experience motorsport and develop an interest in driving.

At less than $3,000, the go-kart is still a dedicated track machine, but Toyota has considered what happens before and after the actual driving. For an entry-level racing product, those details may ultimately be what make the biggest difference.

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Retroid Pocket Duo makes dual-screen gaming feel fresh again with its modern clamshell design

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There is something immediately satisfying about a handheld that refuses to make two screens behave like one. Retroid’s new Pocket Duo takes that idea and builds it into a modern clamshell, giving Nintendo DS and 3DS-style gaming a form factor that feels considerably more natural than squeezing both displays onto a single screen.

The Pocket Duo puts a 5.5-inch 16:9 OLED display above a smaller 4.5-inch 4:3 OLED screen, with both running at 120Hz. Rather than treating the second display as an afterthought, Retroid has designed the handheld around the way dual-screen games were originally meant to be played. The company has already demonstrated 3DS titles running at 4x resolution, along with DS games through melonDS.

Designer: Retroid

Under the hood, the Duo has Qualcomm’s Dragonwing Q-7790 – an IoT-focused chip based on the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 – mated to Adreno 722 graphics. Active cooling helps keep the hardware running under load, while a 6,000mAh battery handles power. The device runs Android 16 and weighs 350g, with a 180-degree free-stop hinge allowing the two displays to be positioned at different angles. Retroid has also paid attention to the physical controls. The thumbsticks sit symmetrically in recessed positions, while the ABXY buttons use tactile clicks. The shoulder buttons are stacked, giving the Duo a layout that is intended to feel like a proper gaming handheld rather than a phone with an extra screen attached.

The Pocket Duo Lite takes the same dual-screen concept and makes some straightforward changes to bring the price down. Its upper display remains 5.5 inches, but switches from OLED to a 60Hz IPS LCD, while the lower screen is slightly smaller at 4.2 inches. Both displays retain their respective 16:9 and 4:3 formats. The Lite also steps down to Qualcomm’s Dragonwing QCS6125 processor with Adreno 610 graphics and runs Android 15.

The handheld uses in-line shoulder triggers instead of the stacked controls found on the regular Duo. Despite those compromises, it retains the 180-degree free-stop hinge, symmetrical recessed thumbsticks, active cooling and a 6,000mAh battery. There are two Lite configurations: 4GB RAM with 64GB storage and 6GB RAM with 128GB storage. It comes in Black, GC, 16Bit, Ice Blue and Clear Purple, matching the colour choices of the standard model.

For anyone who grew up with dual-screen handhelds, the Pocket Duo is an intriguing modern interpretation of a familiar idea. Instead of mere recreation of the classic era, Retroid is giving the format a faster display and contemporary hardware. The Lite, however, makes the same unusual design considerably easier to justify.

The pricing also makes the Lite particularly compelling. The 4GB/64GB version starts at $135 during pre-orders and will retail for $149, while the standard Pocket Duo is priced at $250 during pre-orders and $270 at retail. There is no official release date, though.

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Retroid Pocket Duo makes dual-screen gaming feel fresh again with its modern clamshell design

Posted on by

There is something immediately satisfying about a handheld that refuses to make two screens behave like one. Retroid’s new Pocket Duo takes that idea and builds it into a modern clamshell, giving Nintendo DS and 3DS-style gaming a form factor that feels considerably more natural than squeezing both displays onto a single screen.

The Pocket Duo puts a 5.5-inch 16:9 OLED display above a smaller 4.5-inch 4:3 OLED screen, with both running at 120Hz. Rather than treating the second display as an afterthought, Retroid has designed the handheld around the way dual-screen games were originally meant to be played. The company has already demonstrated 3DS titles running at 4x resolution, along with DS games through melonDS.

