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NASA Awards Contract To Bigelow Aerospace For Inflatable ISS Module

Posted by samzenpus on from the spare-room dept.

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)."

2 of 132 comments (clear)

  1. PSI Re:uuh by Anonymous Coward · · 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

  2. Re:uuh by h4rr4r · · Score: 4, 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.