NASA's NEW Space Station with life habitat, unlike any others!!!

Could you imagine living in a balloon while floating in space? Quite an unbelievable experience, don't you think? That's exactly what Sierra Space and NASA are aiming for, building a next generation space station with inflatable modules for the Life Habitat system inside. And Sierra Space is showing the world that their crazy idea is not unrealistic. They have gradually proven the capabilities along with the reliability of this new innovation through tests, especially with the most recent durability test on April 20th, garnering results far exceeding their expectations, even surpassing NASA's requirements. This will be a completely new system, one of a few options for NASA to replace the ISS after this station ends its mission. It's not just a simple space station for astronauts to live and work like its predecessor. It'll potentially be the future home for humans in future space travel. So how will this space station pull it off? Let's pump that balloon up and take a closer look at all the latest regarding this sensation in today's episode of Great SpaceX. 2030 will probably be the time when the ISS, the largest man-made structure in space, ends its service. After more than two decades of operations, outdated facilities, and high maintenance costs, it's proving difficult to serve more modern missions in the near future. But its end will mark a new chapter in the saga of scientific research in the realm of microgravity. Though the retirement of the ISS will certainly create a large vacancy, NASA, along with many private companies, are looking to replace it. Among this coalition of third parties is Sierra Space, which pitched a new and unique idea that is completely different from traditional concepts of a space station. They'll create inflatable modules similar to the principle of balloons pumped up to expand, forming internal areas to support science research and other services. But before anyone dares to step inside, many may wonder how this balloon can exist in space with so many dangers. That's where we come in to assure you not to worry, as safety is always the top priority for any space project. Sierra Space's engineers have chosen to use materials that are durable enough to protect from dangers. The outermost layer is a vectrin layer, which is more durable than materials like steel, and it'll act like a bulletproof vest to help it withstand collisions with space debris. Next is a urethane bag that helps keep, protect, and prevent air from leaking out. Finally, there is a padding layer made of nylon and foam inside to protect the urethane bag from damage from activities on the inside. Sierra Space has tested them many times. Recently, they conducted a durability test on September 20th. This test added a metal plate representing the window that will be installed on the module. The test was successful above expectations. The module exploded at a pressure 20% higher than the previous test without the metal plate. That will be the basis for more difficult tests in the future. Safety issues are being solved, so you can step inside with peace of mind. Speaking of which, let's talk about the Life Habitat system. Sierra Space CEO Tom Weiss emphasized the importance of this system. The Life Habitat module is essential technology for enabling humans to safely and comfortably begin to develop new civilizations in space. Life stands for a large integrated flexible environment. Large integrated ability and flexibility are the three core factors that create the strengths of this system. Let's clarify them. First is the L factor, which is large. When seeing this airbag for the first time, many people will probably think, how can this become a place big enough to live and work? That's because they weren't banking on the fact that we can pump this baby up even more. At maximum size, the space inside will be large enough to accommodate at least four people. It'll have a diameter and height of over 8 meters, a volume of 300 cubic meters and divided into three floors with all necessary amenities. Regarding the issue of living, we will have essential areas, including the bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom. For work activities, we'll have areas for observing, researching, analyzing, and conducting scientific experiments. There are also many other support systems for astronauts, such as the medical system, fitness equipment room, and relaxation area. In particular, there will also be an area for astronauts to grow vegetables, creating a source of fresh food that provides valuable nutrients. Next is the I factor, which stands for integrated ability. Living in space is completely different from living on Earth, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't come with its own inconveniences. The engineers at Sierra Space also knew that this was going to be a problem, thereby they integrated many systems into their space station. One of the biggest problems with living in space is waste disposal. The good old engineers at Sierra have solved this problem by developing a system that recycles water and waste to create clean water for essential needs such as drinking, washing, irrigation, and more. This will help optimize the amount of resources available, helping to save a lot of costs and resources on lengthy tasks. This balloon will also act as a giant air conditioner. It is equipped with a system to control and regulate pressure, temperature, humidity, and air inside, helping to create the most comfortable living and working environment for astronauts. The entire module will be powered by a solar power system and backup batteries, which will provide stable power for the module as well as the entire space station. This will be a smart solution because it not only maintains a stable power source, but is also a clean, low-polluting energy source that can be self-sufficient in space away from Earth. And finally, the third factor is F, which stands for flexibility. Since these modules are built on the inflatable principle, that means we can fold them, put them in payload compartments, and then send them to space and inflate them out there. The advantage of this is saving weight, cost, and time for transportation and construction. With the old space station, the modules had a fixed size, so it'd take up a large payload space and would even require separate missions to launch it. For example, the Destiny module is 8.2 meters long and 4.3 meters wide, and the Zvezda module is up to 21.2 meters long and 8.2 meters wide. Meanwhile, heavy launch vehicles like the Falcon Heavy have a fairing compartment that is only 13.1 meters high and 5.2 meters wide. Thus, deploying such modules would require at least one separate flight to send it to space. The ISS, at the size of a football field, measured 74 meters long and 108 meters wide, including 16 modules, taking the US and other countries 14 years to complete. But with inflatable technology, we'll be able to send many modules at the same time. Not only is it fast and economical, but it can also create a larger space station than the solid structures of traditional modules. This is the strength of flexibility. The three factors L, I, and F have broken traditional concepts of a space station, making it more like a house. It'll be a step that creates the US's breakthrough compared to other countries in the space race. Perhaps over the past 25 years, we have become too familiar or maybe complacent with 20th century technology inside the ISS, with cramped module compartments, old machinery, and tangled electrical wires causing many inconveniences to the astronauts living and working there. This is a big disadvantage of the ISS compared to other space station systems, especially China's Tiangong space station. Skipping the issue of progress, in terms of technology, what China is doing with its space station is gradually surpassing the ISS. Looking at the picture comparing these two space stations, we can see that the Tiangong looks more modern, neater, and much more spacious than the ISS, even though it may look smaller. But now, the new space station will be a good choice to help NASA and the US compete with the Tiangong. In fact, it may even be better than the Chinese space station with its advantages, large integrated ability and flexibility that help the US and NASA defeat their biggest rival and maintain their current leading position in the space race. Obviously, that will be the missions of NASA and other aerospace companies in the US. As for us ordinary people, we probably only care about simpler things. To live in a balloon floating and watching the magic of the universe at least once in our lifetime. I mean, why not? If it can demonstrate its ability as a space station, it surely can become even more popular as a multifunctional tourist area, with hotels and mobile apartments for space travel in the future. So, would you like to experience that feeling at least once in your life? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section down below. Otherwise, folks, that wraps it up for our show today. We hope you enjoyed learning more about the interesting space station race. And if you want to support our channel and get access to exclusive content, please consider becoming a patron by clicking the link in the description below. We appreciate your generosity and your passion for space exploration. As always, this is Kevin from GreatSpaceX, and until next time, keep looking up!