NASA Awards Contract To Bigelow Aerospace For Inflatable ISS Module 132
cylonlover writes "NASA has announced that it has awarded a $17.8 million contract to Bigelow Aerospace to provide the International Space Station with an inflatable module. Details of the award will be discussed by NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver and Bigelow Aerospace President Robert Bigelow at a press conference on January 16 at the Bigelow Aerospace facilities in North Las Vegas. However, based on previous talks, it's likely that the module in question could be the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM)."
Re:uuh (Score:2, Informative)
Won't be more than 15 PSI.
Which isn't that high - not even as high as a tire (35-40 PSI)
PSI Re:uuh (Score:5, Informative)
Won't be more than 15 PSI. Which isn't that high - not even as high as a tire (35-40 PSI)
Mm, but a tyre has 15 PSI (1 standard atmosphere) on the outside to counteract the 35 PSI on the inside.
Tire pressure measurements are relative, not absolute. So "35-40" PSI tire pressure means 35-40 PSI higher than atmospheric pressure
Re:uuh (Score:3, Informative)
It could be a lot less though, decrease the oxygen ppm by half and it can be 7 PSI, the pressure is not so important as maintaining the oxygen PPM as far as humans are concerned.
See apollo 1 fire. In orbit a 4 psi ppO2 fire is just a 4 psi ppO2 fire, doesn't matter much. But on the ground they like to pump that dude up to 4 psi over ambient to test for leaks before launch, especially hatch leaks. So you traditionally end up in 20 psi ppO2 and the slightest spark and "woosh" which is pretty much a summary of how everyone got killed in Apollo 1. Now sea level air means you have a ppO2 regulator so you leak test by pumping up to 20 psi absolute, of which most of the extra pressure will be mostly harmless N2.
Re:uuh (Score:5, Informative)
Who said these famous last words?
This structure is more resistant to micrometeorite impacts than the other ISS modules. The penetrate less and are made of well known materials. These are fabrics designed for their rip resistance, because of that they are used in ropes, rigging for ships and gunshot/stab resistant vests.
One of these units has already been in space for years for testing purposes.