A team of US companies is working to develop an inflatable airlock that could save weight and volume on space missions. The Advanced Inflatable Airlock programme tested a prototype 3m (10ft) airlock this year, 50% bigger than the hardwall airlock on the Space Shuttle. When deflated, however, it is only a quarter the volume of the current airlock. The two-layer fabric airlock is made of 82kg (180lb) of material sandwiched at either end by metal hatches that together weigh about 980kg.
The internal bladder holds the air, while the external restraining layer, manufactured by A&P Technology, is the largest structural braid ever produced.
The airlock was designed by Clemson University Apparel Research (CAR) and New York-based FTL Design Studio. Christine Jarvis, director of CAR, says the single-piece fabric construction gives it its strength. "Seams limit the strength of fabric structures, so we decided to eliminate them," she says.
Honeywell is the prime contractor for the programme, which is being managed by NASA's Johnson Space Center. The prototype has been tested at four atmospheres of internal pressure, equal to tensile force of about 675,000lb (3,000kN) around its equator.
Source: Flight International
