Posted on 10/25/2007 11:56:55 AM PDT by saganite
Bigelow Aerospace intends to spur development of a commercial space vehicle to take people into Earth orbit by offering to sign a contract worth $760 million with any company that can meet their criteria, company president Robert Bigelow says.
Speaking with New Scientist at the company's headquarters in Las Vegas, Nevada, Bigelow said the offer is meant to head off a crisis over the lack of transportation options available to get people to the large inflatable space stations it plans to launch by early 2010.
Bigelow has already successfully launched and deployed two test inflatable spacecraft. It hopes to rent out space on future stations to astronauts of some of the world's space agencies, as well as to companies that wish to carry out research or other activities in space.
The company plans to break ground in less than a year on a factory to mass-produce its inflatable space stations, but they are worried that without an affordable commercial crew launch vehicle, none of its potential customers will be able to pay to get to these space stations, Bigelow said.
"We could find ourselves with a nice new facility, a number of modules on the floor ready to launch, and nowhere in sight is an affordable or even existing transportation vehicle – a capsule and a lifting vehicle that make economic sense," he said.
Long waiting lists "It's becoming much more of a crisis to us, so we probably are going to be announcing fairly soon that we're going to offer a contract – to whomever – where we will state how much we're willing to pay per seat or per launch," he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at space.newscientist.com ...
ping
I forget where I read it, but apparently this company is already negotiating contracts to put up orbital manufacturing facilities and private research stations. I wonder if medical and other ethics rules would apply (serious question, I have no idea what the legal situation is like).
Yep, they’re offering their facilities to private firms but as you can see obtaining lift to get the astronauts there and back is the long pole in the tent.
Anyone out there want to start work on an orbital craft? Anybody already working on one and need a Systems/Test Engineer, a Flight Dynamisist or a simulator designer?
Several companies are working on orbital capable rockets, some with more success than others. One of Bigelow’s design criteria though will be to have a capsule that can carry five astronauts. That’s a tall order to fill.
Agreed, It is all pie in the sky hog wash. But then maybe they are thinking about sliding up and down a pole. You know, bigelow thinks when the pole is on ones side of the earth rotation you can side down and on the other side of rotation you can slide up. LOL
Space Elevator:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_elevator
I didn’t say it was pie in the sky and I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.
About as possible as biglol's low earth orbit balloons.
You must not read real well. He’s already got 2 up there.
Not saying it is possible. Just saying it is sure getting a lot of attention from portions of the scientific community.
Yes about the size of of a toy and non functional, LOL. Try putting up the real thing and solving reentry.
Test article is the correct name and they will never reenter. The real thing will be going up in a couple of years. If you mean reentry of the astronauts, that was solved over 40 years ago. A capsule is still the best method and all that’s required is for someone to basically remanufacture a capsule that will hold 5.
Silly me, I thought one of these days we might be able to explore space, not ride on 1950's technology. If you don't understand that's not my problem.
A capsule is the best and safest solution for returning men from space. Sorry you don’t or won’t grasp the obvious.
nice tag..”org.whodat (What’s the difference between a Democrat and a republican????) “
Well it proves the theory that Man went one way and the Apes went another.
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