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  • Udvar-Hazy Center in VA
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View of the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center tower at sunset

One museum, two locations

Visit us in Washington, DC and Chantilly, VA to explore hundreds of the world’s most significant objects in aviation and space history. Free timed-entry passes are required for the Museum in DC.

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Apollo 11: Buzz Aldrin on the Moon

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space shuttle launch

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Women in Aviation and Space Family Day

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Bob Hoover Gives an Air Show Performance

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Inflatable Home Concept

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  2. Multimedia Gallery
  3. Inflatable Home Concept
  • A drawing of a ramp leading into an inflated cylindrical structure. An astronaut stands on the ramp near the entrance to the structure. There is another inflatable structure attached to the other end, but in a deflated state.
    Download Image

    If you wanted to bring a habitat from Earth to space, you’d need something lightweight yet strong and easily movable. Could something inflatable work? Companies are developing prototypes.  
    Like spacesuits, inflatable habitats would be made of durable materials to protect against punctures from tiny space rocks and radiation. 

    This drawing shows an example of what an inflatable habitat might look like. In the center, connected to the ramp, is an inflated module. Attached on it's right side is an example of an uninflated module. When uninflated, the modules are small and easy to transport. Once inflated, modules can be joined together and used as living spaces. 

  • A drawing of a ramp leading into an inflated cylindrical structure. An astronaut stands on the ramp near the entrance to the structure. There is another inflatable structure attached to the other end, but in a deflated state.

ID#:

GL-109-314-02 IG

Source:

Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum

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Smithsonian Institution

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