SPACE — Sierra Space exploded its first full-scale space station module prototype in preparation for a space mission before 2030. According to Sierra Space officials, Monday, January 22, the explosion was the equivalent of using 164 sticks of dynamite.
Sierra Space has delivered space equipment in a series of explosive tests at NASA’s Marshall Space Center, Alabama. All previous tests were carried out on scale models or not at actual size.
Sierra Space named its prototype module the Large Integrated Flexible Environment (LIFE). It is a type of inflatable module that uses soft goods technology from ILC Dover, such as Vectran rope. The module will be installed on the Orbital Reef space station led by Sierra Space and Blue Origin.
The Sierra inflatable module is one of several NASA-funded concepts to replace the International Space Station (ISS). However, the orbital complex that has been operating for a long time will be discontinued in 2030. The process of lowering the ISS will be an event worth waiting for.
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Sierra Space said the dimensions of the LIFE module are equivalent to the average single-family home in the US in 2022, which is about 213.5 square meters. However, Sierra Space officials are working in cubic feet because microgravity allows the entire interior to be usable.
If you want to do the math yourself: the inflatable module will have three floors with a total height of 6.2 meters and a diameter of 8.3 meters.
To date, only a few inflatable modules have flown in space, although they are no stranger to the ISS. For example, modules made by Bigelow Aerospace have been tested on the ISS to evaluate how well they survive harsh space conditions, such as radiation and microgravity.
Sierra Space’s LIFE prototype underwent a series of explosion tests by continuously pumping air into the structure until it finally burst like a balloon. In full-scale testing, the results exceeded NASA safety requirements by 27 percent. In other words, it withstood a pressure of 77 pounds per square inch (psi) before exploding, well above NASA’s guideline of 60.8 psi.
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“We are driving the return of a space station that will shape a new era of human exploration and discovery,” said Tom Vice, CEO of Sierra Space.
Vice then highlighted the cost value of the inflatable module, citing its ability to become a five-meter-tall rocket. That saves packing space and is more than light enough to launch into orbit.
In theory, Sierra could send three LIFE modules to beat the equivalent size of the ISS. There is also a larger version still being designed. “For example, one design measuring 1,400 cubic meters could exceed the capacity of the ISS in a single launch,” said Sierra Space.
2024-01-23 10:30:00
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