"Now there's intense interest in a radically different model: launching space habitats that can inflate like balloons once they're in space, creating far more room for astronauts inside - and maximizing the amount of orbital real estate they can claim with just a single launch. Case in point, the aptly-named startup Max Space recently unveiled plans for its private space habitat, dubbed Thunderbird Station, that can expand to a whopping 12,300 cubic feet"
"While it remains to be seen whether the company will ultimately be successful in its ambitious endeavor - it's only one of several companies working on inflatable space habitats - it's an exciting vision for a far roomier and potentially luxurious future in our planet's orbit. It's especially pertinent because the retirement of the ISS is a mere five years away, which could leave NASA without the ability to conduct scientific experiments in space."
The International Space Station was assembled segment by segment using many expensive, complex rocket launches. Inflatable habitats promise compact launch profiles that expand in orbit to provide far greater usable volume per launch. Max Space's Thunderbird Station plans to expand to 12,300 cubic feet—about a third of the ISS volume—while fitting on a single SpaceX Falcon 9, with a tentative 2029 launch. Design features include large domed windows, huge live-view screens for entertainment and communications, private pods, and a reconfigurable interior to create working and living areas during missions. ISS retirement in roughly five years has prompted calls for private successors.
Read at Futurism
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]