Inflatable space habitat

Last updated
Toroid inflatable station concept during testing (NASA 1961) Inflatable Station Concept - GPN-2003-00106.jpg
Toroid inflatable station concept during testing (NASA 1961)
Inflatable lunar habitat proposal (NASA 1989) Inflatable habitat s89 20084.jpg
Inflatable lunar habitat proposal (NASA 1989)

Inflatable habitats or expandable habitats are pressurized tent-like structures capable of supporting life in outer space whose internal volume increases after launch. They have frequently been proposed for use in space applications to provide a greater volume of living space for a given mass.

Contents

The first formal design and manufacture of an inflatable space habitat was in 1961 with a space station design produced by Goodyear (although this design was never flown). [1] A proposal released in 1989 by Johnson Space Center's Man Systems Division outlined a 16 metres (52 ft) diameter spherical habitat lunar outpost which was partially buried in the lunar surface.

An inflatable module called TransHab (a portmanteau of Trans Habitation) was proposed for the International Space Station, [2] and later the private company Bigelow Aerospace revived the design for use in a number of potential civil and commercial applications. [3] [4]

Construction

The construction of an inflatable space habitat is determined by its design objectives. However common elements include interwoven layers of highly durable materials such as Kevlar and mylar around a flexible air bladder which is used to retain an atmosphere. The shape of the module is maintained by the pressure difference between the internal atmosphere and the outside vacuum. The inflatable Bigelow Aerospace modules have an internal core which provides structural support during its launch into orbit.

An artist's rendering of the TransHab inflatable module berthed to the ISS. Transhab ISS.jpg
An artist's rendering of the TransHab inflatable module berthed to the ISS.
The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM), attached to the ISS, being inflated on May 28, 2016 BEAM module expansion series.jpg
The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM), attached to the ISS, being inflated on May 28, 2016

Ongoing research

Currently the main areas of research are being undertaken by Sierra Space and NASA. NASA is currently studying inflatable lunar bases with the planetary surface habitat and airlock unit [5] which is in an early prototype phase, and has conceptual proposals for utilizing expandable-technology space structures in cislunar and interplanetary crewed exploration spacecraft. [6]

Bigelow Aerospace development work

From its founding in 1998 until its closing in 2020, Bigelow Aerospace performed pioneering research and development work in coordination with NASA on inflatable space habitats. In 2021 Sierra Space was founded, which continued the development of inflatable space habitats in partnership with NASA.

Bigelow- Expandable Activity Module

The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) was an experimental expandable space station module developed by the now defunct Bigelow Aerospace, under contract to NASA, for testing as a temporary module on the International Space Station (ISS) from 2016 to at least 2020. It arrived at the ISS on April 10, 2016, [7] was berthed to the station on April 16, and was expanded and pressurized on May 28, 2016.

Bigelow- Commercial Space Station

The Bigelow Next-Generation Commercial Space Station, composed of two types of expandable space habitat modules, was announced in mid-2010. [8] The initial build-out of the station was announced for 2014/2015, and would have consisted of two Sundancer modules and one B330 module. [9] Bigelow has publicly shown space station design configurations with up to nine B330 modules containing 100,000 cu ft (2,800 m3) of habitable space [10] In 2011 the B330 was in final design with construction getting underway. Bigelow began to publicly refer to the initial configuration—two Sundancer modules and one B330 module—as "Space Complex Alpha" in October 2010. [11]

In March 2020, Bigelow laid off all 88 of its employees. As of January 2024 the company remains dormant and is currently considered defunct. [12] [13] In April 2021 Sierra Space was founded, which continued to develop inflatable space habitats as its predecessor Bigelow Aerospace had done previously.

