Author Topic: Inflated hopes for Bigelow  (Read 45918 times)

Offline James Lowe1

  • Member
  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 846
  • New York City
  • Liked: 1
  • Likes Given: 0

Offline Norm Hartnett

  • Elite Veteran
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2310
  • Liked: 74
  • Likes Given: 5
Re: Inflated hopes for Bigelow
« Reply #1 on: 07/12/2006 11:54 pm »
Odd that no ones commented on this.

Here is Bigelow's home page, http://www.bigelowaerospace.com/multiverse/news.php

They are receiving com and believe the solar arrays have deployed.
“You can’t take a traditional approach and expect anything but the traditional results, which has been broken budgets and not fielding any flight hardware.” Mike Gold - Apollo, STS, CxP; those that don't learn from history are condemned to repeat it: SLS.

Offline Norm Hartnett

  • Elite Veteran
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2310
  • Liked: 74
  • Likes Given: 5
Re: Inflated hopes for Bigelow
« Reply #2 on: 07/13/2006 12:08 am »
Bigelow said his mission control center in Las Vegas was receiving data from the spacecraft, indicating that Genesis 1 was in its 342-mile-high (550-kilometer-high) target orbit and that its solar arrays were working as planned. The module's internal temperature was 79 degrees Fahrenheit (26 degrees Celsius), and the GPS-based tracking system was working.
“You can’t take a traditional approach and expect anything but the traditional results, which has been broken budgets and not fielding any flight hardware.” Mike Gold - Apollo, STS, CxP; those that don't learn from history are condemned to repeat it: SLS.

Offline noname_77065

  • NSF STS Journalist
  • Member
  • Posts: 92
  • Liked: 0
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Inflated hopes for Bigelow
« Reply #3 on: 07/13/2006 12:22 am »
It caught us all off guard. Glad things are working out for them. Would like to see some shots from the cameras inside this thing.
Chris Kominczak

Webmaster, SPACEFLIGHTWEB.com

Offline hyper_snyper

  • Elite Veteran
  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 728
  • Liked: 1
  • Likes Given: 22
Re: Inflated hopes for Bigelow
« Reply #4 on: 07/13/2006 12:32 am »
Yeah it's usually the quiet ones that are hiding the biggest upcoming successes and Bigelow is sure one of them.  Good luck to them.  They have an interesting mantra, create a destination and the transportation will materialize.  Very clever.

Offline Norm Hartnett

  • Elite Veteran
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2310
  • Liked: 74
  • Likes Given: 5
Re: Inflated hopes for Bigelow
« Reply #5 on: 07/13/2006 12:32 am »
13 cameras on board so we should be getting something in the next few hours. One site says that it will take several days to inflate.

BTW Chris (noname), Bigelow Aerospace has offices in Houston. :)
“You can’t take a traditional approach and expect anything but the traditional results, which has been broken budgets and not fielding any flight hardware.” Mike Gold - Apollo, STS, CxP; those that don't learn from history are condemned to repeat it: SLS.

Offline Norm Hartnett

  • Elite Veteran
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2310
  • Liked: 74
  • Likes Given: 5
RE: Inflated hopes for Bigelow
« Reply #6 on: 07/13/2006 12:35 am »
Mission control Las Vegas :)

“You can’t take a traditional approach and expect anything but the traditional results, which has been broken budgets and not fielding any flight hardware.” Mike Gold - Apollo, STS, CxP; those that don't learn from history are condemned to repeat it: SLS.

Offline Norm Hartnett

  • Elite Veteran
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2310
  • Liked: 74
  • Likes Given: 5
Re: Inflated hopes for Bigelow
« Reply #7 on: 07/13/2006 12:52 am »
5:20 PST
Bigelow Aerospace has received confirmation from the Genesis I spacecraft that it has successfully expanded.

We have also confirmed that all of the solar arrays have been deployed.

“You can’t take a traditional approach and expect anything but the traditional results, which has been broken budgets and not fielding any flight hardware.” Mike Gold - Apollo, STS, CxP; those that don't learn from history are condemned to repeat it: SLS.

