Sierra Space Continues to Lead the Industry in the Development of the First Business-Ready Commercial Space StationSierra Space, a leading commercial space-tech company and next generation defense-tech prime building a platform in space to benefit life on Earth and protect the freedom of economic activity in the Orbital Age®, announced today that its expandable space station technology is scheduled for its seventh key validation test, and second full-scale structural test, this June at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.Completion of successful testing next month will accelerate this innovative technology to on-orbit operations. The test article in the company’s historic first full-scale burst test last December reached 77 psi before it burst, which well exceeded (+27%) NASA’s recommended level of 60.8 psi (maximum operating pressure of 15.2 psi multiplied by a safety factor of four). Sierra Space is the only space company that has advanced to full-scale structural testing of commercial space station technology.The company’s second full-scale test next month will be another Ultimate Burst Pressure (UBP) test to validate the technology’s ability to perform flawlessly in the unforgiving conditions of space. The test article, currently in assembly, is equivalent to one third the volume of the entire International Space Station (ISS).The upcoming test will also mark another milestone in Sierra Space’s co-development of Orbital Reef with Blue Origin, along with the technical maturation of its LIFE® (Large Integrated Flexible Environment) product line of expandable “softgoods” modules. The modules are launched (packed) inside a standard rocket fairing and can expand up to 6x in size once on orbit. The LIFE pressure shell is constructed of high-strength woven fabric materials, or softgoods, consisting primarily of Vectran, which form rigid structures when pressurized on orbit.In addition to this technology being used by Sierra Space and Blue Origin as part of their Orbital Reef partnership, it will also be employed by Sierra Space for the company’s pathfinder space station, which will be focused on biotech use cases.
Our team is preparing for the second LIFE 285 full-scale burst test of our space station technology at @NASA_Marshall in June. The full-scale test article features an updated blanking plate design and interface, along with improvements in manufacturing, assembly, and integration.
Sierra Space, a leading commercial space company and emerging defense tech prime building a platform in space to benefit and protect life on Earth, announced today its collaboration with Japan-based partners on a cutting-edge passive docking system, or PDS, that will be integrated into the company’s new commercial space station platform. The system is being developed jointly by IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd., a principal contributor to Japan’s space engineering expertise, and Kanematsu Corporation, a global trading powerhouse.The new PDS system – an integral element facilitating secure and efficient spacecraft docking including with Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser® spaceplane – will be developed in accordance with the International Docking System Standard (IDSS). IHI Aerospace’s solution is designed to offer simplicity, versatility and utmost reliability in space docking operations.(...)
Our LIFE285 Ultimate Burst Pressure test article's softgoods integration instrumentation, painting and photogrammetry preparation has been completed. The test article passed a rigorous inspection prior to being transported for a low pressurization test located at @NASA_Marshall.
We are "bursting" with enthusiasm at @NASA_Marshall - where we are set for a historic second full-scale burst test of our inflatable space station technology.
Jul 25, 2024Sierra Space, a leading commercial space-tech company that is Building a Platform in Space to Benefit Life on Earth®, announced today that its expandable space station technology successfully passed a seventh key validation test, and second full-scale structural test, at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The results herald a giant leap towards building the world’s first end-to-end business and technology platform in Low Earth Orbit, enabling humanity to find the answers to some of the toughest problems faced on Earth.Completion of the successful Ultimate Burst Pressure test, which occurred on June 18 in collaboration with ILC Dover Astrospace and NASA, accelerates Sierra Space’s revolutionary softgoods technology towards on-orbit operations. Planned for an initial stand-alone pathfinder mission before the end of the decade, the technology will also feature as a key element of the Orbital Reef commercial space station. The test will close out Milestone #8 for Orbital Reef with Blue Origin under NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program.
