Bigelow shoots for the Moon (Interview: Plans for privately funded moon base)

Cosmic Log ^ | February 22, 2007 | Alan Boyle

[saganite]

ping

[kinoxi]

Bigelow would turn that region of space, called L1, into a construction zone. Inflatable modules

Good luck to him. Sounds more like 'to the moon Alice POW', to me.

[saganite]

His plans are entirely logical and mirror ideas around since I was a kid reading science fiction. In fact, his plans are not so much science as advanced engineering projects.

[kinoxi]

I am one of the first people that you'll get to fall behind human advancement ideals. I remain skeptical on this plan due to lack of anything resembling performance however. I wish them luck, I read of the same lunar modules decades ago as well.

[saganite]

Bigelow has it's first module in orbit and it has far exceeded expectations. He licensed NASA research on these modules because NASA lost funding for the program so his work is a continuation of a NASA program and some of the NASA scientists and engineers followed the project over to Bigelow. His module has been such a success that he's in talks with the makers of the Atlas 5 rocket to develop a man rated version of that rocket. All together, this is a program that is taken very seriously and of all the privately funded space research going on now he is head and shoulders above the rest and that includes Branson and his space tourism business.

[kinoxi]

I wish the project luck. The ideal is correct. Do you think it's feasible with current booster technology though?

[saganite]

Absolutely it's feasible. Right now he's relying on Russian rockets and I'm holding my breath the April launch goes OK. He had a contract with one of the private launch vehicle developers in the US but they haven't gotten anything off the ground yet. He's already outgrown that though and the big boys like Lockheeed Martin and Boeing are taking him seriously.

[Moonman62]

The problem isn't boosters. The problem is there is no economic reason to have a permanent manned moon base. At least not yet.

The near future of space travel is suborbital and low orbit.

[kinoxi]

The problem is and always has been boosters.

[tcostell]

Tourism is a perfectly valid reason for a permanent moon base, and it's a reason that has been around for decades.

I'm sure it's as close to economic viability as any other potential motive.

[SpinnerWebb]

The problem isn't boosters. The problem is there is no economic reason to have a permanent manned moon base. At least not yet.

I disagree. Helium-3 is the most probably driving force behind this effort:

[saganite]

Helium 3 is worthless moon dust until someone produces a viable Nuclear Fusion prototype. That's been 20 years in the future for as long as I've been alive (quite a bit longer than 20 years)

[ikka]

Imagine this - Muslims stay on Earth and worship the moon god, while Americans actually move to the Moon!

[Physicist]

Bigelow would turn that region of space, called L1, into a construction zone. Inflatable modules would be linked up with propulsion/power systems and support structures, and then the completed base would be lowered down to the moon's surface, all in one piece.

Screw the Moon. L1 should be the goal in and of itself. From L1, you can launch to anywhere in the solar system at essentially zero cost.

[W. W. SMITH]

Check out Bussard's fusion research. From what little I know it looks like it works.

[W. W. SMITH]

Capture a near earth asteroid using ion engines and park it in L1. Use it as an anchor point for an elevator. Put four more in the other points. L2 would be perfect for Hubble 2 with communications relayed through L4 or L5. Put five more rocks in geosynchronous orbit around Earth 72 degrees apart with the first above Chimborazo. Don't forget the Earth Sun L points. They also offer opportunities.

[saganite]

I think L1 might be contested. It's a very valuable piece of real estate. Do you know how large that region is? Will it accomodate multiple widely spaced habitats?

[Quix]

How big is his bank account?

[Quix]

So . . . do you think they will pry loose the anti-grav craft for such?