NASA Multi-Mission Space Exploration Vehicle

In early 2011, NASA put forward a conceptual proposal for a long-duration crewed space transport vehicle which includes an artificial gravity space habitat intended to promote crew-health for a crew of up to six persons on missions of up to two years duration. Called the Multi-Mission Space Exploration Vehicle (MMSEV), the partial-G torus-ring centrifuge would utilize both standard metal-frame and inflatable spacecraft structures and would provide 0.11 to 0.69 G (1.1–6.8 m/s2 or 3.6–22.3 ft/s2). [6] [14]

Related to MMSEV is the ISS Centrifuge Demo, proposed in 2011 as a demonstration project preparatory to the final design of the larger torus centrifuge space habitat for the Multi-Mission Space Exploration Vehicle. The structure would have an outside diameter of 30 feet (9.1 m) with a 30-inch (760 mm) ring interior cross-section diameter and would provide 0.08 to 0.51 G (0.8–5 m/s2 or 2.6–16.4 ft/s2). This test and evaluation centrifuge would have the capability to become a sleep module for ISS crew. [6]

Sierra Space- LIFE Habitat

Sierra Space's prototype Large Inflatable Fabric Environment (LIFE) habitat inside the Space Station Processing Facility high bay on April 19, 2021 NASA HQ New A-Suite Visit (KSC-20210419-PH-KLS01 0202).jpg
Sierra Space's prototype Large Inflatable Fabric Environment (LIFE) habitat inside the Space Station Processing Facility high bay on April 19, 2021

LIFE (Large Integrated Flexible Environment or Large Inflatable Fabric Environment) is an inflatable space habitat currently being developed by Sierra Space. [15] [16] The proposed Orbital Reef commercial space station includes multiple LIFE habitats in its design.

Lunar Surface Habitat

Lunar Surface Habitat Lunar Surface Habitat dimensions (program Artemis).jpg
Lunar Surface Habitat

Lunar Surface Habitat is an inflatable habitat proposed by NASA for Artemis program.

Lockheed Martin inflatable habitat

Lockheed Martin is developing an inflatable habitat, [17] [18] the first intended use of which was the main module of the Starlab space station. However, this module was cancelled and replaced by a rigid module developed by Airbus.

Max Space inflatable habitat

Max Space, a startup, is developing an inflatable habitat. [19] [20]

Advantages

Flight experience

The 1965 Voskhod 2 mission employed an inflatable airlock for the first ever EVA.

As of 2019, the only designs that have flown in space have been the Genesis I , Genesis II , and Bigelow Expandable Activity Module from Bigelow Aerospace.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TransHab</span> NASA expandable space habitat (1997–2000)

TransHab was a program pursued by NASA in the late 1990s to develop the technology for expandable habitats inflated by air in space. TransHab was intended as a replacement for the existing rigid International Space Station crew Habitation Module. When deflated, inflatable modules provide an 'easier to launch' compact form. When fully inflated, TransHab would expand to 8.2 metres (27 ft) in diameter.

Bigelow Aerospace was an American space design and manufacturing company which closed its doors in 2020. It was an aeronautics and outer space technology company which manufactured and developed expandable space station modules. Bigelow Aerospace was founded by Robert Bigelow in 1998, and was based in North Las Vegas, Nevada. It was funded in large part by the profit Bigelow gained through his ownership of the hotel chain, Budget Suites of America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">B330</span> Space habitat designed by Bigelow Aerospace

The B330 was an inflatable space habitat privately developed by Bigelow Aerospace from 2010 until 2020. The design was evolved from NASA's TransHab habitat concept. B330 was to have 330 cubic meters (12,000 cu ft) of internal volume, hence its numeric designation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inflatable space structures</span> Structures which use pressurized air

Inflatable space structures are structures which use pressurized air to maintain shape and rigidity. The technological approach has been employed from the early days of the space program with satellites such as Echo, to impact attenuation system that enabled the successful landing of the Pathfinder satellite and rover on Mars in 1997. Inflatable structures are also candidates for space structures, given their low weight, and hence easy transportability.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Genesis I</span> Experimental uncrewed space habitat

Genesis I is an experimental space habitat designed and built by the private American firm Bigelow Aerospace and launched in 2006. It was the first module to be sent into orbit by the company, and tested various systems, materials and techniques related to determining the viability of long-term inflatable space structures through 2008. Such structures, including this module and others built by Bigelow Aerospace, were similar to the 1990s NASA expandable TransHab design, which aimed to provide increased interior volume at a reduced launch diameter and potentially reduced mass compared to traditional rigid structures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sundancer</span>

Sundancer was the proposed third prototype space habitat intended to be launched by Bigelow Aerospace—and the first human-rated expandable module based on TransHab technology acquired from NASA. It was to have been used to test and confirm systems used in the company's commercial space station efforts during the early 2010s, and if successful, would have formed the first piece of the proposed commercial space station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Space architecture</span> Architecture of off-planet habitable structures

