Sierra Space successfully completed a burst test of their first full-sized inflatable LIFE space station at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. This test unit stands over 20-feet tall and was comparable in size to an average family home, while boasting 300 m³ in volume, or 1/3rd the volume of the International Space Station.
Sierra Space’s LIFE (Large Integrated Flexible Environment) habitat consists of expandable “softgoods,” or woven fabrics designed to perform like a rigid structure once inflated. This Ultimate Burst Pressure (UBP) test saw engineers inflating LIFE until it failed, which enables the team to see just how strong its softgoods materials would be under extreme stresses in the harsh environment of space. For this test, it managed to reach 77 psi before it burst, which exceeded (+27%) NASA’s recommended level of 60.8 psi.
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Our expertise in space softgoods and passion for innovation continue to position ILC Dover and Sierra Space as the leading co-developers of inflatable space habitats. The successful full-scale burst test is an undeniable leap toward a new reality of how humans live and operate in space, and we are proud to celebrate this milestone as we work to expand humanity’s capabilities in Low Earth Orbit,” said Rob Reed, President of Space & Engineered Solutions at ILC Dover.
