Bigelow Aerospace Update Thread (2)

[Orbital Debris]

Updates:

The remaining workers are returning to full time. Previously they had gone to 1 unpaid furlough per pay period. (~10% pay cut)

"Recommenced hiring" - although I wouldn't expect a lot soon.  Probably backfilling those that have left since the September layoff. 

Completed a system requirements review for BEAM.  To answer some earlier questions, it would be funded under exploration systems in the NASA budget. 

Bigelow is currently providing information to NASA on what it would take to push a Sundancer out to EML2.  This is something being studied as "long term strategic vision" proposals for exploration systems.

Work continues toward CCDev tasks for Boeing. (contributing to April milestones listed elsewhere)

[RocketmanUS]

Updates:

The remaining workers are returning to full time. Previously they had gone to 1 unpaid furlough per pay period. (~10% pay cut)

"Recommenced hiring" - although I wouldn't expect a lot soon.  Probably backfilling those that have left since the September layoff. 

Completed a system requirements review for BEAM.  To answer some earlier questions, it would be funded under exploration systems in the NASA budget. 

Bigelow is currently providing information to NASA on what it would take to push a Sundancer out to EML2.  This is something being studied as "long term strategic vision" proposals for exploration systems.

Work continues toward CCDev tasks for Boeing. (contributing to April milestones listed elsewhere)

Possible bringing back the Sundancer is good news.

Have they finished the new building expansion?

Do you have any links to this new information?

Thanks

[A_M_Swallow]

{snip}

Completed a system requirements review for BEAM.  To answer some earlier questions, it would be funded under exploration systems in the NASA budget. 

Bigelow is currently providing information to NASA on what it would take to push a Sundancer out to EML2.  This is something being studied as "long term strategic vision" proposals for exploration systems.

I hope that there is a good overlap of components between BEAM and Sundancer.  Testing things like a second ECLSS in space is very expensive.

NASA may have to explain why it is investigating the Sundancer rather than the larger BA330.  The reduced transport costs may be sufficient.

[Orbital Debris]

Updates:

The remaining workers are returning to full time. Previously they had gone to 1 unpaid furlough per pay period. (~10% pay cut)

"Recommenced hiring" - although I wouldn't expect a lot soon.  Probably backfilling those that have left since the September layoff. 

Completed a system requirements review for BEAM.  To answer some earlier questions, it would be funded under exploration systems in the NASA budget. 

Bigelow is currently providing information to NASA on what it would take to push a Sundancer out to EML2.  This is something being studied as "long term strategic vision" proposals for exploration systems.

Work continues toward CCDev tasks for Boeing. (contributing to April milestones listed elsewhere)

Possible bringing back the Sundancer is good news.

Have they finished the new building expansion?

Do you have any links to this new information?

Thanks

There is some activity in the new building, it has had some landscaping done, but I don't think it has been finished inside. 

No links that I know of, just grapevine. 

[manboy]

Updates:

The remaining workers are returning to full time. Previously they had gone to 1 unpaid furlough per pay period. (~10% pay cut)

"Recommenced hiring" - although I wouldn't expect a lot soon.  Probably backfilling those that have left since the September layoff. 

I knew they were doing bad but I didn't know they were doing that bad.

[Jason1701]

Thank you very much for the update. Even grapevine information is welcome compared to what we get from official channels.

[Robotbeat]

Updates:

The remaining workers are returning to full time. Previously they had gone to 1 unpaid furlough per pay period. (~10% pay cut)

"Recommenced hiring" - although I wouldn't expect a lot soon.  Probably backfilling those that have left since the September layoff. 

I knew they were doing bad but I didn't know they were doing that bad.

This sounds like good news... The bleeding has stopped, the patient is improving.

I'm glad that Bigelow is making some progress. They're kind of more in Blue Origin stealth-mode right now, a big step back from the grandiosity of yesteryear... not a bad thing that they're stepping back on the PR levels a little, IMHO.

I'd much rather they get a useful module developed and ultimately launched than just building a building for a module too big to be afforded.

[RocketmanUS]

Updates:

The remaining workers are returning to full time. Previously they had gone to 1 unpaid furlough per pay period. (~10% pay cut)

"Recommenced hiring" - although I wouldn't expect a lot soon.  Probably backfilling those that have left since the September layoff. 

I knew they were doing bad but I didn't know they were doing that bad.

This sounds like good news... The bleeding has stopped, the patient is improving.

I'm glad that Bigelow is making some progress. They're kind of more in Blue Origin stealth-mode right now, a big step back from the grandiosity of yesteryear... not a bad thing that they're stepping back on the PR levels a little, IMHO.

I'd much rather they get a useful module developed and ultimately launched than just building a building for a module too big to be afforded.

