NASA Conducts Full-Scale Inflatable Habitat Burst Pressure Test

NASA, Sierra Space, and ILC Dover subject matter experts recently conducted the first full-scale ultimate burst pressure test on Sierra Space’s LIFE habitat at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center.
The inflatable module is planned to be used for human habitation in orbit, including on Blue Origin’s commercial space station, Orbital Reef, as part of NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program, managed by NASA's Johnson Space Center.
NASA’s commercial strategy for low Earth orbit will provide the government with reliable and safe services at a lower cost and enable the agency to focus on Artemis missions to the Moon in preparation for Mars, while also continuing to use low Earth orbit as a training and proving ground for those deep space missions.
For more information about NASA’s commercial low Earth orbit strategy, visit: www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/...

[@moodmusicytc]

For those not in the know, this burst occurred at 4 times the operating pressure. The test was a HUGE success

[@merlepatterson]

I saw Sierra Space's inflatable habitat burst at 192 psi. Since atmospheric pressure at MSL is 14.5 psi, it would seem that Sierra exceeded more than 10 times operational pressure?

[@TrionerExpeliozias]

​@@merlepatterson unless I read It wrong, the description says this Is the sierra space Inflatable habitat

[@merlepatterson]

@@TrionerExpeliozias OK, I think I figured out the discrepancy. The earlier test at Sierra Space was a smaller scale hab test. This was their full scale product. That explains the difference in burst pressures.

[@johntheux9238]

@@merlepatterson Yeah, they probably used the same wall thickness for both, hence higher burst pressure on the smaller scale.

[@merlepatterson]

@@johntheux9238 yup

[@CraigLYoung]

Thanks for sharing 👍

[@TastelessMax]

Very cool!

[@sector7Gemployee]

How do you ensure variability within materials and manufacturing process are accounted for in this testing?

[@johntheux9238]

Probably by the size of each individual rope and the way they are weaved together. They must use friction forces and other techniques to prevent a cascading failure. I think it would be fine at operating pressure even if a few ropes were cut.

[@asmael666]

5.3 bar (77 psi)

[@2412Bec]

That's great. But I hope you conduct the same test in minus temperature to replicate space

[@aperinich]

there is no such thing as negative temperature

[@professormullmann159]

@@aperinich he meant minus degrees Celsius, I think. But if you talking about the si unit Kelvin then you are correct, because zero degrees are just the absence of energie. Just the smallest amounts of force creates temperature. What I mean is, if there are any photons around, it's impossible to reach the absolute zero point. That's pretty much impossible even in space. the molekules must have enough space and shouldn't get hit by anyf force from outside, That is possible if all stars are vanished and therefore no energie that could emit force exist.

[@wandery2k]

well….So much for the potatoes.

[@MrCarlozan96]

What are the proof and burst pressures of such a vessel?

[@asmael666]

Required 4,2 bar, burst 5,3 bar.

[@CrankyCorvid]

Thanks for asking that! I came here to ask the same, but not nearly as precisely and concisely as you did!

[@jkhsdjkhfjkhh3]

Cooolllllllll

[@chap666ish]

A little extra delta-V there...

[@AldoG889]

Great we can learn from this on the moon the same would not happen, the resistance of the elements is vital 0:18 ❤

[@Petertronic]

I hope you invite the SlowMo Guys next time!

[@jamesowens7176]

We have slow-mo from several cameras. Check out the video from Sierra space for some that have been publicly released.

[@Petertronic]

Thanks, found Sierra Space and subscribed 👍@@jamesowens7176

[@TheRealisticPlanetaryYT]

My ears are gonna ×_×

[@user-um9sl1kj6u]

To make O’Neill cylinder(s), this would have to be modified.
You could design these to fit like plumbers tubes/beaded bracelets with trusses, and wrap them with carbon fiber on top of it.
Once you have a ring of about 50,000 feet, workers should easily be able to go in and out of modules and lay down stainless steel platforms, chains or cables in safety and comfort.
After that, the ring could detach and travel (400,000 ft) to the other side, along with chains/cables/etc dragged along with it, giving you something to work against to lay down stainless steel platforms, prewiring(custom designed undersea cables), ultra capacitors or batteries, and any inner/outer magnetic (solenoid) design you want

[@KrustyKlown]

Hopefully that never happens in Space.