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Flexi-space room expansion suspended | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The deployment of a new, expandable "room" on the International Space Station was suspended on Thursday when it failed to open up as expected. | |
Astronaut Jeff Williams began inflating the module, but controllers eventually told him to stand down after 3.5 hours of extremely slow progress. | |
Installed in a compact form, the vessel is supposed to stretch to 4m in length with a volume of 16 cu m. | |
But as Williams squirted air into the module, it stretched only a few cm. | |
Engineers on the ground will now review the data with a view to resuming the expansion on Friday. | |
The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module is a demonstrator for the type of habitats that may be used to build future orbiting labs. | |
It is possible such rooms could even make for more living space during the many months it would take humans to travel to Mars. | |
The Beam was taken up to the station last month and connected to a berthing point on the Tranquility module. | |
If and when the astronauts can get the new room filled out, it will undergo two years of tests. | |
Engineers want to know if the structure is as robust as traditional metal modules. | |
Astronauts will not actually go in the Beam that often, given its experimental nature. And when they do, it will be to have a quick look around to check its integrity. Nothing will be stored in the room, either. | |
Most of the time, the hatch to the Beam will remain closed and controllers on the ground will monitor its status through a series of embedded sensors. These will track temperature, pressure, radiation and impacts. | Most of the time, the hatch to the Beam will remain closed and controllers on the ground will monitor its status through a series of embedded sensors. These will track temperature, pressure, radiation and impacts. |
The Beam has been produced in a partnership between the US space agency (Nasa) and American entrepreneur Robert Bigelow, who built his fortune on the back of a budget hotel chain. | The Beam has been produced in a partnership between the US space agency (Nasa) and American entrepreneur Robert Bigelow, who built his fortune on the back of a budget hotel chain. |
His ambition now is to take that accommodation experience into orbit. | His ambition now is to take that accommodation experience into orbit. |
Although the vessel attached to the space station is only a little bigger than a broom cupboard, the businessman has plans for expandable modules that are substantially bigger. | Although the vessel attached to the space station is only a little bigger than a broom cupboard, the businessman has plans for expandable modules that are substantially bigger. |
He hopes to rent these out to anyone who wants to use them for science and even tourism - as hotels in space. | He hopes to rent these out to anyone who wants to use them for science and even tourism - as hotels in space. |
Already, Robert Bigelow has a rocket booked for 2020, to take up his BA-330 model, which, as the designation intimates, has a volume of 330 cubic metres (12,000 cu ft). | Already, Robert Bigelow has a rocket booked for 2020, to take up his BA-330 model, which, as the designation intimates, has a volume of 330 cubic metres (12,000 cu ft). |