Space architecture is the theory and practice of designing and building inhabited environments in outer space. This mission statement for space architecture was developed in 2002 by participants in the 1st Space Architecture Symposium, organized at the World Space Congress in Houston, by the Aerospace Architecture Subcommittee, Design Engineering Technical Committee (DETC), American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">US Orbital Segment</span> US components of the International Space Station

The US Orbital Segment (USOS) is the name given to the components of the International Space Station (ISS) constructed and operated by the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), European Space Agency (ESA), Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The segment consists of eleven pressurized components and various external elements, almost all of which were delivered by the Space Shuttle.

The Bigelow Next-Generation Commercial Space Station was a private orbital space station under conceptual development by Bigelow Aerospace in the 2000s and 2010s. Previous concepts of the space station had included multiple modules, such as two B330 expandable spacecraft modules as well as a central docking node, propulsion, solar arrays, and attached crew capsules. However it was also suggested that each B330 can operate as an independent space station. Attaching a B330 to the International Space Station or flying a B330 alone have been suggested by Robert Bigelow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BA 2100</span> Space habitat conceptualized by Bigelow Aerospace

The BA 2100, or Olympus, was a conceptual inflatable space habitat by Bigelow Aerospace. The larger BA 2100 would extend the volume and capabilities of the B330 module, which is under development as part of the Bigelow Commercial Space Station. As with the B330 module, the number in the name refers to the number of cubic meters of space offered by the module when fully expanded in space.

t/Space

t/Space was an American aerospace company which participated in NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS), and later, Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) programs for delivering cargo and crew to the International Space Station. The company was headquartered in Reston, Virginia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nautilus-X</span> Rotating wheel space station concept by NASA

Nautilus-X is a rotating wheel space station concept developed by engineers Mark Holderman and Edward Henderson of the Technology Applications Assessment Team of NASA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orion (spacecraft)</span> American–European spacecraft class for the Artemis program

Orion is a partially reusable crewed spacecraft used in NASA's Artemis program. The spacecraft consists of a Crew Module (CM) space capsule designed by Lockheed Martin and the European Service Module (ESM) manufactured by Airbus Defence and Space. Capable of supporting a crew of four beyond low Earth orbit, Orion can last up to 21 days undocked and up to six months docked. It is equipped with solar panels, an automated docking system, and glass cockpit interfaces modeled after those used in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. A single AJ10 engine provides the spacecraft's primary propulsion, while eight R-4D-11 engines, and six pods of custom reaction control system engines developed by Airbus, provide the spacecraft's secondary propulsion. Orion is intended to be launched atop a Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, with a tower launch escape system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exploration Gateway Platform</span> Original station design concept of the Lunar Gateway

The Exploration Gateway Platform was a design concept proposed by Boeing in December 2011 to drastically reduce the cost of Moon, near Earth asteroids (NEAs), or Mars missions by using components already designed to construct a refueling depot and servicing station located at one of the Earth–Moon Lagrange points, L1 or L2. The system claims its cost savings based on an ability to be reused for multiple missions such as a launch platform for deep space exploration, robotic relay station for moon rovers, telescope servicing and a deep space practice platform located outside the Earth's protective radiation belts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deep Space Habitat</span> Conceptual design for Mars-bound spaceship

The Deep Space Habitat (DSH) is a series of concepts explored between 2012 and 2018 by NASA for methods to support crewed exploration missions to the Moon, asteroids, and eventually Mars. Some of these concepts were eventually used in the Lunar Gateway program.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bigelow Expandable Activity Module</span> Experimental inflatable module – Installed on ISS

The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) is an experimental expandable space station module developed by Bigelow Aerospace, under contract to NASA, for testing as a temporary module on the International Space Station (ISS) from 2016 to at most 2028, when the contract can not be further extended. It arrived at the ISS on 10 April 2016, was berthed to the station on 16 April 2016, and was expanded and pressurized on 28 May 2016. Although originally planned to be a two year test, it has exceeded expectations and is used as additional cargo storage. The module is under ownership of NASA after Bigelow Aerospace suspended operations in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Axiom Orbital Segment</span> Planned ISS component

Axiom Orbital Segment or Axiom Segment are the planned modular components of the International Space Station (ISS) designed by Houston, Texas-based Axiom Space for commercial space activities. Axiom Space gained initial NASA approval for the venture in January 2020. Axiom Space was later awarded the contract by NASA on February 28, 2020. This orbital station will be separated from the ISS to become a modular space station, Axiom Station, after the ISS is decommissioned.

