Why NASA blew up a space habitat in Texas

Engineers at a commercial space company couldn't be prouder of their shredded outer space house.

Sierra Space, working on one of three NASA contracts to develop commercial space stations, just completed a test on a mock up of its low-Earth space dwelling. One day the LIFE habitat could be used as rooms on the Blue Origin space station. The companies hope to build the station in the year 2026.

NASA has to make sure the structure is safe for humans.

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The inflatable house was pumped to its breaking point on July 9 to see if it could survive. The test was filmed at NASA's Johnson Space Center. Video of the demonstration was released this week.

The aural experience can be experienced by turning up the video.

Alex Walker is a spokesman for Sierra Space. Blow up means explode.

The team was thrilled to hear the house didn't pop until it reached 192 pounds per square-inch.

The International Space Station is pressurized so that the people on board can breathe. The pressurized volume in the space laboratory is the same as that of a plane. The normal cabin pressure is 14.7 pounds per square inch.

Sierra Space is working with Blue Origin on developing a commercial space station with a NASA contract. Credit: Sierra Space

NASA awarded a $130 million contract to Blue Origin for the commercial space station as the U.S. space agency tries to transition to a model in which businesses own and operate destinations NASA wants to focus on its human exploration missions to the moon and possibly Mars, so the cost of doing orbital science will be dropped.

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Engineers say the fabric used in the LIFE habitat is five times stronger than steel and has protection against space radiation. It won't get damaged by meteorites and other debris in space.

It might seem like a little pig building his house out of straw, but experts say it is both strong and ideal for packing small loads on rockets. Vectran is light and can be folded like a parachute to make it less expensive to fly.

Left: Before: Sierra Space is testing a material for building space habitats. Credit: Sierra Space

Right: After: The LIFE habitat popped at a pressure of 192 pounds per square inch [psi]. Credit: Sierra Space

You can hit this material with a sledgehammer when it's inflated.

inflatable buildings are said to be the way of the future. Bubble houses can be used on the face of the moon and Mars. The Space Station is one-third the size of the LIFE habitats.

Engineers will be testing a full scale model of the habitat. A duplicate will be built at Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama next year, but one already exists at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Walker said that it's one step closer for humans to live and work in low- Earth circle.