Successful landing of CST 100 compartment with air bags

Boeing and Bigelow Aerospace conducted a series of tests in September 2011 with the content of the space transport container (CST) -100 and vertical drop-down designed to be checked Airbag system of this compartment.

The airbags are designed to reduce the impact force on the compartment during landing, combined with three main parachutes opened before airbags are pumped up. These umbrellas were installed in the most recent tests, when the container was dropped at an altitude of 11,000ft (3,353m) to test the umbrellas.

In the first test combined with a complete landing system, the test chamber CST-100 was released from the Erickson Sky Crane in the sky by Delmar Dry Lake Bed, Alamo, Nevada. The drop at an altitude of 11,000ft is slightly short of 12,000ft (3,658m) as originally planned, but the umbrellas have succeeded in significantly reducing the speed of the cavity, before the six Exaggerated airbags create a smooth landing.

John Mulholland, Boeing Commercial Programs vice president and project manager, said: 'This successful test is a milestone to bring Boeing one step closer to completing the development of the system, providing Flight levels take the crew into space with safety, practicality and reasonable cost ".

Once checked and rearranged, a second experiment scheduled later this month will completely simulate the system even when operating, including the funnel-shaped umbrella that opens in sequence. , located on the roof of the main umbrella. In addition, a series of airbag tests were scheduled in May, while the satellite-controlled engine will undergo a fire test in June.

Rapid test flights for CST-100 are expected to transport crews of the International Space Station (ISS) and private space stations (such as Bigelow's next-generation International Trade Station project ), scheduled for 2015 - 2016 with Atlas V launch vehicle of United Launch Alliance.