What's Happening at Bigelow?

[Ben the Space Brit]

I found the interior cutaways most interesting.  It looks like most of the equipment will be attached to the central core.  That makes sense as the outer hull is inflated so you wouldn't be able to launch with anything rigid attached to it - that would have to be done on later outfitting flights.

Now... with that rigid core as an axle, would it be possible to put a centrifuge into the super-heavy model-2100?

[ChefPat]

I found the interior cutaways most interesting.  [snip]   with that rigid core as an axle, would it be possible to put a centrifuge into the super-heavy model-2100?

I'd like to know how big the door is? If it requires an 8 meter fairing does it have a 5 meter entryway?

[Sparky]

I found the interior cutaways most interesting.  [snip]   with that rigid core as an axle, would it be possible to put a centrifuge into the super-heavy model-2100?

I'd like to know how big the door is? If it requires an 8 meter fairing does it have a 5 meter entryway?

I was just thinking, Orion and CST-100 about 5 meters across. If the door/airlock was made just a bit bigger, say, 5.5 or 6 meters, the entire module could be a hangar for repairing vehicles in a shirtsleeve atmosphere.

[mmeijeri]

Even an unpressurised hangar/shelter would be nice.

[Sparky]

Even an unpressurised hangar/shelter would be nice.

True, although I thought Bigelow modules only retain their structure because of internal pressure. I suppose something like a BA-2100 could be inflated, outfitted with ribs, and then depressurized. Then again, you could do something similar with a modified SLS/Jupiter tank.

[mmeijeri]

I was thinking of something like a space based version of a bouncy castle. Only the walls would be inflated, not the enclosed space. And the nice thing about inflatables is that you don't need an HLV.

[kkattula]

I was thinking of something like a space based version of a bouncy castle. Only the walls would be inflated, not the enclosed space. And the nice things about inflatables is that you don't need an HLV.

Umm, according to the Bigelow guy in the video, the big one weighs about 100 tons...

[mmeijeri]

Can't blame the guy for wanting to sell inflatables. But the smaller ones would be plenty big.

[Sparky]

I was thinking of something like a space based version of a bouncy castle. Only the walls would be inflated, not the enclosed space. And the nice things about inflatables is that you don't need an HLV.

Gotcha. I had a similar idea a while back, of taking a dozen BA-330s, assembling them into a cube, and stretching the wall material over the open faces of the cube. Of course, my biggest hangup was how to access the interior of that cube if it were to be pressurized, but I guess it doesn't need to be.

[mmeijeri]

It would be nice if you could build large pressurised volumes that way. I think there were design studies about that in the sixties. If you used some kind of box shaped frame with Bigelow "air mattresses" as walls, maybe you could weld enormous metal modules in the enclosure? I don't know what you'd use it for, but it would sure look impressive!

[docmordrid]

Bigelow Orbiting Resort & (micro)Gravity cube

BORG cube?

[Sparky]

I was thinking of something like a space based version of a bouncy castle. Only the walls would be inflated, not the enclosed space. And the nice things about inflatables is that you don't need an HLV.

Umm, according to the Bigelow guy in the video, the big one weighs about 100 tons...

I figure that the 2100 could be shaved down to fit on a Jupiter-130, or just as is on a Jupiter 246 or larger variant, which can do 100 tons to LEO. (Or some compromise of the two.)

[FinalFrontier]

I was thinking of something like a space based version of a bouncy castle. Only the walls would be inflated, not the enclosed space. And the nice things about inflatables is that you don't need an HLV.

Umm, according to the Bigelow guy in the video, the big one weighs about 100 tons...

I figure that the 2100 could be shaved down to fit on a Jupiter-130, or just as is on a Jupiter 246 or larger variant, which can do 100 tons to LEO. (Or some compromise of the two.)

So there is yet another use for the HLV.

[mmeijeri]

Inflatables are precisely one of those things you don't need an HLV for. But again, you can't blame Bigelow for wanting to sell inflatables if the alternative is NASA buying some rigid module from someone else.

