INFLATEABLE LUNAR HABITAT Bound for Antarctic Trial
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NASA officials inflated a prototype lunar habitat one last time Nov. 14th at the ILC Dover facility in Frederica, Del., where it was manufactured, before shipping it to be tested in Antarctica, The U.S. Space Agency said in a Nov 14th press release.
NASA officials inflated a prototype lunar habitat one last time Nov. 14th at the ILC Dover facility in Frederica, Del., where it was manufactured, before shipping it to be tested in Antarctica, The U.S. Space Agency said in a Nov 14th press release.
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The upcoming 13-mounth field trial, from January 2008 to February 2009, will take place at the National Science Foundation-managed McMurdo Station.
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“Testing the inflatable habitat in one of the harshest, most remote sites on Earth gives us the opportunity to see what it would be like to use for Lunar exploration,“ Paul Lockhart, director of Constellation Systems at NASA’s Exploration Systems Mission Directorate in Washington, said in a prepared statement.
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The upcoming 13-mounth field trial, from January 2008 to February 2009, will take place at the National Science Foundation-managed McMurdo Station.
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“Testing the inflatable habitat in one of the harshest, most remote sites on Earth gives us the opportunity to see what it would be like to use for Lunar exploration,“ Paul Lockhart, director of Constellation Systems at NASA’s Exploration Systems Mission Directorate in Washington, said in a prepared statement.
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The prototype is one of several possibilities being considered for crew quarters when NASA makes its planned return of astronauts to the Moon, now scheduled for 2020.
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The pressurized module contains insulation, heating and power, NASA said. It resembles an “inflatable backyard bounce house for children,” according to the release.
The pressurized module contains insulation, heating and power, NASA said. It resembles an “inflatable backyard bounce house for children,” according to the release.
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The weighs about 408 kilograms, spokeswoman Melissa Mathews said in a Nov.15th e-mail. The relatively light weight and small stowed volume will leave more room aboard module’s carrier spacecraft for other equipment, NASA said.
The weighs about 408 kilograms, spokeswoman Melissa Mathews said in a Nov.15th e-mail. The relatively light weight and small stowed volume will leave more room aboard module’s carrier spacecraft for other equipment, NASA said.
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“This prototype inflatable habitat can be taken down and redeployed multiple times, and it only takes four crew members a few hours to set up, permitting exploration beyond the initial landing area,” Lockhart said in his statement.
“This prototype inflatable habitat can be taken down and redeployed multiple times, and it only takes four crew members a few hours to set up, permitting exploration beyond the initial landing area,” Lockhart said in his statement.
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“Taken from “SPACE NEWS”, NEWS BRIEFS dated Nov 26, 2007”
“Taken from “SPACE NEWS”, NEWS BRIEFS dated Nov 26, 2007”
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