We already have a LEO space station.How about improvements to ISS that can stay in orbit after ISS is retired, such as a Bigelow module? Give a private space station a head start.
It's called a space station, and Gerst said NASA wouldn't have another one in LEO, but would like to partner with commercial companies who want to orbit one.
Quote from: RonM on 05/22/2017 05:57 pmWe already have a LEO space station.How about improvements to ISS that can stay in orbit after ISS is retired, such as a Bigelow module? Give a private space station a head start.The ISS is a research station used for micro-gravity experiments. Big bangs and vibrations, such as a spacecraft docking, are minimised. A Gateway can expect many dockings and departures.I suspect that a Bigelow module would make a good habitat module for the spacestation. Probably for round about $1 billion. Could it be available within about 3 years?What other functions can be provided within the time and budgetary restrictions?
President Trump appears to want his own prestigious space project.
Rep. Dunn (R-FL) asks for a primer on the Deep Space Gateway. Lightfoot gives overview, notes it’s still in concept stage.
Probably not, according to Acting Administrator Lightfoot:QuoteRep. Dunn (R-FL) asks for a primer on the Deep Space Gateway. Lightfoot gives overview, notes it’s still in concept stage.https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/872832633964822528Going from concept to contract to cutting metal to deployment is a long, long process. Suspect that NASA will not be cutting metal on any gateway (Deep Space or Not Deep Space) before 2020.Anyway, what SLS would launch it before 2020?
For a program that has been running since 2014 I would have hoped that NASA was a little further along than that.
Quote from: A_M_Swallow on 06/08/2017 07:43 pmFor a program that has been running since 2014 I would have hoped that NASA was a little further along than that. Really? It has been explained before, just because NASA performs a study on something (LSAM, unmanned lunar landers (Morpheus on the moon), SEV, DSH, etc) doesn't mean that NASA is going ahead and doing it. More often than not, the studies lead nowhere.There are many indicators that show that NASA is going ahead with a project, such as specific budget line items, budget direction, a program office, a project offices, RFP's, project websites with detail, etc. None of which exist for DSH. Many of indictators would be easily found on the web but even more so it goes without saying, there would be a huge presence of the project on NASASpaceflight.com.
NASA probably could buy a turn-key, delivered to orbit Bigelow module like B330 for 10% of your proposed budget, and have the keys by 2020. Won't happen, though, because it gives no work to Goddard or other Centers and no payload(s) to SLS.Bigelow will probably do it anyway, with or without NASA. At least they have said they would.
{snip}Won't happen, though, because it gives no work to Goddard or other Centers and no payload(s) to SLS.{snip}