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Russian Sub Launches European Inflatable Space Vehicle

Posted by michael on from the man-overboard dept.

QueueEhGuy writes "From the 'Red Planet' meets 'Hunt for Red October' department: CNN is reporting in this article that the Russian navy launched an inflatable space reentry vehicle atop a standard ICBM. Although this one was evidently only 2.5 ft in diameter, they evidently plan on making larger versions to act as life rafts or carrier pigeons from space back to Earth. Apparently, neither Val Kilmer or Sean Connery were involved in the test."

3 of 36 comments (clear)

  1. IRDT by c.emmertfoster · · Score: 5, Informative

    The technology for this was originally developed by the Russian Mars program: "Inflatable Rentry and Descent Technology" is a nifty replacement for parachutes, IMHO.

    The russians have done this before, though not from a submarine succesfully until now :)

    --
    We can neither love nor pity nor forgive. If you make a slip in handling us you die!
  2. Inflatable Technology by LastToKnow · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...at Sluggy Freelance

  3. inflatable space station by g4dget · · Score: 4, Interesting
    In fact, inflatable structures could be great for all sorts of space applications. In the absence of gravity or wind, you really don't need much in the way of structural support. Inflatable structures can give you a huge volume with very little weight. And, yes, they can be made safe against puncture by space debris--probably safer than rigid structures.

    Unfortunately, even though an inflatable module was considered for the ISS, it was not built. Pretty much all our space engineering seems to be done in terms of big, heavy, metal structures.

    Interest seems to be picking up, though. There has been a workshop at ESA recently.