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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."

10 of 174 comments (clear)

  1. Parallel by StevenHenderson · · Score: 5, Funny

    Nature reports that an inflatable re-entry vehicle could one day carry astronauts or robots to the surface of Earth or Mars

    Well, hey if they can do this, I'm gonna go ahead and use my water wings to go down Niagra Falls!

  2. 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....

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    1. Re:Human factor by Paulrothrock · · Score: 5, Insightful
      The shuttle, while a marvel of engineering, is a very inefficient way to get to and from space. It's not modular, so you're always launching the entire craft every time, complete with bricks, wings, control surfaces and landing gear which are of no use in space except to provide a bigger target for orbital debris. This means that a simple crew transfer that would be possible for $100 million costs $1 billion.

      NASA should focus on a decentralized program of craft development. Have a group that makes crew capsules, the best damn capsule they can. Another group works on propulsion systems, which would also be modular, and still another works on cargo systems. Rockets could be built using only the components that are needed.

      A major factor in improving costs is to make the engines and pumps retrievable. That way, all we're throwing away would be pressure tanks, which can be manufactured cheaply.

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  3. Dream come true by bman08 · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's my dream to one day, science and god willing, successfully land on the surface of the earth.

    1. Re:Dream come true by jepaton · · Score: 5, Funny

      Science has known how to do this for a long time, they call it "jumping".

      For more information:

      Jump Training Techniques

  4. Re:What happens if... by TykeClone · · Score: 5, Funny

    The same thing that happens in cartoons - it will make a farting noise and zip back and forth until it stops, at which point it will realize that it is not obeying the law of gravity, say "Yipes" and fall.

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  5. RTFA by kmmatthews · · Score: 5, Informative

    It's for re-entry, not for general flight in space.

    It's the heat shields that are inflatable, and they are armored - e.g. not the same material as your pool floats...

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    feh. stuff.
    1. Re:RTFA by WormholeFiend · · Score: 5, Funny

      "It's the heat shields that are inflatable, and they are armored - e.g. not the same material as your pool floats..."

      It's only a matter of time before ThinkGeek starts selling pool floats made from orbital re-entry material.

  6. Re:How do we get back??? by charliekowalchuk · · Score: 5, Informative

    Look, unless you happen to be a rocket scientist, perhaps you should leave the heavy thinking to the NASA engineers. (I happen to be one, but think of me as a wanna-be myself, as I am transferring over to the Electric space propulsion division soon)

    Anyway, I would agree to your comment, that yes, due to Mars gravity, it would be hard(er), well harder 40 YEARS AGO. Technology and efficiency have taken great strides these past 40 years, and we feel confident in our ability to make a rocket that does what its supposed to do.

    I can tell you, that Mars manned missions have been fully detailed with many many different mission paths that could be taken. For instance, using Ion propulsion and launching from the International space station or the moon are one of the many possibilities that have already been detailed by many scientists and engineers.

    Give NASA a little faith; you don't need to back seat drive them like some little ol' lady.

  7. 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!

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