RIGIDIZABLE INFLATABLE GET-AWAY-SPECIAL EXPERIMENT (RIGEX)
Research Area: Spacecraft Materials
Expedition(s): 16
Principal Investigator(s): ● Richard Cobb, PhD, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-
Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
Rigidizable Inflatable Get-Away-Special Experiment (RIGEX) operates in the Space Shuttle Cargo
Bay and is designed to test and collect data on inflated tubes that are heated and cooled to
form stiff structures in space.
EARTH BENEFITS
This technology can lead to an
increase in communication satellites
that provide television, telephone,
and communication services.
SPACE BENEFITS
Inflatable structures can be used for
antennas, communication satellites,
trusses for space stations, and
support structures for solar sails and
can also provide a light-weight,
compact, and cost-reducing option
for future spacecraft missions.
RESULTS
There are no published results.
This investigation is complete and all results are published.
View of the RIGEX payload at the Space Station
Processing Facility.