Posted on 06/28/2007 10:25:33 AM PDT by Freeport
A privately-built space station prototype launched into orbit atop a Dnepr rocket Thursday from a Russian missile base, SPACE.com has learned. The space shot kicks off the second test flight for the U.S. firm Bigelow Aerospace.
Genesis 2, an inflatable module laden with cameras, personal items and a Space Bingo game, rocketed spaceward from a silo at Yasny Launch Base, an active Russian strategic missile base in the country's Orenburg region.
The spacecraft is a near-twin of Bigelow Aerospace's Genesis 1 module, which launched in July 2006 and remains operational today, but carries a series of enhancements and additional cargo, the Las Vegas, Nevada-based spaceflight firm has said. Both spacecraft are prototypes for future commercial orbital complexes that Bigelow Aerospace, and its founder and president Robert Bigelow, hope to offer for use by private firms and national space agencies.
"Genesis 1 is about to have company," Mike Gold, Bigelow Aerospace's corporate counsel in Washington, D.C. who was present in Yasny for the launch, told SPACE.com immediately after the Dnepr blastoff. "We can report a clean launch. We're now awaiting final confirmation of the time for the separation."
Gold said that the launch and orbiting of Genesis 2 was the first step, with ground operators anticipating to hear from the spacecraft in a few hours to confirm its health.
"We've taken an excellent first step on the road to mission success on Genesis 2," Gold said. "The rocket has done its job...now we're awaiting information from Genesis 2. We've got more steps to take before the night is out."
(Excerpt) Read more at space.com ...
Bigelow ping
Is this the one Buzz Aldrin is involved with?
Great hobby!
These are used Soviet ICBMs launched from a former soviet republic. the real private launch vehicle is yet to be made.
And a better use I can’t imagine...
They’re brewing tea in space now?
Incredible story. Heck of a time to be alive.
Very interesting. But how will they get crews back and forth between their space stations once they get the first ones up there in 2010 and 2012?? Eventually, the Russians are going to run out of old ICBM’s. Is anyone in the private sphere getting ready to bring online a viable transport vehicle??
Standard Soyuz.
Great view!
Yeah, but I haven’t heard if anyone’s actually working the America’s Space Prize or not...
Anyone know of any entries?
I am not sure anyone is in it. It’s pretty challenging to do it once much less twice when it comes to spaceflight.
Here’s the Bigelow site for the Space Prize.
http://www.bigelowaerospace.com/multiverse/space_prize.php
Yeah, doing a suborbital trip is easy compared to orbital. It’s not the going up part, that’s straight forward. It’s that pesky coming back down part that’s the real killer... Literally as well...
If the SpaceX COTS flights go well, look for them to have a backup Dragon and F9 to launch for America’s Space Prize. Same with Kistler, if they can get off the ground, then they’ll go for it too. I imagine it being something like a few kids fighting for the last cookie, everyone will be reaching and then all of a sudden someone will come in from out of nowhere and snatch it.
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