Offline nacnud

  • Extreme Veteran
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2691
  • Liked: 981
  • Likes Given: 347
Re: Inflated hopes for Bigelow
« Reply #8 on: 07/13/2006 01:54 am »
I love what bigelow is up to here but that mission contol is nutty, what are all those huge screans for exactly? Still it looks cool :)

Edit, fron the article

"Genesis I, the world's first inflatable spacecraft, was carried into its 320 mile orbit on top of the converted Cold War-era ICBM at 6:53 p.m. Moscow time."

Genesis is not the first inflatable spacecraft, Eco 1 was much earier. There have also been variouse other inflatable experimental craft, for example spartan 207.

[img=http://www.lgarde.com/gsfc/images/207orbit.gif]

Offline Zachstar

  • Expert
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2490
  • Washington State
  • Liked: 18
  • Likes Given: 2
RE: Inflated hopes for Bigelow
« Reply #9 on: 07/13/2006 02:20 am »
Looking good for them!

I wonder if maybe they could contract with the russians to make an experiment module for the russian segment? Somthing that could be tugged by a progress or the parom.

Offline Chris Bergin

Re: Inflated hopes for Bigelow
« Reply #10 on: 07/13/2006 02:26 am »
Quote
Norm Hartnett - 13/7/2006  1:39 AM

5:20 PST
Bigelow Aerospace has received confirmation from the Genesis I spacecraft that it has successfully expanded.

We have also confirmed that all of the solar arrays have been deployed.


Thanks, I'll update what we've got on site.
Support NSF via L2 -- Help improve NSF -- Site Rules/Feedback/Updates
**Not a L2 member? Whitelist this forum in your adblocker to support the site and ensure full functionality.**

Offline Norm Hartnett

  • Elite Veteran
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2310
  • Liked: 74
  • Likes Given: 5
RE: Inflated hopes for Bigelow
« Reply #11 on: 07/13/2006 02:51 am »
Quote
Zachstar - 12/7/2006  9:07 PM

Looking good for them!

I wonder if maybe they could contract with the russians to make an experiment module for the russian segment? Somthing that could be tugged by a progress or the parom.

Bigelow is a real jingoistic patriot. He is the author of the America's Space Prize, http://www.bigelowaerospace.com/multiverse/space_prize.php, non Americans need not apply. It must be killing him that he had to launch on a Russian vehicle.
“You can’t take a traditional approach and expect anything but the traditional results, which has been broken budgets and not fielding any flight hardware.” Mike Gold - Apollo, STS, CxP; those that don't learn from history are condemned to repeat it: SLS.

Offline JesseD

  • Member
  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 212
  • Ohio
  • Liked: 13
  • Likes Given: 4
Re: Inflated hopes for Bigelow
« Reply #12 on: 07/13/2006 03:11 am »
Quote
nacnud - 12/7/2006  9:41 PM

I love what bigelow is up to here but that mission contol is nutty, what are all those huge screans for exactly? Still it looks cool :)
lol!!  nutty?  

My guess is that the "future" look to it is intentional, pure PR.  I mean, this is supposed to be Mission Control for a SPACE HOTEL!  it's gotta be cool to attract the customers!

Offline Norm Hartnett

  • Elite Veteran
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2310
  • Liked: 74
  • Likes Given: 5
Re: Inflated hopes for Bigelow
« Reply #13 on: 07/13/2006 04:02 am »
Quote
JesseD - 12/7/2006  9:58 PM

Quote
nacnud - 12/7/2006  9:41 PM

I love what bigelow is up to here but that mission contol is nutty, what are all those huge screans for exactly? Still it looks cool :)
lol!!  nutty?  

My guess is that the "future" look to it is intentional, pure PR.  I mean, this is supposed to be Mission Control for a SPACE HOTEL!  it's gotta be cool to attract the customers!

Nutty? Perhaps, but remember this man is putting half a billion dollars behind his nuttiness. Genesis II is in launch prep. now and may launch before the end of the year. If Genesis I does not fail it will be in orbit for 2 to 5 years. That mission control center could be manageing communications for three or more Genesis missions including commercial web casts and private enterprises.