Designer: Retroid

Under the hood, the Duo has Qualcomm’s Dragonwing Q-7790 – an IoT-focused chip based on the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 – mated to Adreno 722 graphics. Active cooling helps keep the hardware running under load, while a 6,000mAh battery handles power. The device runs Android 16 and weighs 350g, with a 180-degree free-stop hinge allowing the two displays to be positioned at different angles. Retroid has also paid attention to the physical controls. The thumbsticks sit symmetrically in recessed positions, while the ABXY buttons use tactile clicks. The shoulder buttons are stacked, giving the Duo a layout that is intended to feel like a proper gaming handheld rather than a phone with an extra screen attached.

The Pocket Duo Lite takes the same dual-screen concept and makes some straightforward changes to bring the price down. Its upper display remains 5.5 inches, but switches from OLED to a 60Hz IPS LCD, while the lower screen is slightly smaller at 4.2 inches. Both displays retain their respective 16:9 and 4:3 formats. The Lite also steps down to Qualcomm’s Dragonwing QCS6125 processor with Adreno 610 graphics and runs Android 15.

The handheld uses in-line shoulder triggers instead of the stacked controls found on the regular Duo. Despite those compromises, it retains the 180-degree free-stop hinge, symmetrical recessed thumbsticks, active cooling and a 6,000mAh battery. There are two Lite configurations: 4GB RAM with 64GB storage and 6GB RAM with 128GB storage. It comes in Black, GC, 16Bit, Ice Blue and Clear Purple, matching the colour choices of the standard model.

For anyone who grew up with dual-screen handhelds, the Pocket Duo is an intriguing modern interpretation of a familiar idea. Instead of mere recreation of the classic era, Retroid is giving the format a faster display and contemporary hardware. The Lite, however, makes the same unusual design considerably easier to justify.

The pricing also makes the Lite particularly compelling. The 4GB/64GB version starts at $135 during pre-orders and will retail for $149, while the standard Pocket Duo is priced at $250 during pre-orders and $270 at retail. There is no official release date, though.

The post Retroid Pocket Duo makes dual-screen gaming feel fresh again with its modern clamshell design first appeared on Yanko Design.

Retroid Pocket Duo makes dual-screen gaming feel fresh again with its modern clamshell design

Posted on by

There is something immediately satisfying about a handheld that refuses to make two screens behave like one. Retroid’s new Pocket Duo takes that idea and builds it into a modern clamshell, giving Nintendo DS and 3DS-style gaming a form factor that feels considerably more natural than squeezing both displays onto a single screen.

The Pocket Duo puts a 5.5-inch 16:9 OLED display above a smaller 4.5-inch 4:3 OLED screen, with both running at 120Hz. Rather than treating the second display as an afterthought, Retroid has designed the handheld around the way dual-screen games were originally meant to be played. The company has already demonstrated 3DS titles running at 4x resolution, along with DS games through melonDS.

Designer: Retroid

Under the hood, the Duo has Qualcomm’s Dragonwing Q-7790 – an IoT-focused chip based on the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 – mated to Adreno 722 graphics. Active cooling helps keep the hardware running under load, while a 6,000mAh battery handles power. The device runs Android 16 and weighs 350g, with a 180-degree free-stop hinge allowing the two displays to be positioned at different angles. Retroid has also paid attention to the physical controls. The thumbsticks sit symmetrically in recessed positions, while the ABXY buttons use tactile clicks. The shoulder buttons are stacked, giving the Duo a layout that is intended to feel like a proper gaming handheld rather than a phone with an extra screen attached.

The Pocket Duo Lite takes the same dual-screen concept and makes some straightforward changes to bring the price down. Its upper display remains 5.5 inches, but switches from OLED to a 60Hz IPS LCD, while the lower screen is slightly smaller at 4.2 inches. Both displays retain their respective 16:9 and 4:3 formats. The Lite also steps down to Qualcomm’s Dragonwing QCS6125 processor with Adreno 610 graphics and runs Android 15.

The handheld uses in-line shoulder triggers instead of the stacked controls found on the regular Duo. Despite those compromises, it retains the 180-degree free-stop hinge, symmetrical recessed thumbsticks, active cooling and a 6,000mAh battery. There are two Lite configurations: 4GB RAM with 64GB storage and 6GB RAM with 128GB storage. It comes in Black, GC, 16Bit, Ice Blue and Clear Purple, matching the colour choices of the standard model.