[docmordrid]

Certainly sounds like a use for >100 MT, several of them.  Time to quit screwing around and build a launcher that can scale from 70-80 to 120 MT.  Doesn't matter if you call the payload "inflatable" or not since they're  not balloons. 

[e of pi]

I figure that the 2100 could be shaved down to fit on a Jupiter-130, or just as is on a Jupiter 246 or larger variant, which can do 100 tons to LEO. (Or some compromise of the two.)

The 2100 would be unlikely to be able to have 30 tons shaved, but the guy in the video also says that they have another internal design for a 70-ton 1150 m^3 module, which is about right compared to the mass/volume ratios of Sundancer, BA 330, and this BA 2100 (around 55 kg/m^3).

[Ben the Space Brit]

FWIW, I'd want the launchable payload to be one module and one node plus a modified upper stage/assembly tug.  If you launch it all in one go, you have a few less rendezvouses that are potentially time-critical to worry about and you also speed up the assembly process somewhat.  So, really, even the lighter modules would need an EELV-H (using a Centaur as a tug) or SLS-M.

Although I'm on the record as an SLS fan, I would personally feel better if things were scaled for the EELV-Heavies, Proton and Ariane-5.  This is just a gut feeling on my part but I'm not entirely convinced of NASA's likely willingness to co-operate to the point where they'd let Bigelow use their 'flagship' LV unless the module was part of a NASA project.

[Sparky]

I figure that the 2100 could be shaved down to fit on a Jupiter-130, or just as is on a Jupiter 246 or larger variant, which can do 100 tons to LEO. (Or some compromise of the two.)

The 2100 would be unlikely to be able to have 30 tons shaved, but the guy in the video also says that they have another internal design for a 70-ton 1150 m^3 module, which is about right compared to the mass/volume ratios of Sundancer, BA 330, and this BA 2100 (around 55 kg/m^3).

Sorry, what I meant was leaving certain elements (such as one of the propulsion modules at the end) for later launches. But yes, I think that is unlikely that you could find 30 tons to remove, and still call it a BA-2100.

Still, I find it odd that Bigelow Aerospace's vice president either didn't know, or refused to acknowledge that the heavier versions of Direct's Jupiter vehicles (including the recommended J246) are capable of lifting his 100 ton module to LEO. Granted, I'm guessing that "Resupply Depot Hercules" is intended for EML1 or 2, but launching an adequate EDS shouldn't be a show stopper.

Although I'm on the record as an SLS fan, I would personally feel better if things were scaled for the EELV-Heavies, Proton and Ariane-5.  This is just a gut feeling on my part but I'm not entirely convinced of NASA's likely willingness to co-operate to the point where they'd let Bigelow use their 'flagship' LV unless the module was part of a NASA project.

I have a gut feeling that if Bigelow proves it can put such a massive station/depot together in LEO, and makes good on their plans to do so at an EML point, the depot will quickly become part of NASA's lunar architecture.

[ChefPat]

 Granted, I'm guessing that "Resupply Depot Hercules" is intended for EML1 or 2, but launching an adequate EDS shouldn't be a show stopper.

[snip]

I have a gut feeling that if Bigelow proves it can put such a massive station/depot together in LEO, and makes good on their plans to do so at an EML point, the depot will quickly become part of NASA's lunar architecture.

What precisely is needed to protect against both Solar Radiation & Cosmic Rays beyond the Van Allen Belt?
If inside a Bigelow Hab it's a water blanket, then it'll take a couple of HLV outfitting launches to LEO to put that much H2O into orbit to protect a BA-2100 & that many more for Supply Depot Hercules.

[Sparky]

What precisely is needed to protect against both Solar Radiation & Cosmic Rays beyond the Van Allen Belt?
If inside a Bigelow Hab it's a water blanket, then it'll take a couple of HLV outfitting launches to LEO to put that much H2O into orbit to protect a BA-2100 & that many more for Supply Depot Hercules.

Good question. Nevertheless, unless he's significantly understating the projected mass of the module, it should be doable with SLS, even if that means multiple launches.

*Edit: I just rewatched the video, and noted that he specifically said Metric tons. Way to pay attention, Sparky. Oh well. Still, some of Direct's configurations would be up to task for that, just not their preferred ones.