Nanoracks’ Bishop Airlock was successfully cycled aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and disposed of around 172-pounds of waste, or as some like to say…’taking out the trash’. Typically, ISS astronauts collect trash and store it for months, awaiting for the Cygnus cargo vehicle to arrive and eventually haul their trash away.
Why eventually? Well, Cygnus is only able to haul the trash away after completing its primary mission at the ISS. Once that happens, astronauts fill the spacecraft with bags of trash before it’s released from the ISS for de-orbit, where the entire spacecraft is burned up upon reentry into the Earth’s atmosphere. Nanoracks’ innovative concept utilizes a specially designed waste container, mounted in the Bishop Airlock, that can be filled with up to 600-pounds of trash. The waste bag can then be released safely and the Airlock re-mounted empty. During the recent test, the 172-pounds of trash included foam, packing materials, cargo transfer bags, dirty crew clothing, hygiene products and used office supplies. We’re just waiting for Orbital Assembly Corporation to start building its proposed space station with artificial gravity.
LEGO Ideas International Space Station 21321 Building Kit, Adult Set for Display, Makes a Great Birthday Present (864 Pieces)
- Challenge your construction skills with this LEGO Ideas ISS (21321) display model, featuring 2 rotating joints with 8 adjustable ‘solar panels’, posable Canadarm2 and other authentic details to discover as you build
- This ISS model comes with a stand, 2 astronaut microfigures, a brick-built mini NASA space shuttle and 3 mini cargo spacecrafts to create a spectacular display and rekindle nostalgic memories of childhood LEGO projects
- Includes a 148-page booklet featuring fascinating facts about the International Space Station, the spaceship model’s fan creator and LEGO designer, and a celebration of the LEGO Ideas theme’s 10th anniversary
- A super treat for yourself, birthday present or holiday gift idea for space fans, adults aged 16+ or any experienced LEGO builder, this 864-piece set offers hours of creative fun, whether built solo or with friends
- This ISS (International Space Station) toy building kit for adults, measuring over 7” (20cm) high, 12” (31cm) long and 19” (49cm) wide, makes a beautiful display model that will catch the eye of every passerby
This weekend was yet another historic milestone for the Nanoracks team. This was the first open-close cycle of the Bishop Airlock, our first deployment, and what we hope is the beginning of new, more sustainable ISS disposal operations. This successful test not only demonstrates the future of waste removal for space stations, but also highlights our ability to leverage the ISS as a commercial technology testbed,” said Dr. Amela Wilson, Nanoracks CEO.