Are Inflatable Space Habitats Safe?
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- Опубликовано: 5 июл 2024
- Companies like Sierra Space are getting close to full-scale inflatable space habitat tests in space. These rapid developments however bring up questions regarding this technology’s safety and future application. The main benefit of inflatable habitats is the ability to launch a relatively small uninflated structure which later inflates on orbit to a massive station that would not have been possible to launch at that final size.
At the same time, this restricts the company from using certain rigid materials that are more common in space station construction. Instead, they use a long list of fabrics and layers with the intention of creating a strong and safe solution. Here I will go more in-depth into the build of these habitats, the concern of micrometeoroids and other space debris, the upcoming testing schedule, and more.
Full article here - thespacebucket.com/are-inflat...
For more space-related content check out - thespacebucket.com/
Credit:
NASA - / @nasa
Blue Origin - / blueoriginchannel
SNC - / sierranevadacorp
Chapters:
0:00 - Intro
0:40 - Are These Habitats Safe?
3:43 - It's Already Been Done 
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Thanks for highlighting the testing our team is doing as we develop the first commercial space station. We will be doing more testing later this year on our space station technology and look forward to sharing the results.
I've loved following your work, and I'm confident that it'll be proven out that your inflatable modules will be some of the most prolific in the space industry.
I've zero confidence in this technology.
There are two types of people 😂
I don't know why people think it's a problem - there's only 1 atmosphere of pressure difference between space and the surface of the Earth - that's the same as being 10 meters underwater and nobody is worried about swimming goggles.
Exactly my thoughts, and if they wanted to they could drop that down lower and still be habitable. My first concern when I hear this is space junk popping it, not it bursting by the internal pressure.
@@deveusdude - Same here - although with current rocket weight limits we can't launch a solid module with metal thick enough to stop punctures anyway - so it's piercing a coke can vs piercing a football - as long as it's a puncture and not a pop ;)
We all know why.. decades of people getting sucked out windows in hollywood
You are forgetting exposure to the vacuum of space means instant death.
1 atmosphere is almost 15 lbs per square inch. That is a lot of pressure. And most people do not worry about it exploding, but it getting punctured by debris.
Barring Starship, this is probably the technology Im most looking forward to in the near future. Definitely exciting things waiting in the future of spaceflight!
What’s the point without faux gravity? Unless modules have that, which is extremely degenerating to astronauts, then it’s a waste of time and future spacers health.
@user-nz6dx2fj6h You could link enough of them together to spin them for artificial gravity. It definitely is not necessary, though, remember the ISS doesn't have artificial gravity and astronauts have spent upwards of six months up there.
This is way we're going to get to the point of figuring out artificial gravity, though, so with or without it, this is very valuable tech.
I love when you do videos on the LIFE module!! I was so happy when I saw this when I woke up this morning!
Glad to see Bigelow getting some recognition. I chatted with one of their folks at a space technology conference in 1999, when they were just starting out. I thought the tech made a lot of sense, and was excited when a test article made it to space. I’m happy that Sierra is making additional progress. Do you know if the licensed any of Bigelow’s patents? And what behemoth to they intend to launch these things on?
SpaceX Starship or Blue Origins New Glenn.
Bigelow was dissolved in 2020, and they just bought the technology from NASA after they dropped the transhab project. SNC just bought bigelows assets (really just nasa's)
Its too bad Bigelow didn't hold out, however he was getting old and needed stop burning money. He hadn't made it long enough to charter Dragon2s to orbit, which is something he needed to make his ultimate goal of a space hotel happen.
Another excellent video!!!
The bungalow Inflatable Space Habitat was tested on iss as waste disposal and in a solo orbit with great success, as surface habitats on moon and Mars, deflated they take up less room 3-4 can be flown ahead compared to 1 module.
Thank you, for being objective, reporting the news and events, while avoiding giving any attention to the vain egos of the weak men who claim ownership of vast, team efforts.
Love the concept. Imagine how big an inflatable module you could launch on starship.
Maybe even big enough to encase the ship itself!
You don't need to make a supersized version, imagine a starship carrying a metal core with 6 or so deflated regular ones all ready to go instead. The entire hab of a new larger space station in a single launch.
@@TheEvilmooseofdoom Now I'm imagining all the ways a stripped down Starship could be used for single launch stations.
