Nanoracks wants to convert waste a rocket into outer housing

As NASA is working on sending humans into deep space, the agency looking for new types of housing space, where astronauts could live far from Earth. Nanoracks company offers an interesting idea: instead of building something completely new, to take and remake the already existing space equipment to create living spaces. Their plan is to convert the spent rocket tanks in suitable habitats for life deep space explorers.

Now Nanoracks already signed a contract with NASA, and it begins to implement his concept into reality. Last summer, the company entered the list of the six, which will take place in the second round of NASA NextSTEP program, initiatives to create concepts and prototypes of new terrestrial space habitats. With newfound contract Nanoracks can begin to develop a concept called Ixion and turn the waste tank missile in the environment, which can then be checked in space.

In principle, the company just wants to use the equipment, which would otherwise simply be thrown. When a rocket launching a satellite, the probe is typically delivered to the final orbit on an upper transport level, which has a separate motor and fuel. The upper level usually goes into orbit with the satellite, but its fuel tanks anymore, and there is a lot of free space.

If these steps are located in a relatively low orbit, they usually boil down to these manually; any remaining fuel is used for a step towards the ground and in the atmosphere of burning. Thus, the steps are not added to the growing number of space debris around the Earth. But instead of burning the stage, Nanoracks want to keep them in orbit and processed, turning into something completely new. "We complement what is already there," said Mike Johnson. "It can be cool to save." According to plan the remaining fuel discharged into space, completely clearing tank. Or, if the missile uses cryogenic propellants, as is done in many modern vehicles, materials having a boiling point within a few days, as the stage revolves around the earth and heated by the sun. When the tank is completely empty, Nanoracks load the pressurized air from a small vessel in orbit. Each of these houses will be small units affixed on the outside, which will be valuable supplies, life support systems and other items. The modules can also be used to combine with other dwellings, existing in space.

When the tank is sealed, it will launch the crew - men or robots - to equip the interior. Most of the rocket tanks equipped with small hatches, and the company plans to add to these hatches connecting tunnels to the crews could get inside. Then add foldable fabric to make the interior more comfortable for astronauts and diversify metal structures. "Tooling equipment is quite simple; it is made of cloth, and it built the wires, "says Johnson. "Compared with other methods of creating habitable environments, it is quite cheap - from the point of view of cheapness weight, cheap materials and cheap volume."

It will take time before the new hearth and home will be open for people. First, you need to thoroughly work out the concept and test it on the ground. Then a team of engineers will try to convert one of the tanks of the upper stage "Centaurus", which produces a United Launch Alliance. At present, this level is used on the Atlas V rocket, and will soon be used on Vulcan. Then the company wants to attach the waste tank to the International Space Station for testing. And if all goes well, the tank is simply there to stay. From it can be made a commercial unit. Nanoracks plans to attach a tank to the ISS in the next four years, Johnson says. But while the company will first contract with NASA, which includes research the viability of the concept. Of all the companies in the program NextSTEP, Nanoracks only plans to convert existing tanks, and Johnson hopes that it will provide its flexibility in promoting. The range of application too wide.