The amazing thing about these inflatable spacecraft is that they can be squeezed into small canisters only a fraction of their full size and then inflated once they arrive in space using a sophisticated deployment system that releases an inert gas to push out the walls of the inflatable material. Space inflatable technology has been around since the 1960s, but has played a minor role in space exploration to this point. With the ability to cut costs, space inflatables could once again be used to build 1,000-foot antennas, space habitats or solar sails , which wouldn't be practical with conventional spacecraft materials. In this edition of How Stuff Will Work , we will take a look at two kinds of space inflatables being developed and how they may pave the way for interstellar travel and Martian colonies. Inc. All rights reserved.
Meteors burn up when they hit the earth's atmosphere.