Scientists ‘blow up space station’ to test ‘burst point’ of ‘life-support bubble’ the size of a three-story apartment

A FULLSCALE space station model has been blown up at Nasa's Marshall Space Center in Alabama.

The bizarre experiment was conducted by the commercial space agency Sierra Space, which blew up its first space station module prototype in preparation for future missions.

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Blowing up the space station prototype was no small task.

The module measured over 20 feet tall and was about the size of an average family home.

Sierra Space has called its space station LIFE, which stands for Large Integrated Flexible Environment.

It was made from woven fabrics and is designed to be carried on a rocket on space missions.

Once in space, it can be inflated in orbit and become a home for astronauts.

The aim is for the space home to be bigger in volume than the current International Space Station.

Sierra Space wanted to test the safety limits of the structure and how much was too much inflation.

Using a measurement called ultimate burst pressure, Sierra Space tested just how strong the space station material is.

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Sierra Space CEO Tom Vice says: "We are driving the reinvention of the space station that will shape a new era of humanity's exploration and discovery in Low Earth Orbit and beyond.

"Sierra Space's inflatable space station technology offers the absolute largest in-space pressured volume, the best unit economics per on-orbit volume and lowest launch and total operating costs.

"Having the best unit economics positions Sierra Space as the category leader in microgravity research and product development, providing customers with the most attractive return on their investment."

Nasa's Marshall Space Flight Center provides services to Sierra Space as part of a Reimbursable Space Act Agreement.

The agreement supports the company's development of commercial Low Earth Orbit technology and risk reduction activities.

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