For anyone who grew up with dual-screen handhelds, the Pocket Duo is an intriguing modern interpretation of a familiar idea. Instead of mere recreation of the classic era, Retroid is giving the format a faster display and contemporary hardware. The Lite, however, makes the same unusual design considerably easier to justify.

The pricing also makes the Lite particularly compelling. The 4GB/64GB version starts at $135 during pre-orders and will retail for $149, while the standard Pocket Duo is priced at $250 during pre-orders and $270 at retail. There is no official release date, though.

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Aston Martin’s 130-HP road-legal bike brings its luxury design language to two wheels

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Aston Martin has finally put its name on a road-ready motorcycle. Developed with Brough Superior, the AMB 002 Roadster is the first street-legal bike from the partnership, fusing Aston Martin’s sculptural design language and Brough Superior’s highly specialized approach into motorcycle engineering. Limited to just 300 individually built examples, it is intended for collectors and street riders alike.

Unlike the earlier AMB 001 and AMB 001 Pro bikes, which were created exclusively for track use, the AMB 002 has been developed from the ground up for road riding. Aston Martin’s design studio has given it a compact, forward-biased silhouette, with smooth carbon-fiber surfaces broken up by crescent-shaped cooling vents along the sides. The bodywork rises around the rider, while slim, stalk-like mirrors and an exposed mechanical structure keep the motorcycle visually light.

Designer: Aston Martin

There are also deliberate references to Aston Martin’s cars. The brand’s signature side-strake has been reinterpreted around the headlamp, while the twin oval exhausts feature ribbed heat sinks inspired by the exhaust finishers used on models including the Vanquish, DB12 S and DBX S. At the rear, thin light blades borrow their visual character from the Aston Martin Vulcan, Valkyrie and Valhalla. Even smaller details, including the backlit ignition button, keyless operation and hand-crafted saddle leather seat pads, reinforce the connection between the motorcycle and Aston Martin’s road cars.

Underneath that carefully shaped bodywork is an all-new 1,083cc water-cooled V-twin producing 130 hp and 110 Nm of torque. Rather than chasing an extreme peak-power figure, the engine has been tuned around strong low- and mid-range torque, giving the roadster a more usable character for winding roads. The engine is CNC-machined from billet and built in-house at Brough Superior’s Toulouse facility, where the motorcycle is also machined and assembled.

The engineering gets particularly interesting around the chassis. A titanium structural frame is milled from a solid billet and weighs only 5 kg. It forms the backbone of the motorcycle while helping achieve a 50:50 weight distribution. Carbon-fiber body panels and the fuel tank help keep the center of gravity low, contributing to a total weight of 190 kg. Up front, the AMB 002 uses Brough Superior’s Fior fork, a double-wishbone system evolved from the setup used on the AMB 001 Pro. By separating steering and braking forces, the arrangement is designed to maintain front-end geometry under hard braking while improving steering precision. Its anti-dive characteristics are particularly useful when braking while leaned into a corner.

The result is an unusually focused road motorcycle where materials and mechanical architecture are as important to the experience as outright performance. Brough Superior will build each AMB 002 by hand in Toulouse, with first deliveries scheduled for the third quarter of 2027. Orders are already being accepted, making this less a conventional new motorcycle launch and more a limited production exercise in Aston Martin’s design language beyond four wheels.

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This Porsche 911 was lifted and rebuilt into a Chicago-ready urban safari car

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What happens when a Porsche 911 stops worrying about staying low to the ground? Tangent Design Group has an answer. Lift it three inches, widen its stance, add chunky off-road tires, and turn one of Stuttgart’s most recognizable sports cars into something that looks ready to escape the city rather than attack a racetrack. Built in Chicago, the Urban Safari 911 is an unusual exercise in rethinking what a modern Porsche can be.