I'm curious when we'll get some orbital tests one these habitats. I'm still bit concern about Blue Origins holding up everything with their shift of priorities.
I like when every agency says they are trying to grow fresh produce and then it's all lettuce like that's going to add anything to a diet
True, big bushy stuff makes for a better image. Although in the early stages of R&D on that lettuce has it's place. :)
@@TheEvilmooseofdoom We're at the trial and error stage of space agriculture, where we don't know how to reliably grow plants and most of them are dying. So you want cheap, fast growing plants. IE Lettuce.
There are other fast growing plants, of course, but, as you say, the big bushy leaves look good. Welcome to capitalism, where it has to look good, before any merits are considered.
They can actually use those things together to gather debris
Good video
Congratulations 🎊 👏 💐 🥳 🎊 on the pressure tests 💪 😉 its ready
What happened to Beigelow Aerospace?
Almost 25 years ago it was called Trans-hab. Designed and tested but never flew. Look it up.
Sierra Space has really good engineering people. I would feel safer in a LIFE hab than in the ISS.
Can only imagine how nerve wracking it must be to listen to the ISS creak and groan with everybody's movements... Be moving down the ship and bump a wall, suddenly the whole structure be wobbling and makin noises...
I wonder if someone has already approach them for some armor and ballistics protection?!!🧐👾
musk will probably come up with the idea of putting windows in them.
What’s the point if they don’t have faux gravity?
I wonder what their fatigue performance is like?
That was my first thought, fabrics stretch with use. It might already be a factor in their calculations and estimated lifespan.
@@haydentravis3348 I'm sure they have - a lot smarter than me.
Thanks man...
Very good explanation and video. Inflatable Modules are nice idea and possible aplications to a mixed Space Station or Space Transport to MOON or others planets and Inhabitats ! Lets tray this equipment. Congratulations to all the Specialists and Colaborators that are working and design them.
Sweet✨💫✨
i propose another inner layer of either liquid or think "slime". which would act to seal punctures. and further block cosmic radiation.
They're overbuilt they should be ten times bigger for the same weight
please keep making these great videos!
Maybe could you make a video about why bigelew space failed ?
What I'm concerned about is turning a few inflatables into a Cylinder constructor/temporary station. Basically, one or a couple of the largest inflatable modules that can fit in Elon's largest rocket, and build a Cylinder like legos with half a dozen or so robot arms.
NFW
Is it safe, Laurence? ..!.
Hilton or Hyatt First Orbital Hotel.
Weightless honeymoon suits
the iss is said to smell awful, i wonder what their solutions will be
the first thing that comes to mind is they aren’t testing these in the same temperature ranges they’ll be experiencing in real life
Yeah but your sense of smell is reduced in space.
Pressure is NOT the concern, the pressure can easily be controlled! Being struck by objects is of much more concern and it appears the typical small objects could easily be accommodated. Think of the assclowns at NASA that are constantly being out thought by Industry and yet they get to make determinations as to what is acceptable! Pitiful!
The biggest issue with inflatable habitats isn't safety. It's the fact that they are empty when they inflate and you need a second launch to bring up all the interior equipment (and have to assemble and test the interior equipment in space). Those two launches could have been used to bring up two traditional station modules are are ready to go after installation. So the size benefit is 1/2 of what it initially appears.
However, inflatable habitats are much more practical on Lunar or Martian bases as gravity, and the need to walk, makes space a premium.
Most of the internal components that are launched later will probably be things that would fit into something like a Progress resupply vehicle launched on a relatively small Soyuz-sized launcher, while a traditional Space Station segment would require a much more powerful Proton-sized launch vehicle.
So inflatable modules let you launch one heavy-lift launch vehicle and a bunch of medium-lift launch vehicles, instead of launching multiple heavy-lift launch vehicles.
Additionally, inflatable modules let you ignore some of the volume and diameter limitations usually imposed by rocket fairings. A 15m by 16.2m cylinder is something that simply can't fit into a rocket unless it's folded up, like LIFE 2.0 will be.
Not true. Bringing up machinery and assembly in orbit isn't too hard as things are pre built and just need assembly.
I would also say this can be designed to have the equipment racks in the center and they can flip out to utilize the extra space. Think of some of the tiny houses or even the RV with the bumpouts.
