The inflatable space station that Sierra Space has been building was blown up by the company and NASA again, and it was a dedicated event for the LIFE station that would be a possible orbiting facility. It is the second explosion carried out by NASA and Sierra Space for the LIFE space station, following a previous test last January for the spacecraft.
Over the past years, there have been several programs launched by NASA that commission space companies to create the next International Space Station (ISS), with Sierra Space one of its prospects.
NASA, Sierra Space Blow Up the LIFE Space Station Again
Sierra Space
NASA and Sierra Space recently conducted a pressure test for the LIFE (Large Integrated Flexible Environment) space station which resulted in the inflatable blowing up. This was not an accident or a mishap on both parts, as it was intended by NASA and Sierra Space to test the extent of how much the inflatable could handle in the future.
It is the second test done by both NASA and Sierra Space for the LIFE station, with the earlier one taking place early this year.
The video shared by NASA showed what would happen when the LIFE is overinflated, looking to replicate the futuredrastic conditions it would face in the cosmos.
What Happened with LIFE's Inflatable Space Station
Sierra Space claimed that this full-scale test of the LIFE space station reached 74 psi before the inflatable exploded and regarded that this was 22 percent more than NASA's 60.8 psi which it recommended. This figure exceeded NASA's x4 safety level expectations, and it also reached 300 m³ in volume which is one-third of the International Space Station.
The Next International Space Station
UKRAINE - 2020/10/28: In this photo illustration a NASA logo seen displayed on a smartphone.
Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
UKRAINE - 2020/10/28: In this photo illustration a NASA logo seen displayed on a smartphone.
The search and development for the next company to deliver the future International Space Station is still ongoing, particularly as NASA is planning to decommission the current ISS which is way past its dedicated operation timeline. Airbus is one of the companies that presented their futuristic 'LOOP' space station concept which boasts of massive improvements and features.
On the other hand, there is also the joint venture from Voyager Space and Airbus which worked on the 'Starlab,' a space station that could potentially replace the ISS.
Moreover, there was also Blue Origin's take on this development called the Reef Space Station, and it was previously supported by NASA for its future plans.
The end of an era for the ISS is coming as soon as the next decade starts, with SpaceX awarded a $843 million contract by NASA to crash the space station back to the planet.
NASA and Sierra Space recently carried out its pressure test for the LIFE space station which gave them significant data, especially with the massive forces that the inflatable will face once it is operational.
