The development team achieved a reliable airtight connection between the rigid structures and the flexible shell.
Space factories could become the next frontier in the competition between China and the United States for launching orbital manufacturing. A group of Chinese scientists has completed ground tests of a transformable inflatable module for a space station that could enable large-scale industrial production in orbit.
The new module features an innovative design that allows it to be launched in a folded state. In orbit, it inflates, forming a large platform for space manufacturing. This development could enhance China's space ambitions. Against the backdrop of delays in the U.S. Artemis lunar program, China is increasingly striving to leverage advanced technologies to gain leadership in space.
Orbital platforms are traditionally limited by the capabilities of launch vehicles. Due to the extremely high costs of launching, deploying a large platform into orbit remains a challenging task. China's new inflatable module allows overcoming this obstacle, paving the way for mass production in space. Details of the development were disclosed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). According to the scientists, tests showed that the deployed module forms a cylindrical structure with a diameter of over two meters.
During the tests, the development team achieved a reliable airtight connection between the rigid structures and the flexible shell. Controlled unfolding in microgravity conditions was also successfully demonstrated. This will create a stable environment for high-precision manufacturing in space. "This technology will transition space manufacturing from the stage of conceptual demonstration to engineering reality," explained project leader Yang Yiqiang from the CAS Institute of Mechanics. "In the future, the use of space resources will become more accessible."
Researchers claim that the expandable design is ideal for space manufacturing, allowing for mass production of biopharmaceuticals and the creation of fundamentally new materials.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rMLz4fXpZew?si=V5AwWcx-G0UaWHwk" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
