Shalini Gupta

US Patent:

62310100, May 15, 2001

Filed:

Jan 25, 1999

Appl. No.:

9/236785

Inventors:

William C. Schneider - Houston TX
Horacio M. de la Fuente - Friendswood TX
Gregg A. Edeen - Friendswood TX
Kriss J. Kennedy - League City TX
James D. Lester - Houston TX
Shalini Gupta - Houston TX
Linda F. Hess - Pearland TX
Chin H. Lin - Houston TX
Richard H. Malecki - Alvin TX
Jasen L. Raboin - League City TX

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration - Washington DC

International Classification:

B64G 112
B64G 156
B64G 160

US Classification:

244159

Abstract:

An inflatable module comprising a structural core and an inflatable shell, wherein the inflatable shell is sealingly attached to the structural core. In its launch configuration, the wall thickness of the inflatable shell is collapsed by vacuum. Also in this configuration, the inflatable shell is collapsed and efficiently folded around the structural core. Upon deployment, the wall thickness of the inflatable shell is inflated; whereby the inflatable shell itself, is thereby inflated around the structural core, defining therein a large enclosed volume. A plurality of removable shelves are arranged interior to the structural core in the launch configuration. The structural core also includes at least one longeron that, in conjunction with the shelves, primarily constitute the rigid, strong, and lightweight load-bearing structure of the module during launch. The removable shelves are detachable from their arrangement in the launch configuration so that, when the module is in its deployed configuration and launch loads no longer exist, the shelves can be rearranged to provide a module interior arrangement suitable for human habitation and work. In the preferred embodiment, to provide efficiency in structural load paths and attachments, the shape of the inflatable shell is a cylinder with semi-toroidal ends.