Author Topic: Bigelow Aerospace Update and Discussion Thread (3)  (Read 661159 times)

Offline HIP2BSQRE

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Re: Bigelow Aerospace Update and Discussion Thread (3)
« Reply #640 on: 12/07/2014 06:12 pm »
When do we expect Bigelow to do more than just BEAM?
« Last Edit: 12/07/2014 06:17 pm by HIP2BSQRE »

Offline TrevorMonty

Re: Bigelow Aerospace Update and Discussion Thread (3)
« Reply #641 on: 12/07/2014 08:36 pm »
When do we expect Bigelow to do more than just BEAM?
Last I heard the first BA330 modules are to be launched 2017-18. At over 20t these will need a FH (should be able recover all 3 boosters).

The BEAM is going up in trunk of CRS8 in 2015.

Offline manboy

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Re: Bigelow Aerospace Update and Discussion Thread (3)
« Reply #642 on: 12/07/2014 08:55 pm »
I was looking over the comments on working at Bigelow at glassdoor.com.  In addition to the poor vacation and working time issues mentioned above, what I find more worrisome is the lack of communication between departments and complete disregard for proper engineering practice.  It reminds me a lot of what went wrong at North American when they were building the block-1 Apollo modules.  And we all know what a horror show those were.
Not to go too off topic but it's interesting to read the Glassdoor comments about other aerospace companies. Especially ULA and SpaceX.
"Cheese has been sent into space before. But the same cheese has never been sent into space twice." - StephenB

Offline okan170

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Re: Bigelow Aerospace Update and Discussion Thread (3)
« Reply #643 on: 12/08/2014 06:29 pm »
Not my field, but frankly, if I saw benefits like that offered, I'd jump!  The only benefits I've ever gotten working professionally are that some places are nice enough to take your taxes out for you.  I don't know if that says anything good about the state of things though.

Offline Ben the Space Brit

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Re: Bigelow Aerospace Update and Discussion Thread (3)
« Reply #644 on: 12/11/2014 09:46 am »
THAT is some fascinating reading. What other companies are investigating inflatable space habitats?

Besides Bigelow there's Thin Red Line in Chilliwack BC, CA  who has worked with Bigelow,

http://www.thin-red-line.com

and Paragon SDC (Paragon Space Development Corp.) of Tucson, Arizona,

http://www.paragonsdc.com/index.php

ParabolicArc article....

Thin Red Line and Paragon are working directly with Inspiration Mars, IIRC. At the time, there was a lot of incomprehension as to why IM didn't approach Bigelow but now I wonder if Mr Tito may be making a smart choice.
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Offline manboy

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Re: Bigelow Aerospace Update and Discussion Thread (3)
« Reply #645 on: 12/15/2014 01:11 am »
Just a heads up, that new book "Bigelow Aerospace: Colonizing Space One Module at a Time" doesn't have any exclusive images and the majority of them were taken directly from their respective Wikipedia pages.
"Cheese has been sent into space before. But the same cheese has never been sent into space twice." - StephenB

Offline TrevorMonty

Re: Bigelow Aerospace Update and Discussion Thread (3)
« Reply #646 on: 12/15/2014 02:00 am »
THAT is some fascinating reading. What other companies are investigating inflatable space habitats?

Besides Bigelow there's Thin Red Line in Chilliwack BC, CA  who has worked with Bigelow,

http://www.thin-red-line.com

and Paragon SDC (Paragon Space Development Corp.) of Tucson, Arizona,

http://www.paragonsdc.com/index.php

ParabolicArc article....
Thanks for the links.

I'd assumed Bigelow contained all the inflatable technology in-house. Reading Thin Redlines website looks like they had a major part in Bigelow's inflatable technology, interestingly there is no mention of Bigelow in Collaboration section.

Offline space_dreamer

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Re: Bigelow Aerospace Update and Discussion Thread (3)
« Reply #647 on: 12/18/2014 10:00 am »
There are a lot of jobs being advised on the Bigelow website all of a sudden. http://www.bigelowaerospace.com/careers.php

Has Bigelow just come in to some money? It looks like things are hotting up again!

Offline TrevorMonty

Re: Bigelow Aerospace Update and Discussion Thread (3)
« Reply #648 on: 12/18/2014 12:59 pm »
There are a lot of jobs being advised on the Bigelow website all of a sudden. http://www.bigelowaerospace.com/careers.php

Has Bigelow just come in to some money? It looks like things are hotting up again!
They have been in a holding pattern waiting on commercial crew. With the selections, the construction of their  space station can proceed.

Offline ChefPat

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Re: Bigelow Aerospace Update and Discussion Thread (3)
« Reply #649 on: 12/24/2014 03:38 pm »
I can't tell for certain because of the ancient, outdated browser on this computer, but it looks like Bigelow just updated their website. It kind of looks like a work in progress though.
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Offline Danderman

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Re: Bigelow Aerospace Update and Discussion Thread (3)
« Reply #650 on: 12/24/2014 03:47 pm »

They have been in a holding pattern waiting on commercial crew. With the selections, the construction of their  space station can proceed.

Ponies for everyone!

In reality, knowing which providers the government has picked for a development program doesn't really buy Bigelow anything in regards to attempting to build and fly commercial orbital platforms. There would still be many risks until these crewed vehicles are actually flying and validating their cost models.

When Bigelow is generating requirements from customers and then designing a station to meet those requirements, then you will know that something is about to be built.  One piece of evidence for such activity would be a draft ICD floating around the internet.




