[HN Gopher] Self-locking and stiffening deployable tubular struc...
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       Self-locking and stiffening deployable tubular structures
        
       Author : PaulHoule
       Score  : 49 points
       Date   : 2024-10-04 14:33 UTC (8 hours ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (www.pnas.org)
 (TXT) w3m dump (www.pnas.org)
        
       | JKCalhoun wrote:
       | Inflatable space stations was my first thought.
       | 
       | (Who am I kidding, _inflatable space stations_ is often my first
       | thought about many things.)
       | 
       | But seriously, was recently watching the "Man in Space" series
       | that Disney did in the 50's with Werner von Braun -- he where
       | shows us his inflatable space station. So I've been kind of
       | thinking more about that of late.
        
         | jmvoodoo wrote:
         | Sierra space seems to be furthest along on this. Videos of
         | their burst tests are pretty epic as well.
         | 
         | https://www.sierraspace.com/commercial-space-stations/life-s...
        
         | Terr_ wrote:
         | I am not a professional space station designer, but I think I'd
         | want it to remain structurally sound and consistent even if the
         | internal pressure was removed for maintenance or lost in an
         | accident.
         | 
         | Granted, "inflatable" could also mean "gas-powered setup",
         | distinct from regular shape-keeping. (And, heh, station-
         | keeping.)
        
       | justinclift wrote:
       | That's pretty cool. Wonder what the upper limits of this
       | technique would be, given stronger base materials?
       | 
       | ie rapid deployment of light weight bridges in disaster areas,
       | military engagements (such as fording rivers), and that kind of
       | thing
        
       | ricksunny wrote:
       | Great now do one that holds vacuum.
       | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum_airship
        
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       (page generated 2024-10-04 23:00 UTC)