Bubble baron treats Space Station crew to blowup model
Bigelow to build $17.8m tent for SCIENCE
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NASA has enlisted Bigelow Aerospace to build an inflatable module for the International Space Station.
Behold, the proposed orbiting balloon thing
Bigelow Aerospace (BA), founded by space baron Robert Bigelow in 1999, will get $17.8m to put together the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module - a blowup space habitat.
The prototype bubble home will be the company's third orbiting craft, but the first to be used with a crewed spacecraft. If the trial goes well, NASA may use the technology for deep-space missions in the future, such as a launch to Mars.
"This partnership agreement for the use of expandable habitats represents a step forward in cutting-edge technology that can allow humans to thrive in space safely and affordably, and heralds important progress in US commercial space innovation," NASA deputy administrator Lori Garver said in a canned statement.
Robert Bigelow is another billionaire who made his money in Earthbound business - property, in his case - and used that cash to become a space pioneer.
Last year, he signed on the dotted line with PayPal billionaire Elon Musk's company SpaceX to taxi people to and from the space-bubbles BA plans to put into orbit. ®
COMMENTS
Re: What happens when....
Strangely enough, the inflatable spacestation design has had some actual scientist and engineer time expended upon it. Turns out that they actually thought about the micrometeorite issue too, demonstrating that they are at least as clever as your average commentard.
Two prototype inflatable modules have already been launched, and notably failed to pop instantly despite not having any repair crew on board. I believe that Bigelow Aerospace have at least two years of temperature, pressure and radiation telemetry from their Genesis 2 platform; I'm too lazy to find out if they have more, but they aren't just a company of marketers.
The issue of radiation protection was also raised below... exactly how much shielding do you guys suppose that the ISS is fitted with?
"...such as a launch to Mars."
They're going to need a really bloody big one if it's to go "Thrrrrrwwwwwwrrrrrrpppppppppp" all the way to Mars after they've stuck a pin in it.
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