Offline cro-magnon gramps

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Re: Bigelow Aerospace Update and Discussion Thread (3)
« Reply #651 on: 12/24/2014 04:01 pm »
I can't tell for certain because of the ancient, outdated browser on this computer, but it looks like Bigelow just updated their website. It kind of looks like a work in progress though.

your right, it is updated, and at the top of their home page, is a banner advertising 100+ new jobs...
http://bigelowaerospace.com/

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Offline Llian Rhydderch

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Re: Bigelow Aerospace Update and Discussion Thread (3)
« Reply #652 on: 12/27/2014 11:57 pm »

They have been in a holding pattern waiting on commercial crew. With the selections, the construction of their  space station can proceed.

Ponies for everyone!

In reality, knowing which providers the government has picked for a development program doesn't really buy Bigelow anything in regards to attempting to build and fly commercial orbital platforms. There would still be many risks until these crewed vehicles are actually flying and validating their cost models.

When Bigelow is generating requirements from customers and then designing a station to meet those requirements, then you will know that something is about to be built.  One piece of evidence for such activity would be a draft ICD floating around the internet.

I think we'll know Bigelow is going somewhere as a NewSpace sort of company when they actually have to start recruiting talent like a modern tech company. 

It doesn't bode well for them that 7 of 11 bulleted items on the cover page to their list of job openings are things like vacation, 401k, health benefits, and, get this, a "1-Hour lunch". 

It seems to me to be flashing a bright red signal that says "our company is not managed like any tech company you've ever worked for", and telegraphs that backwardness fact to potential employees up front.  Seems to me that this will not attract the best and the brightest into that sort of management environment.
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Offline QuantumG

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Re: Bigelow Aerospace Update and Discussion Thread (3)
« Reply #653 on: 12/28/2014 12:02 am »
They're in Las Vegas.. people are just happy to have a job that isn't in hospitality.

Human spaceflight is basically just LARPing now.

Offline Eerie

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Re: Bigelow Aerospace Update and Discussion Thread (3)
« Reply #654 on: 12/28/2014 08:49 am »
It doesn't bode well for them that 7 of 11 bulleted items on the cover page to their list of job openings are things like vacation, 401k, health benefits, and, get this, a "1-Hour lunch". 

It seems to me to be flashing a bright red signal that says "our company is not managed like any tech company you've ever worked for", and telegraphs that backwardness fact to potential employees up front.  Seems to me that this will not attract the best and the brightest into that sort of management environment.

Just curious: what kind of stuff a regular space tech company will promise? I know that SpaceX provides 100 hour work week, but they are obviously special. :-)
« Last Edit: 12/28/2014 08:50 am by Eerie »

Offline dcporter

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Re: Bigelow Aerospace Update and Discussion Thread (3)
« Reply #655 on: 12/28/2014 03:22 pm »
They're in Las Vegas.. people are just happy to have a job that isn't in hospitality.

The HR department maybe. What about the engineers? Lots of table managers with materials sciences backgrounds? I think they were more to Llian's point.

Offline Raj2014

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Re: Bigelow Aerospace Update and Discussion Thread (3)
« Reply #656 on: 12/28/2014 05:51 pm »
Are still going to develop the BA2100 Olympus or is it B2100 Olympus? Apparently they took the A out of B330 on their website, which also does not have any information on the 2100. BEAM is still going to ISS next year, on SpaceX CRS-8. They had this technology for 16 years and now they are just testing this on the ISS, they had prototypes launched in space in 2006 and 2007.     

Offline Arb

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Re: Bigelow Aerospace Update and Discussion Thread (3)
« Reply #657 on: 12/28/2014 08:51 pm »
Someone at Reddit noticed that the new Bigelow website includes http://bigelowaerospace.com/about/strategic-relationships/spacex/ with a prominent rendering of FH and these gems:

Quote
Bigelow Aerospace ... will offer transportation aboard SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, using the Falcon launch vehicle to carry passengers to Bigelow habitats orbiting the Earth.

Quote
Bigelow Aerospace ... intends to utilize the upcoming modified Falcon Heavy for habitat assets and propulsion tug delivery to Low Earth Orbit.

Offline QuantumG

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Re: Bigelow Aerospace Update and Discussion Thread (3)
« Reply #658 on: 12/28/2014 10:21 pm »
They're in Las Vegas.. people are just happy to have a job that isn't in hospitality.

The HR department maybe. What about the engineers? Lots of table managers with materials sciences backgrounds? I think they were more to Llian's point.

There are very few technical jobs available in Las Vegas. "Will pay you not to tend bar" is all the promises they need to make.
Human spaceflight is basically just LARPing now.

Online docmordrid

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Re: Bigelow Aerospace Update and Discussion Thread (3)
« Reply #659 on: 12/28/2014 11:36 pm »
Someone at Reddit noticed that the new Bigelow website includes http://bigelowaerospace.com/about/strategic-relationships/spacex/ with a prominent rendering of FH and these gems:

Quote
Bigelow Aerospace ... will offer transportation aboard SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, using the Falcon launch vehicle to carry passengers to Bigelow habitats orbiting the Earth.

Quote
Bigelow Aerospace ... intends to utilize the upcoming modified Falcon Heavy for habitat assets and propulsion tug delivery to Low Earth Orbit.

They announced a collaboration in December 2012,

Link....

And there is this NSF article,

Link....
« Last Edit: 12/28/2014 11:37 pm by docmordrid »
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