I have posted before extensively on the utility of using rotating
bubbles out in space. The skin itself would not rotate, but the
goods inside could easily do so around a central axis that acted as a
cable stay hub. After that is in place, your imagination runs wild.
So it is good to see an over engineered inflatable device now going
up to work out the inevitable issues.
Yet even a Mylar bubble hundreds of yards across could stand in as a
safety net and garbage retainer. A few puffs of air would keep it
inflated and micrometeorites could simply pass through. If that
worked well enough, it provides the skeleton to pad out and
strengthen into something sufficiently robust as they have designed
here.
In the meantime we will all get used to the concept and as stated,
imaginations will surely run wild.
Bigelow Inflatable
Module Will be Added to Space Station
by NANCY
ATKINSON on JANUARY 11, 2013
Read more:
The next addition to
the International Space Station will likely be an inflatable module
from Bigelow Aerospace. NASA announced today they have awarded a
$17.8 million contract to Bigelow to provide a new module for the
ISS. “The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module will demonstrate the
benefits of this space habitat technology for future exploration and
commercial space endeavors,” NASA said in a press release. This
would be the first privately built module to be added to the space
station.
“The International
Space Station is a unique laboratory that enables important
discoveries that benefit humanity and vastly increase understanding
of how humans can live and work in space for long periods,” NASA
Deputy Administrator Lori Garver said. “This partnership agreement
for the use of expandable habitats represents a step forward in
cutting-edge technology that can allow humans to thrive in space
safely and affordably, and heralds important progress in U.S.
commercial space innovation.”
NASA will release more
information about the agreement and the module next week, but
previous reports have indicated the inflatable module would be used
for adding additional storage and workspace, and the module would be
certified to remain on-orbit for two years.
NASA has been in discussions with Bigelow for several years about using their inflatable technology.
NASA has been in discussions with Bigelow for several years about using their inflatable technology.
In 2006 Bigelow
launched their Genesis I inflatable test module into orbit and
according to their website, it is still functioning and
“continuing to produce invaluable images, videos and data for
Bigelow Aerospace. It is now demonstrating the long-term viability of
expandable habitat technology in an actual orbital environment.”
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