Build it and they will come. :)

Edit: BTW that "future" look is very similar to what my WAN management site looked like three years ago.
“You can’t take a traditional approach and expect anything but the traditional results, which has been broken budgets and not fielding any flight hardware.” Mike Gold - Apollo, STS, CxP; those that don't learn from history are condemned to repeat it: SLS.

Offline JesseD

  • Member
  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 212
  • Ohio
  • Liked: 13
  • Likes Given: 4
Re: Inflated hopes for Bigelow
« Reply #14 on: 07/13/2006 02:12 pm »
Quote
command and control of the hardware will be done through a futuristic-looking Bigelow Aerospace Mission Control Center in North Las Vegas.
this from http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/060712_genesis-1_launch.html .

they're getting 'cool points' already. :)


Offline Norm Hartnett

  • Elite Veteran
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2310
  • Liked: 74
  • Likes Given: 5
Re: Inflated hopes for Bigelow
« Reply #15 on: 07/13/2006 02:35 pm »
No updates since 5:20 PST and no pictures on the Out There page. This doesn't look so good.
“You can’t take a traditional approach and expect anything but the traditional results, which has been broken budgets and not fielding any flight hardware.” Mike Gold - Apollo, STS, CxP; those that don't learn from history are condemned to repeat it: SLS.

Offline Benny

  • Member
  • Member
  • Posts: 68
  • Liked: 0
  • Likes Given: 0
RE: Inflated hopes for Bigelow
« Reply #16 on: 07/13/2006 02:52 pm »
We´ll see....

Still got to give Bigelow some credit for going at a crazy idea and pretty much putting it into
practice on the first attempt.
I am very excited to see (hopefully) the first images.


Offline sammie

  • Veteran
  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 553
  • Liked: 1
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Inflated hopes for Bigelow
« Reply #17 on: 07/13/2006 03:53 pm »
Why was the designation SS-20 used in the article, which is a western designation, and not the factory designation R-36M, just wondering.
Im also happy about the way Bigelow deals with the media, not swamping it with promises, just the basic idea of what is going on.
"The dreams ain't broken downhere, they're just walking with a limp"

Offline Norm Hartnett

  • Elite Veteran
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2310
  • Liked: 74
  • Likes Given: 5
Re: Inflated hopes for Bigelow
« Reply #18 on: 07/13/2006 04:41 pm »
Oddly enough even the Russian media are referencing the western designations.

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20060712/51274066.html

http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=10618129&PageNum=0

Seems to be a RS-20, SS-18 Satan, not an SS-20.
“You can’t take a traditional approach and expect anything but the traditional results, which has been broken budgets and not fielding any flight hardware.” Mike Gold - Apollo, STS, CxP; those that don't learn from history are condemned to repeat it: SLS.

Offline HD209458

  • Member
  • Posts: 30
  • Cambridge, MA
  • Liked: 0
  • Likes Given: 0
RE: Inflated hopes for Bigelow
« Reply #19 on: 07/13/2006 06:01 pm »
Quote
Norm Hartnett - 12/7/2006  9:38 PM
Bigelow is a real jingoistic patriot. He is the author of the America's Space Prize, http://www.bigelowaerospace.com/multiverse/space_prize.php, non Americans need not apply. It must be killing him that he had to launch on a Russian vehicle.

I suspect that the US-citizen requirement may have something to ITAR or other technolgy transfer hurdles. While building an orbital spacecraft can obviously be done by anyone (well, more or less), Bigelow wants the spacecraft to be able to dock with his hotels. Since his inflatable modules come from what was US government supported research, I bet there are still restrictions on what can be shown to foreigners.


Tags:
 

Advertisement NovaTech
Advertisement Northrop Grumman
Advertisement
Advertisement Margaritaville Beach Resort South Padre Island
Advertisement Brady Kenniston
Advertisement NextSpaceflight
Advertisement Nathan Barker Photography
1