The latest test by the numbers: • Company’s second Ultimate Burst Pressure test of a full-size, inflatable space station structure occurred on June 18 • Test unit stood over 20’ tall and was comparable in size to an average family home • The article was 300 m³ in volume, or 1/3rd the volume of the International Space Station • Test results exceeded NASA’s recommended x4 safety levels by 22% • Two 4-ft x 4-ft steel blanking plates were integrated into the highest loaded cylinder section of the article; both were 50 lbs. lighter than the ones used in the first full-scale test and accommodate larger windowsThe test article in the company’s historic first full-scale burst test last December peaked at 77 psi, which well exceeded (+27%) NASA’s recommended level of 60.8 psi (maximum operating pressure of 15.2 psi multiplied by a safety factor of four). This most recent test in June showed similar results – within five percent of the pressure loading of December’s test article – with this one reaching 74 psi, exceeding NASA’s 4x safety factor by 22 percent. These back-to-back test results accelerate Sierra Space’s path to flight certification, verifying scalability for 10 cubic-meter and up to 1,400 cubic-meter structures based on the company’s current softgoods inflatable architecture. Sierra Space is currently gearing up for a first test of its 500 cubic-meter space station technology next year.“No other company is moving at the speed of Sierra Space to develop actual hardware, stress-tested at full scale, and demonstrate repeatability. We’ve taken a softgoods system that very few companies around the world have been able to design, and now we have consistent, back-to-back results,” said Shawn Buckley, VP of Earthspace™ Systems, Space Stations, at Sierra Space. “A second successful full-scale test is an absolute game changer. We now know it’s possible to equal or surpass the total habitable volume of the entire International Space Station, in a single launch.”The test article once again included two four-foot by four-foot blanking plates – metallic structures inserted into the softgoods shell to emulate a future design component, such as a window, robotic arm or antenna attachment point. They were 50 pounds lighter than the ones used in the first full-scale test and designed to accommodate larger windows.In the ever-evolving landscape of space exploration and commercialization, Sierra Space’s Large Integrated Flexible Environment (LIFE®) technology stands as a pioneering concept that will reshape how humans live and work in space. LIFE launches on a conventional rocket and inflates on orbit. The first LIFE product in the roadmap is a large, three-story structure that is 27 feet in diameter. It can comfortably sleep four astronauts, with additional room for science experiments, exercise equipment, a medical center and Astro Garden® system, which can grow fresh produce for astronauts on long-duration space missions.
NASA, Sierra Space, and ILC Dover recently conducted the second full-scale ultimate burst pressure test on Sierra Space’s LIFE (Large Integrated Flexible Environment) habitat using testing capabilities at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
Last month, we announced the second successful LIFE 285 Ultimate Burst Pressure test. The second test was within 5% of the the first test result, with this test article reaching 74 psi, exceeding NASA’s 4x safety factor by 22 percent. Full video: https://bit.ly/4fC7S62
Sierra Space, a leading commercial space-tech company that is Building a Platform in Space to Benefit Life on Earth®, announced today that its expandable space station technology successfully passed a seventh key validation test, and second full-scale structural test, at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The results herald a giant leap towards building the world’s first end-to-end business and technology platform in Low Earth Orbit, enabling humanity to find the answers to some of the toughest problems faced on Earth.Completion of the successful Ultimate Burst Pressure test, which occurred on June 18 in collaboration with ILC Dover Astrospace and NASA, accelerates Sierra Space’s revolutionary softgoods technology towards on-orbit operations. Planned for an initial stand-alone pathfinder mission before the end of the decade, the technology will also feature as a key element of the Orbital Reef commercial space station. The test will close out Milestone #8 for Orbital Reef with Blue Origin under NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program.
We are in the final steps of softgoods certification for our LIFE 10 pressure shell test. Since 2022, we have surpassed NASA’s certification recommendations on six sub-scale inflatable units.
Nov 20, 2024We have successfully completed our sixth stress test and fourth Ultimate Burst Pressure (UBP) test for our LIFE® 10 commercial space station technology, achieving a rupture at 255 psi, the highest pressure yet. This test exceeded NASA's Factor of Safety recommendations, demonstrating a safety factor greater than 16x in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and 23x in lunar environments. Our team continues to lead in the development of expandable structures for various space applications, as we build the world's first commercial space station.Press Release: https://www.sierraspace.com/press-releases/sierra-spaces-commercial-space-station-technology-nears-certification/
In this virtual field trip, Sierra Space engineer and program manager Beth Licavoli will walk us through the production of the inflatable habitat, explain how they test the structure of the habitat, and give us a tour inside a fully inflated habitat.
Interesting that both Bigelow and now Sierra both lay out their floors longitudinally rather than radially.
