Nice Bigelow article on Space.comhttp://www.space.com/businesstechnology/private-space-stations-bigelow-100120.htmlSounds like he is shooting for the moon."Beyond low-Earth orbit, Bigelow Aerospace also has its sights on expandable space habitats for Lagrangian Point L1, partway between the sun and the Earth."""If we can deploy and gang together modules in low-Earth orbit, you can do it in L1...and you are 85 percent of the way to the moon,"" Bigelow said. In fact, one scenario Bigelow Aerospace has already blueprinted is the soft landing of a trio of attached BA-330 modules — including astronauts — on the moon."
"Beyond low-Earth orbit, Bigelow Aerospace also has its sights on expandable space habitats for Lagrangian Point L1, partway between the sun and the Earth."
It would make no sense to do an inflatable fuel depot, as the inflatable benefits would be lost in the inefficiencies of non-cryo propellants.
Sounds like the company is less focused on near term development, and more on the long term stuff.
Hmm...that would require a fuel depot at L1...inflatable fuel depot anyone?na, jk. It would make no sense to do an inflatable fuel depot, as the inflatable benefits would be lost in the inefficiencies of non-cryo propellants.
Quote from: daver on 01/20/2010 12:35 pm"Beyond low-Earth orbit, Bigelow Aerospace also has its sights on expandable space habitats for Lagrangian Point L1, partway between the sun and the Earth."Is this a typo? The article I read says; "Beyond low-Earth orbit, Bigelow Aerospace also has its sights on expandable space habitats for Lagrangian Point L1, partway between the moon and the Earth"
You don't necessarily have to do non-cryo propellants.
Sixteen years later, Paragon is busy building parts for the thermal control system on NASA’s Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle, helping design the U.S. space agency’s next-generation spacesuit as part of Oceaneering International’s team and providing life-support expertise to multiple commercial firms, including Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) and Bigelow Aerospace.
I'm curious about life support for these things.. They must be a complicated piece of machinery! do they outsource it or have they made their own.cheers jbBTW how much research have they done on the iss if any on using plants as a supplement to food as well as means of a hobby during "downtime" and it useful to remove CO2
When are we going to get a "Report this poster as someone who refuses to do the most basic googling prior to posting" button?
Quote from: cuddihy on 01/20/2010 06:55 pmWhen are we going to get a "Report this poster as someone who refuses to do the most basic googling prior to posting" button?Guilty as charged.. had a lazy moment..where is that delete button... dam...jb
Bigalow space station at L-1 or L-2 as a government purchased system.Government gets it there.The ULA fuel depot would be hiding in the shade of the Bigalow modules.
Jon gives some good alternative precursors to full cryogenic depots in a highly recommended recent post on his equally highly recommended blog, but they would require sacrificing capability and/or safety, a weakness from which storable landers would not suffer.
Will answer there and limit my replies here to what applies specifically to Bigelow.A Bigelow station at L1 could be a game changer, especially if Bigelow goes beyond LEO before NASA does. Any kind of propellant transfer at a Lagrange point will also be a game changer. It doesn't look as if a Bigelow hab itself is very useful as a depot though. It could still be very useful to have it colocated with a depot or depot precursor.
Any kind of propellant transfer at a Lagrange point will also be a game changer. It doesn't look as if a Bigelow hab itself is very useful as a depot though. It could still be very useful to have it colocated with a depot or depot precursor.
Quote from: ChefPat on 01/21/2010 02:56 pmQuote from: mmeijeri on 01/21/2010 12:53 pm Any kind of propellant transfer at a Lagrange point will also be a game changer. It doesn't look as if a Bigelow hab itself is very useful as a depot though. It could still be very useful to have it colocated with a depot or depot precursor.Why couldn't a Bigelow hab be designed specifically to be a propellant depot?Would.YOU.want.to.live.next.to.big.tanks.of.high.power.rocket.fuel?
Quote from: mmeijeri on 01/21/2010 12:53 pm Any kind of propellant transfer at a Lagrange point will also be a game changer. It doesn't look as if a Bigelow hab itself is very useful as a depot though. It could still be very useful to have it colocated with a depot or depot precursor.Why couldn't a Bigelow hab be designed specifically to be a propellant depot?