Lockheed Martin's space dwelling exploded again during testing, but it was planned that way

Lockheed Martin continues to work on space housing. The company recently tested an inflatable module.

Here's What We Know

The tests took place at a factory in Denver, Colorado. The inflatable module exploded after the pressure reached 18 kg/sq cm, which is about six times the working pressure rating for space housing.

Lockheed Martin conducted a similar test in late 2022. It too ended with a planned explosion of the inflatable module. A key feature of the new test was that the module was tossed into the air before the explosion.

NASA wants an inflatable habitation, and the space agency has launched the NestSTEP project to do just that. The programme aims to develop technology that will allow astronauts to fly long space missions beyond low Earth orbit.

Now that Lockheed Martin has completed its second test, the US company must evaluate the operational capabilities of the design. Lockheed will then move on to full-scale testing, adding a number of other components, including life-support hatches.

Source: space