Il modulo Beam (Bigelow Expendable Activity Module), la casa gonfiabile agganciata alla Stazione Spaziale Internazionale (ISS), è stato gonfiato con successo. Esso verrà sperimentato nei prossimi due anni dagli astronauti, che dovranno verificare la possibilità che possa diventare una base per le future colonie umane sulla Luna e su Marte. Vi entreranno, tre o quattro volte all’anno, per alcune ore per recuperare i dati forniti dai sensori che permetteranno di valutarne le condizioni.
Beam ha raggiunto il suo diametro finale di 3,22 metri a la lunghezza di 4 metri alle 22.10 (ora svizzera) di sabato. Rimarrà ora agganciato alla ISS per un periodo di prova di due anni durante il quale verrà testato il suo funzionamento in condizioni di microgravità. Il volume dell'"abitazione" è di 16 metri cubi, equivalente a una tenda familiare da campeggio.
ansa/mrj
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