Topic: First Inflatable Spacecraft Mission Continues Problem Free

[Nemesis]

Link to 1st article

The one-third-scale prototype is 4.5 meters (15 feet) long with a diameter of 2.4 meters (8 feet). The tough fabric shell is made of a composite of Kevlar - used to make bullet-proof vests - and an advanced material called Vectran.

The spacecraft's planned operational lifetime is five years, during which technicians will determine if Genesis can maintain the proper internal air pressure and temperature, whether it can withstand any collisions with space debris and micrometeorites, and whether solar radiation causes any deterioration of the airtight fabric.

Link to 2nd article

“It’s going better than we would have anticipated,” added Mike Gold, corporate counsel for Bigelow Aerospace in Washington, D.C. Both he and Pierson, and other Bigelow Aerospace personnel were on hand for the Dnepr liftoff that placed Genesis-1 into Earth orbit.