Only twice as large you say? what a waste of time. Why even bother with a 2x improvement? may as well spend a billion dollars more.
@JohnnyWednesday It's not twice as large, that was my whole point.
Inflatable Space Habitat
You could make an orbiting Hotel out of a LIFE hab. That 3.0 has a boatload of volume! They should add at least one of these to the Lunar Gateway, because the sleeping acommodations on the Gateway, I've seen them, and they are a JOKE. They look like an afterthought. Put a LIFE in there and accomodate a dozen people! It could be a zero-G workout room or gymnasium/auditorium, meeting room. Laser Tag venue... okay. kidding about the Laser Tag.
Lunar Gateway isn’t going to have any long term habitation so it doesn’t need to be very comfortable to live in plus the astronauts will be able to use Orion and the HLS as living space when they are there.
With decades of advanced material technologies, reinforcement, testing and forensic failure analysis engineering experience, I am very concerned about ultraviolet light degradation of Vectran which is highly degraded by Ultraviolet light, especially in Space.
Good job they're scientists and engineers and the outer layer protects against ultraviolet light. Maybe you should assume people that spent years of their life at university know what you read on wikipedia?
@@JohnnyWednesday I have been educated to multiple Ph.D.s levels and a pioneer family in advanced synthetic reinforcements from the 1950s to today.
I have been involved in the chemical, mechanical, processing, new product development, manufacturing, testing and advanced forensic failure analysis engineering since the 1970’s.
When you finish high school I suggest you go to college and obtain Ph.D.s in chemistry, physics, textiles, and mechanical engineering of advanced materials including synthetics, in reinforcements and primary structural elements.
@@icare7151 - that's a lie. If that were true you'd know full well your peers wouldn't make such a fundamental mistake.
@@icare7151 Sure, and I'm the king of England.
@@JohnnyWednesday With decades of testing ie ASTM (I) and forensic failure analysis engineering experience, one would be shocked of the errors constantly discovered in all industries on all levels.
These errors keep the legal profession very lucrative and even deadly for thousands year after year.
Shouldn't they be testing the burst strength of that thing in zero gravity?
Zero gravity won't make any difference. The only thing that will is air pressure. But they already are taking into account the fact that there will be a vacuum in space by just testing well beyond what will be the operational range of pressure.
@@SebastianWellsTL Air pressure only exists in gravity.
@@southofhollywood4199uh, no. Air pressure is just a measure of how much of a gas is in a set volume, more technically how many collisions gas particles have with eachother and the walls of the container. The only affect gravity would have is with multiple gases going into layers with different weights
@@ASlickNamedPimpback I Googled air pressure too. Air pressure only exists with gravity.
@@southofhollywood4199are you referring to the quora answer that refers to ATMOSPHERIC pressure, i.e. the pressure from air being contained to earth only via gravity, and not because its in an inescapable container?
With the possibility of nano fibers. These habitats could be even bigger.
Another Titan ?
Is this channel AI voice? It sounds very unpleasant and too quickly.
no safter than a screen door,on a Submarine
So you didn't watch video or you are not the sharpest pair of scissors.
They are not safe. Sorry.
Why does every single space content creator feel compelled to show these modules "blowing up" over, and over, and over, and over again? It's so misleading, and lazy.
Especially since the bust test is completely pointless. These modules will never see these presures... because the people inside will be long dead before it comes close.
Because it looks cool.
If people think a test to failure indicates a problem because of the failure, then they are probably not worth talking to anyway.
There is not a whole lot of other stock footage of inflatable modules period.
Sure, for robots. .. but they don't need them. Book: The End of Astronauts: Why Robots are the Future of Exploration. And I disagree with the authors that astronauts should still be used in low Earth orbit. They should have been replaced long ago by satellites designed for robotic servicing {like the Hubble should have been) maintained by low latency links using Earthbound human operated, remote presence tele-robotics. Manned spaceflight is SO 1960s.
Currently robots cant do what humans can do. They won't be able to for a decades more. You can put a servicing station on the satellites like Hubble, and then deal with the extra complexity and weight, or just send a person up there with extra parts if something ever happens, and save the weight.
No, Bigelow is a tea and teabags are not safe in space.
Useless video. Astronauts would die in the iss too in case of a structural failure
What if you drop your cigarette?
Admittedly it should float rather than drop.