Building 1148: The Structures and Materials Lab at NASA Langley Research Center

When a NASA Langley engineer needs a new material, he or she turns to the Structures and Materials lab, which focuses on Langley’s missions in flight and space Exploration. Finding light, durable materials and building space worthy structures is crucial to living in space and improving how we travel through our earth’s atmosphere. This lab develops ways to protect astronauts from radiation, harmful dust and the environments of space, the Moon to Mars. Langley’s Structures and Materials lab is testing concepts like inflatable structures for living and working in space. Inflatable structures such as these could be assembled in space with the assistance of robots such as the NINJAR or the SAMURAI. Building 1148 also researched materials to make the Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator, or HIAD. This light and compact heat shield inflates upon entry into Mars’ atmosphere, protecting the spacecraft from intense heat, slowing it down, and maximizing cargo space. HIAD must be made out of a durable material that can withstand intense heat and cold temperatures without sacrificing its ability to be stowed away tightly. In this lab, NASA Langley is helping to define the building blocks to tomorrow’s aircraft, spacecraft and space habitats.

Channel: NASA Langley Research Center

Views: 2,378

Keywords: NASA, Langley Research Center, aeronautics, exploration, science, research, technology, engineering

Id: 5Fv-TH50RK8

Length: 1min 26sec (86 seconds)

Published: Tue Oct 17 2023