Sierra Space Completes Second Successful Burst Test For Bezos’s Orbital Reef Space Station

Sierra Space, with NASA’s support, recently completed a full-scale ultimate burst pressure test of the inflatable module for the Orbital Reef commercial space station.

This milestone is part of a NASA Space Act Agreement granted to Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin in 2021. 

Orbital Reef, which features contributions from Sierra Space, includes the LIFE (Large Integrated Flexible Environment) habitat structure. Teams tested Sierra Space’s LIFE habitat structure using NASA’s facilities at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

Test Of The Habitat Structure

During the test, the 300-cubic-meter module was pressurized until it burst to evaluate its durability and adherence to safety standards. The company reported that the module burst at a pressure of 74 pounds per square inch (psi). This even exceeds NASA’s safety threshold of 60.8 psi.

This result is comparable to the initial ultimate burst pressure test of the module design conducted in December, which reached 77 psi.

“A second successful full-scale test is an absolute game changer. We now know it’s possible to equal or surpass the total habitable volume of the entire International Space Station in a single launch,” said Shawn Buckley, the Sierra Space vice president leading the module’s development, in a statement.

The Habitat Structure For Orbital Reef

The inflatable habitat is made from strong webbings and fabric that create a solid structure when filled with air. Its multiple layers are tightly packed into a payload fairing and then inflated when needed, allowing the habitat to be launched on a single rocket.

The test showed how well the habitat works under pressure. Also, it gave the companies important information to support NASA’s guidelines for inflatable materials. These guidelines suggest a series of tests to check how the materials perform and fail in real conditions.

“Sierra Space’s exciting test for Orbital Reef shows the industry’s commitment and capability to develop innovative technologies and solutions for future commercial destinations,” said Angela Hart, manager of NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

The Previous Test For Orbital Reef

Before this recent test, Sierra Space carried out its first full-scale burst pressure test on the LIFE habitat at Marshall in December 2023. Additionally, the company had previously performed smaller tests at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston and at Marshall. These tests were part of their ongoing work on inflatable habitat design and testing.