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Inflatable Spaceship Ready for Test

Posted by michael on from the please-leave-all-sharp-objects-at-home dept.

colonist writes "Nature reports that an inflatable re-entry vehicle could one day carry astronauts or robots to the surface of Earth or Mars. The heat shield (that can withstand 900 C) and the parachute are inflatable. The advantage of inflatable structures is weight: a 130 kg vehicle can carry about 200 kg of cargo back from the space station. The vehicle is made by Return and Rescue Space Systems."

7 of 174 comments (clear)

  1. What happens if... by CypherXero · · Score: 1, Interesting

    It deflates in space?

  2. Inflatable? by keiferb · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I hear "inflatable", and instantly think of the three pool floats we had to replace each year because one sprung a leak. Our first AeroBed also springs to mind almost as quickly as it sprung its first, second, and third leaks.

    I'm no astrophysicist, but isn't something like this going to be fairly prone to puncture by even the tiniest of debris?

    1. Re:Inflatable? by WhiplashII · · Score: 5, Interesting

      The space shuttle goes up to about 1500 C as I recall. Designs like this rely on rapid decelleration at high altitude, so they do not get as hot. It basically depends on your exposed surface area to mass ratio. An inflatable object gets a very large surface with very low mass, so it works well.

      As an extreme example of this, back in the Apollo days there was a design for an inflatible parachute to allow one person to return to earth wearing nothing more than a Mercury-class space suit!

      --
      while (sig==sig) sig=!sig;
    2. Re:Inflatable? by Rei · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Yes, it's not like we have any gigantic inflatable structures that last for very long periods of time out there.

      Oh, wait, we do: They're called "Blimps".

      The bigger you make it, the *safer* it is against puncture resistance. Blimps require tears a number of inches long to pose a threat. Micrometeorites aren't exactly going to be a big problem here.

      I'm glad to see this finally implemented; it is the next logical reentry step. Huge surface area and huge cross-sectional area. It'd be wonderful - it would even reduce the amount of fuel you need for reentry.

      --
      I'm you from the future! We have to finish our time machine before the Angels of Destruction find the portal!
  3. Human factor by Himring · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Such inventions are what's needed if those who promote the "human factor" of space exploration are to prevail. Killing a shuttle full of astronauts for purposes of some objective experimentation in space isn't worth it. Providing best-possible-safety and life preservation is what's needed at this point. However, it does sound like this device being used as a "life boat" is serendipitous. Actual efforts along these lines should be more pursued on a project level. If we want to put people in space then we need to assure their safe return....

    --
    "All great things are simple & expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope." --Churchill
  4. and what about... by Docrates · · Score: 4, Interesting

    where's the "journal" in journalism?

    This article should have also talked about:

    - micormeteorites hitting the capsule
    - thrust capabilities, if any
    - why it is incompatible with the shuttle
    - some background on the company (beyond the press release)

    Just like the blurbs the other day: We found aliens, they're gray and tall, three eyes and the males have breasts. SETI says so. Then a day later.... JK!, JK! there're are no aliens hidden behind the moon impersonating basketball players... we swear!

    --

    There are two kinds of people in the world: Those with good memory.
  5. FINALLY! by p51d007 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The "heat shield" is back! For 20 years, every American launch used an ablative heat shield for reentry. At least someone is starting to use it again, than trying to "fly" back from space using something so fragile that it could be damaged by a piece of foam insulation going several hundred miles per hour. Ditch the shuttle and bring back ELVs