The project began in 2019, when the Chicago-based industrial design studio decided to build a Porsche without the constraints of a conventional client brief. Tangent eventually started with a 2021 Porsche 911 Carrera 4, chosen for its all-wheel-drive platform. Finished in Porsche’s Paint-to-Sample Black Olive with a tan interior, the car already had a distinctive character before the transformation began.

Designer: Tangent Design Group

Tangent approached it like a product-development exercise. The original 992 was digitally scanned, including its bumpers, fenders, wheel wells, rocker panels, and rear engine cover. That data became the foundation for developing new components that could properly integrate with the factory body and its increasingly complex electronics. Full-scale parts were then 3D-printed and physically fitted to the car to refine proportions and attachment points before final production.

The most significant change sits underneath the body. Tangent developed a bespoke three-inch lift system while retaining the Porsche’s stock suspension architecture and avoiding software errors. The additional clearance makes room for larger off-road tires and fundamentally changes the stance of the 911. On a truck, three inches might be unremarkable; on a low-slung sports car, it transforms the proportions completely. Something similar to what Vagabund Moto did in collaboration with NINE ELEVEN OUTLAW and DakarGarage to transform a Porsche 924 S into an off-road-worthy ride.

The wheels received the same level of attention. Tangent designed them in-house and worked with Brixton Forged to produce bespoke forged aluminum wheels. Full-scale printed versions were used during development to judge how the design sat against the widened body before the final wheels were manufactured. Visually, the Urban Safari combines wide fender extensions, revised rocker panels, a custom front bull bar and a pronounced ducktail-style rear wing. Auxiliary lighting and roof-mounted adventure equipment reinforce its rally-inspired character, while the graphics package borrows from historic Porsche rally liveries without simply recreating one.

That distinction is important. Tangent’s project predates Porsche’s factory 911 Dakar, having been conceived in 2019, but it draws from the same broader history of Porsche competition cars built for surfaces far removed from a racetrack. Instead of copying a classic rally car or dressing the 992 in retro cues, Tangent has created something that feels contemporary and purpose-built.

The result is currently a one-off, but Tangent is accepting inquiries about the Urban Safari kit, leaving open the possibility that its design language could eventually find its way onto other 992-generation cars.

 

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SteelSeries Aeon Pro switches between PC and console without re-pairing

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There is something slightly ridiculous about having a PC and an Xbox sitting on the same desk, then needing to re-pair a gaming controller every time you move from one to the other.  SteelSeries thinks the controller should simply know where it needs to go. That is the idea behind the Aeon Pro.

The new wireless gamepad is built around a QuickSwitch Dock that can stay connected to both a PC and an Xbox. Instead of disconnecting one system, pairing with the other, and repeating the process later, the controller can switch between them from the dock. SteelSeries says the system is patent-pending and describes it as the first of its kind for Xbox and PC.

Designer: SteelSeries

The dock is also where the Aeon Pro gets its other unusual trick. It holds a second battery while the first one is being used in the controller. When that battery runs low, it can be swapped for the charged one rather than plugging the controller into a cable and waiting. The batteries are the same type used in SteelSeries’ Arctis Nova Pro headsets, which makes the system particularly interesting for anyone already invested in that ecosystem. SteelSeries calls this its Infinite Power System. The numbers are up to 25 hours over 2.4GHz wireless or 28 hours over Bluetooth, although those figures account for the combined use of the two batteries rather than one battery lasting that long on its own. The Aeon Pro can also connect through USB-C and Bluetooth, and supports mobile devices alongside Xbox and PC.

The controller itself follows the now-familiar premium gamepad formula, but pushes it fairly far. Its thumbsticks use Hall-effect sensors, while the triggers can switch between full travel and a shorter hair-trigger setting. There are 18 mechanical switches across the controller and four programmable rear paddles, giving players plenty of ways to alter how they interact with a game. SteelSeries has also avoided burying every adjustment inside an app. A small OLED display built into the controller can show the active device, battery status, and profiles, while letting users remap controls and change settings directly.

