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Obligatory GATR link: https://www.cubic.com/inflatable-satellite-antenna#

These are used in disaster response and other scenarios that demand rapid deployment of satellite terminals.

I have spoken with the guy behind cubic/GATR (actually had a conversation with him and Buzz Aldrin at Space Symposium quite some years ago.) It's surely the first thing that came to my mind, and a fairly mature technology at this point in use by lots of people in the field. I came to the comments specifically to note this system, and thankfully found your reference. I have wanted to try to DIY one for a moonbounce station ever since.

Does this mean there is already a commercial version? If so, what is the advantage of the NASA funded project?

GATR works on the ground in atmosphere. Having seen them up close, I don't think there is a lot that translates to an in-space application other than the concept itself. You're talking about a completely separate ground-up engineering effort.

More hype for NASA.

Congress should cut NASA's PR budget.

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