Sierra Space's LIFE Habitat Exceeds NASA's Pressure Test Standards
The inflatable habitat, designed for future space stations, withstood 27% more pressure than NASA's recommended level, promising a new era in space exploration.
- Sierra Space, a space technologies-focused company, has successfully conducted a pressure test on its inflatable LIFE (Large Integrated Flexible Environment) habitat, designed for commercial space stations.
- The habitat's shell, made of expandable woven fabrics, withstood a pressure of 77 psi (pounds per square inch) before bursting, exceeding NASA’s recommended level of 60.8 psi by 27%.
- The inflatable design of the LIFE habitat allows it to be launched into space in a compact form and inflated once in orbit, potentially reducing construction costs for future space stations.
- Sierra Space's LIFE habitat could achieve one-third of the volume of the International Space Station (ISS) in a single launch, compared to the ISS which took over 40 flights to assemble.
- Sierra Space is one of several companies, including SpaceX and LA-based Vast, exploring the development of commercial space stations as the ISS nears retirement.