NASA Tests All-Composite Prototype Crew Module 67
coondoggie writes "With an eye toward building safer, lighter and tougher spacecraft, NASA said today its prototype space crew module made up of composite materials handled tests simulating structural stresses of launch and atmospheric reentry. The idea behind NASA's Composite Crew Module project is to test new structural materials for possible future NASA spacecraft. According to NASA, composite materials are being looked at because they are stiff and lightweight and can be formed into complex shapes that may be more structurally efficient. In space travel, where every additional pound of weight drives costs higher, any weight savings provides increased payload capacity and potentially reduces mission expense."
It still boggles my mind... (Score:2, Insightful)
...that something strong enough to withstand space travel and atmospheric exit/entry can be so fragile.
"Hey, we have this contraption here that can take you to space and bring you back...all while keeping you alive! But don't breathe on it wrong, or it will fall apart..."
Re:It still boggles my mind... (Score:5, Insightful)
A lot of the expertise has been lost. People have retired, the factories that built the parts (e.g. those huge Saturn V engines) may no longer exist.
Once you lose the expertise and infrastructure, it costs a lot to rebuild it.
Imagine if we were all nuked into the stone age and only crawled out of the bunkers 5-10 years later. Getting back to the state of fabricating 3GHz x86 chips would take a long time and lots of investment.
Re:It still boggles my mind... (Score:3, Insightful)
What boggles my mind? All of this effort in materials technology, to build a glorified Apollo capsule - c. 1967.
My view is that this is the best part of the Constellation program. The space capsule remains a great space vehicle design. The new ground that Orion breaks here is the use of modern materials and electronics systems. Down the road, I can see the manufacture of space capsules as being somewhere between an advanced bike and a modern car in complexity and cost.
Great plan! (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:It still boggles my mind... (Score:3, Insightful)
Ever seen a light aircraft?
They seem pretty fragile but can go 200 MPH.
Take a look at a Pitts special sometime at an airshow. The will go more than 200 MPH in a dive and take enough Gs to flatten your eyeballs.
They are covered in fabric.
You make them just strong enough to take the loads but you protect them from unneeded loads unlike your car which has take your kid standing on the hood.