PC players can go deeper through SteelSeries GG, including trigger and button configuration, rumble adjustments, and software profiles. Then there are the smaller touches. The thumbsticks are interchangeable, with different shapes and heights supplied in the box, and the spare pieces can be stored in the dock. A textured grip runs around the controller, while its 310-gram weight makes it considerably heavier than a standard Xbox controller, though still lighter than Microsoft’s Elite model.

The catch is the $259.99 price tag. The Aeon Pro costs more than most premium gamepads, including Microsoft’s own Elite-class controller in many markets. That makes the QuickSwitch dock and battery system more than clever conveniences. They are the features that need to justify why this particular controller deserves a permanent spot on a gaming desk.

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This CO2-powered cooling jacket could keep you comfortable in extreme heat without a battery

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Most wearable cooling devices add more hardware to what you are already wearing. Hissy, developed by five designers as part of Samsung Design Membership, is different though. the concept puts a CO₂-powered cooling system inside a lightweight technical jacket, turning the garment itself into an air-delivery system.

The idea comes from a fairly simple problem. Portable fans can struggle when the surrounding air is already extremely hot, while battery-powered cooling systems bring their own compromises in weight, runtime, and heat management. Hissy replaces the usual fan-and-battery setup with a small CO₂ cartridge mounted at the wrist. When the cartridge is connected, high-pressure liquid carbon dioxide vaporizes inside the cooling hardware, producing airflow at around -30 Degree Celsius.

Designer: Dongheon Kang, Minseo Jung, Yuha Ko, Juhyeon Jeon, Woohi Park

What makes the jacket interesting, however, is what happens after the cold air is generated. Rather than dumping it into the garment and hoping it reaches the right places, Hissy routes it through a tubular Air Path built into the jacket. The path follows a spiral around the body, and the jacket is cut and stitched around this structure. Its shape also helps prevent the tube from sharply bending or kinking as the wearer moves.

Small perforations along the Air Path release the cold air at selected points. The designers determined their positioning and size using thermal mapping and heat-distribution tests, concentrating the airflow around areas where the body produces more heat. That explains the unusual construction of the jacket. The visible pattern isn’t simply there for visual effect; it traces the route the cooling system needs to take through the garment.

The CO₂ cartridge itself sits in a surprisingly neat docking system. Instead of being screwed into place, it attaches magnetically. Locking protrusions keep it from being pulled straight out while the system is operating, and rotating the cartridge changes the magnetic interaction so it can be released. An internal strap and sleeve zipper keep the hardware secure around the wrist, while a chest pocket provides somewhere to carry additional cartridges.

There is also an effort to make the disposable-looking cartridge system less wasteful. Hissy proposes using CO₂ captured from industrial processes as the cooling medium. Once a cartridge is empty, it can be collected, inspected, refilled, and returned to circulation. The designers see this as a way of keeping both the cartridge and the captured gas within a reuse cycle rather than treating them as single-use components.

For now, Hissy is a design concept rather than a product you can buy, but the team isn’t limiting the idea to jackets. Its proposed roadmap includes applying the same cooling technology to footwear, followed by products such as outdoor can coolers. A later version could even become a thermal-management system for machines working outdoors in high temperatures, including delivery robots and drones.

 

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Foldable Cubivan Camping System gives your van kitchen, bathroom, and rooftop bedroom

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If your camping requirements are different from other adventurers, and your camper van is just not cutting the bill. Yet, you don’t wish to make a van trade-off, the Cubivan Camping System, which recently made its debut at the Düsseldorf Caravan Salon, is what you should be looking to get. With this hard conversion system, you are not getting a modular camper kit that’s flexible and flimsy, you get a hard conversion setup that pulls out of the back of the van and lets you set up a complete camp in a jiffy.

Offering a kitchen, wet bathroom, and a rooftop bedroom, the Cubivan Camping system is above and beyond the competition by a fair margin. Of course, the way the Cubivan system slides out of the back of the van is not much different from any other rear-integrated camper van expansion unit, but it’s what this foldable cube wonder unfolds into that really makes the difference.

