ISS inflatable bungalows to take giant leap for space housing

[Unorthodox]

http://www.domain.com.au/news/iss-inflatable-bungalows-to-take-giant-leap-for-space-housing-20160428-gocuyo/

Astronauts have good reason to feel light-headed.

The International Space Station welcomed its Bigelow Bungalow on April 10 and, if all goes to plan, the 18-year-old station will install its pioneering inflatable dwelling this week and inflate it next month.[/size]

The ISS – the world’s biggest space structure – is used as a research and observation platform by astronomers and scientists from five space agencies including NASA, Roscosmos and the European Space Agency.

The Echo 1 inflatable metallic space balloon.
The Echo 1 inflatable metallic space balloon. Photo: Supplied

In a recent piece for The Conversation, University of Melbourne science academics Morgan Saletta and Kevin Orrman-Rossiter describe the ISS extension, which uses an inflatable module as “a significant achievement for the future of space habitation and exploration”.

The blow-up add-on is officially known as the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) and, when inflated, will grow to about four times its deflated size.

It cost Bigelow Aerospace in the US about US$17.8 million to build and was delivered by a SpaceX rocket.

Artist's impression of the Bigelow Aerospace BEAM.
Artist’s impression of the Bigelow Aerospace BEAM. Photo: Supplied

It weighs about 1.4 tonnes deflated and was delivered with a cargo of about 600 kilograms of food and supplies.

So what is inside a BEAM?

Well, aside from the best views outside this planet it won’t offer anything in terms of fixtures and fittings just yet.

Measuring a cosy four metres by 3.2 metres, ISS occupants cannot permanently inhabit their new BEAM until it’s been thoroughly tested for quality and safety, temperature control and its ability to deflect meteoroids.

Bigelow Aerospace BEAM.
Bigelow Aerospace BEAM. Photo: Supplied

They will, however, get to visit their extra room three or four times a year for a few hours each time to take its vital measurements.

According to ISS, this trial period takes about two years. However, if the mission is successful, it may start an era of expandable space habitats allowing scientists and rich space tourists to orbit the Earth in “space hotels”, commentators are saying.

Blow-up space housing through the ages

Inflatable space housing has been orbiting for 50-plus years.


Transhab design concept.
Transhab design concept. Photo: Supplied

But what’s held it back from taking off is cost and the fact materials on Earth are just too flimsy for the rigours of orbital destinations.

Back in 1963, NASA’s first satellite was essentially an inflatable balloon called Echo 1 and during the ’60s the US space agency got an inflatable space habitat to production.

Alas, the finished product didn’t make it to blast-off.

Over the years, various inflatable and inhabitable structures have been designed yet, to date, none have made it to orbit.

Hinting at the future of moon housing was a design from NASA in 1989 that included private living quarters, hydroponic gardens, and, of course, a fully decked-out laboratory.

Hot on its heels was the Transhab concept in the early 1990s, which NASA created as possible housing for a future mission it planned to make to Mars.

When this stalled the Transhab was touted as a possible ISS crew habitat option however lack of funds ended up stopping the astronaut housing program’s launch.

Regolith: the new bricks and mortar?

Sir Norman Foster was named a winner in the NASA’s 3-D Printed Habitat Challenge in 2015 for his vision of modular housing for Mars.

Foster has also produced lunar housing visions, which, like his latest Mars housing concept, cleverly use an indigenous building material called regolith, which is made from the layers of sand, dust and bedrock covering both Mars and the moon.

(Artist conceptrion art at link not worth my time to steal)

Mostly posted for first info I'd seen on when they were gonna blow up the habitat.