Sierra Space conducted a crucial test in which it subjected its inflatable space station structure to pressure to the breaking point. The shell of the station, developed by the California, USA-based company, is made of expandable fabrics that, once inflated, act as a rigid structure.
The explosion of the inflatable space station
The test, called Maximum Burst Pressure (UBP) Test (UBP), consisted of inflating the prototype to failure in order to evaluate the strength of the materials in the space environment.
The full-scale device reached a pressure of 77 psi before exploding, exceeding the level recommended by NASA by 27%. NASA of 60.8 psi.
The purpose of the tests is to evaluate the strength of the materials. Source: Sierra Space.
Tom Vice, CEO of Sierra Space, noted that its inflatable space station technology offers the highest pressurized volume in space, the best on-orbit volume economics, and the lowest launch and operating costs.
Having the best economics per unit positions Sierra Space as a leader in microgravity product research and development, offering customers the most attractive return on their investment.
affirmed.
The LIFE station is compacted into a standard 5-meter rocket fairing and in orbit inflates to the size of a three-story apartment building.
Sierra Space’s plans for its “LIFE” space habitats
Sierra Space claims that it would only take three launches to create a living and working environment in space that, in terms of volume, would exceed that of the International Space Station (ISS) using LIFE.
The company also has plans to develop larger designs, such as a 1400 m3 version, which would be packaged inside a 7-meter rocket shell and exceed the size of the ISS in a single launch.
Sierra Space engineers plan to conduct further UBP testing this year, in parallel with the development of the Atmospheric Barrier and Orbital Debris and Micrometeoroid core layers for the habitat.
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Source: aerospacetestinginternational.com
Photo: Sierra Space
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