Picture credit score: Lockheed Martin
LITTLETON, Colorado – That touted “house is difficult” dictate may have a which means makeover given using “softgoods” to trend inflatable airlocks and habitats for future lunar and Mars exploration wants.
Right here on the Waterton Canyon facility of Lockheed Martin, testing of inflatable buildings that provide benefits over all-metal counterparts is underway. A pathfinder unit constructed for airlock functions underwent pressurization and depressurization value determinations on August 14, as witnessed by this reporter.
Below strain! SpaceNews reporter, Leonard David (left), discusses inflatable testing with Rowan Palmer and Uy Duong of Lockheed Martin’s softgoods check crew.
Picture credit score: Barbara David
The airlock design was put by means of a number of, gas-in/gas-out cycles to evaluate “creep” elements of its Vectran materials make-up, thus understanding its operational life potential. Check engineers right here have additionally put subscale softgoods habitat designs to the check, purposely bursting them to highlight their strong nature.
The gasoline used for the inflation assessments is nitrogen, taking just a few minutes to completely pressurize the unit, then changing into as inflexible as metal.
Lockheed Martin is engaged in inflatable construction work as a part of NASA’s Subsequent Area Applied sciences for Exploration Partnerships (NextSTEP) program, a public-private three way partnership initiative.
Rowan Palmer, a methods engineer throughout the Lockheed Martin Area softgoods and habitation crew, inspects airlock check unit.
Picture credit score: Barbara David
For extra data, go to my new SpaceNews story – “With profitable airlock check, Lockheed Martin invests in inflatable house buildings” – at:
https://spacenews.com/successful-airlock-test-lockheed-martin-invests-inflatable-space-structures/