Designer: Cubivan

The solid foldable camper box, in addition to sliding out of the back of the van, expands down to the ground to provide a stable system that you can use conveniently from the inside. For this, when the Cubivan Camping system is pulled out completely at the camp, its separate upper and lower modules can be expanded to create a clear standing height of about 6.2 feet. The space opens up to accommodate a kitchen and a wet bathroom and comes with a hard-sided rooftop sleeping area that extends out onto the van roof.

The kitchen falls into place by rotating back inwards to the van cabin and sits flush against the side wall. The slide-out toilet compartment is located in the lower cabinet just alongside. The kitchen comprises a stove, sink, and a fridge in a designated slot situated adjacent to the kitchen. When the kitchen jags pack into the cab next to the fridge, it opens up 35 x 37-in floor space for the portable toilet and the shower.

The most interesting aspect of the Cubivan Camping System still is the sleeping accommodations, which are not formed inside the cabin after pulling the slide-out setup, but instead have been moved onto the roof. A separate hard-shell module makes a 79 x 79-inch sleeping space, which when you are back in ride mode, folds flat down within the permissible roof height of the van, since it replaces the stock van roof. When you’re at the camp again, install it and the four-walled sleeping accommodation is ready to cuddle you under the stars.

The interesting hard-sided van conversion setup from Cubivan is made to be compatible with Volkswagen ID. Buzz, Ford Tourneo Custom, Volkswagen Caravelle, and Mercedes Vito. It is likely to launch in 2027 starting at €22,000 (approximately $25,550).

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Max Space Thunderbird is an expandable space station module that could eventually replace ISS

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Space is the final frontier as NASA plans to go deeper into the dark space with improved technology and lessons from past and current missions. The International Space Station is going to reach the end of its operational life by the end of the decade, and NASA plans to employ services from commercially owned space stations, rather than putting its time and efforts into building another one.

The idea is to reserve its brilliant minds and the vast resource pool for deep space exploration beyond the Earth’s orbit. This has opened up doors for next-generation private companies to get in the race to build the most efficient space station to replace NASA’s outgoing ISS. Florida-based startup Max Space, which operates in the vicinity of the Kennedy Space Center, is testing the prospect of expanding space habitats, as NASA concentrates more on outer space missions.

Designer: Max Space and OMI

Their prime concept for the next-generation space station is Thunderbird, which can launch compactly and expand in low Earth orbit for a far more practical pressurized environment than current-generation modules. Just imagine a single-launch commercial habitat, compared to the ISS, which took years of on-orbit assembly, and rocket flights. The space station concept proposes the use of an expandable fabric-based structure to maximize the volume, while staying well within the volume and mass threshold of transporting it into orbit. NASA themselves have been experimenting with inflatable modules, and Max Space builds on that knowledge to craft one of the most complex habitat structures known to man.

The aeronautical start-up co-founded by CEO Saleem Miyan, Chairman Aaron Kemmer, and Chief Technology Officer Maxim de Jong, is working in close association with NASA under the Space Act Agreements for technical collaboration. If all goes to plan, Thunderbird will launch into Earth’s orbit by the end of the decade on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.  Before the final launch, there will be extensive test flights and demonstrations to make the mission a 100 percent success.

What we see in the pictures is a concept iteration of the space module designed by OMI (Of My Imagination) Studio for Max Space. Thunderbird is the orbital component of the proposed expandable habitat, which is envisioned to go well beyond the low-orbit International Space Station modules. It is going to be the basis for the more serious Lunar or Martian missions planned for the next decade. OMI is the brainchild of visionary minds who have worked in close quarters with former NASA astronauts to reimagine “space station as a human-centred environment rather than a purely functional spacecraft.”

The circular structure of the module is deliberate to employ the microgravity shifts to aid navigation. The highly functional compact module can expand into a 350-cubic-meter habitat for four crew members, each having their dedicated sleeping pods and facilities, including a gym, scientific laboratories, community living space, and eight functional areas. The module has to go through the extreme temperatures of the orbit, so the agency has designed the external surfaces from multi-layered Kevlar with triple safety redundancy. This far exceeds NASA’s requirements to guard against micrometeoroids.

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