BEIJING, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) – An inflatable capsule has passed its in-orbit flight test aboard China’s Shijian-19 satellite, according to the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) on Thursday.
The test was a complete success, CAST said.
The inflatable capsule is a new, multi-functional type of sealed capsule composed of a flexible skin. It is compressed and folded during launch, and unfolded and inflated after entering orbit.
It is lightweight and has a high folding efficiency, making it an effective way to build large sealed capsules in space.
During its carrying technology verification test, the product underwent an environmental assessment of its launch process and successfully completed a series of flight actions, including unlocking, inflating, unfolding and maintaining pressure.
Indicators such as capsule body bearing capacity, airtightness performance and interior capsule temperature met their technical verification expectations.
The technological achievements of the inflatable capsule will provide technical support for China’s major space projects, such as its space station and manned lunar landing projects, CAST said.
I haven’t found many technical details on this test. It seems to be roughly equivalent to NASA’s BEAM module now attached to the ISS. BEAM was originally just going to be a temporary test, but it’s worked so well that it’s been left permanently attached and is used for cargo storage. “Inflatable” is the common reporter jargon but “unfoldable” is more accurate.