Orbital Reef is an under development low Earth orbit (LEO) space station being designed by Blue Origin and Sierra Nevada Corporation's Sierra Space for commercial space activities and space tourism uses. Blue Origin has referred to it as a "mixed-use business park". The companies released preliminary concepts for the station on 25 October 2021. The station is being designed to support 10 persons in 830 m3 of volume. As of March 2022, the station was projected to be operational by 2027.

Starlab is a planned LEO commercial space station, which is expected to launch no earlier than 2028. It is currently being designed by Starlab Space, a joint venture between Voyager Space and Airbus. It is planned to be launched before the decommissioning of the ISS.

References

  1. ↑ "GPN-2003-00106 - Inflatable Station Concept". Archived from the original on 2012-02-06.
  2. ↑ Kim Dismukes (curator) (2003-06-27). "TransHab Concept". NASA.gov. Archived from the original on 2006-06-27. Retrieved 2007-06-10.
  3. ↑ Holidays in space are on the horizon, New Scientist article (September 4, 2004)
  4. ↑ , BBC article (July 23, 2010)
  5. ↑ "NASA - Camping on the Moon Will Be One Far Out Experience". Archived from the original on 2018-12-22. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
  6. 1 2 3 NAUTILUS - X: Multi-Mission Space Exploration Vehicle Archived 2011-03-04 at the Wayback Machine , Mark L. Holderman, Future in Space Operations (FISO) Colloquium, 2011-01-26, accessed 2011-01-31.
  7. ↑ Pearlman, Robert (April 10, 2016). "SpaceX Dragon Arrives at Space Station, Delivers Inflatable Room Prototype". Space.com. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
  8. ↑ Bigelow Aerospace — Next-Generation Commercial Space Stations: Orbital Complex Construction Archived 2010-07-10 at the Wayback Machine , Bigelow Aerospace, accessed 2010-07-15.
  9. ↑ Bigelow Marketing Inflatable Space Stations [ permanent dead link ], Aviation Week , 2010-05-06, accessed 2010-10-30.
  10. ↑ Bigelow Aerospace Shows Off Bigger, Badder Space Real Estate, Popular Mechanics , 2010-10-28, accessed 2010-10-30.
  11. ↑ Bigelow still thinks big, The Space Review , 2010-11-01, accessed 2010-11-02.
  12. ↑ Foust, Jeff (March 23, 2020). "Bigelow Aerospace lays off entire workforce". SpaceNews . Retrieved December 2, 2023.
  13. ↑ Trans-Atlantic joint venture aims to build new “international” space station ARSTechnica. By Stephen Clark. August 3, 2023. Accessed January 27, 2024
  14. ↑ NASA NAUTILUS-X: multi-mission exploration vehicle includes centrifuge, which would be tested at ISS Archived 2011-02-25 at the Wayback Machine , RLV and Space Transport News, 2011-01-28, accessed 2011-01-31.
  15. ↑ "LIFE Habitat (Large Integrated Flexible Environment) | Space Station | Sierra Space".
  16. ↑ Sierra Nevada Makes Progress on LIFE Inflatable Habitat for Lunar, Mars Missions
  17. ↑ Josh Dinner (July 10, 2023). "Boom! Watch an inflatable space habitat explode during testing (video)". Space.com .
  18. ↑ Jim Vinoski (September 22, 2023). "Lockheed Martin's Inflatable Space Habitats Aim For The Moon And Beyond". Forbes .
  19. ↑ Jeff Foust (April 9, 2024). "Max Space announces plans for inflatable space station modules". SpaceNews .
  20. ↑ Devin Coldewey (July 27, 2024). "Max Space reinvents expandable habitats with a 17th-century twist, launching in 2026". TechCrunch .
  21. 1 2 Bigelow Aerospace — Next-Generation Commercial Space Stations: BA 330 Archived 2010-12-13 at the Wayback Machine , Bigelow Aerospace, 2010, accessed 11 Jan 2011.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.