Yes better to start with Sundancer at a lower cost. Then from what they learn scale up to a BA300 or a little bigger if we get the FH at about the price quoted.

Sundancer would be a good size for EML2 ( better even if it could handle 4 crew instead of three, pull added power from the EML2 station solar panel array ). Bases on estimates for the BA330 mass I don't believe it would add that much to a Sundancer for the extra mass needed for the life support needed for one more crew member.

Was the life support system being designed for three people or was it in blocks added together to handle a 3 crew members ( each block for each crew member ). 

[ChefPat]

Bigelow is currently providing information to NASA on what it would take to push a Sundancer out to EML2.  This is something being studied as "long term strategic vision" proposals for exploration systems.

I'd sure like to know what the rationale for this is.

[SpacexULA]

Bigelow is currently providing information to NASA on what it would take to push a Sundancer out to EML2.  This is something being studied as "long term strategic vision" proposals for exploration systems.

I'd sure like to know what the rationale for this is.

My uninformed guess is that they are some what down the road on manufacuring a flight fidelity Sundancer.

-NASA gets a beyond LEO mission with "man rated" hardware.
-NASA gets flight data for a possible BEO tool
-Bigelow gets funds it desperately needs for hardware already somewhat completed
-Bigelow gets gravitas of a NASA mission
-Bigelow gets to prove out changes in design since the near decade at the time of this launch since Genesis II.

Seems like a win all the way around

[ChefPat]

Bigelow is currently providing information to NASA on what it would take to push a Sundancer out to EML2.  This is something being studied as "long term strategic vision" proposals for exploration systems.

I'd sure like to know what the rationale for this is.

My uninformed guess is that they are some what down the road on manufacuring a flight fidelity Sundancer.

-NASA gets a beyond LEO mission with "man rated" hardware.
-NASA gets flight data for a possible BEO tool
-Bigelow gets funds it desperately needs for hardware already somewhat completed
-Bigelow gets gravitas of a NASA mission
-Bigelow gets to prove out changes in design since the near decade at the time of this launch since Genesis II.

Seems like a win all the way around

I wouldn't argue with a single point you've made, my concern is the choice of EML-2 over EML-1.

[A_M_Swallow]

Bigelow is currently providing information to NASA on what it would take to push a Sundancer out to EML2.  This is something being studied as "long term strategic vision" proposals for exploration systems.

I'd sure like to know what the rationale for this is.

My guess.

Earth-Moon Lagrange point 2 (EML-2) is a good place to put the in-space hanger for reusable lunar landers.  Associated with the hanger can be a workshop to repair the landers and a propellant depot to refuel them.  The spacestation will also a good place for Mars Transfer Vehicles to return to.

EML-1 is a rival location with similar costs and benefits.  Low Lunar Orbit (LLO) has the problem that spacecraft tend to fall out of the sky and crash into Moon after about half a year - an unsafe orbit for a spacestation.  EML-2 is a safe high orbit of both the Moon and the Earth.

Any astronauts going to the Moon need somewhere to put their Earth return spacecraft, such as Orion, whilst they are using a lunar lander.  A spacestation able to support people at EML-2 is a convenient place to change spacecraft.

The Bigelow Sundancer is a cheap (compared to the ISS) spacestation that is nearly off the shelf.  NASA can easily convert a Sundancer into the living quarters of a 'motel in space'.

There are plenty of launch vehicles that Bigelow can use to put a 8,618.4 kg item into LEO orbit, but additional means is needed to get the spacestation to EML-2.  NASA is probably going to have to supply the additional means.

As to Sundancer V. BA330 V. 2 off Sundancers that is a trade study that the bureaucracy may not have caught up with yet.

[ChefPat]

Doesn't it take a week longer to get to EML-2 than EML-1?

[Robotbeat]

Doesn't it take a week longer to get to EML-2 than EML-1?

But lower delta-v.

[Robotbeat]

Doesn't it take a week longer to get to EML-2 than EML-1?

[Orbital Debris]

Bigelow is currently providing information to NASA on what it would take to push a Sundancer out to EML2.  This is something being studied as "long term strategic vision" proposals for exploration systems.

I'd sure like to know what the rationale for this is.

My uninformed guess is that they are some what down the road on manufacuring a flight fidelity Sundancer.

-NASA gets a beyond LEO mission with "man rated" hardware.
-NASA gets flight data for a possible BEO tool
-Bigelow gets funds it desperately needs for hardware already somewhat completed
-Bigelow gets gravitas of a NASA mission
-Bigelow gets to prove out changes in design since the near decade at the time of this launch since Genesis II.

Seems like a win all the way around

The Sundancer ECLSS systems are not even beyond Proof of Concept yet.   They are not progressed with SD manufacturing, but the Sundancer  structure and softgoods design is far beyond the 330 design.  From what I  understand, IFF they provided exploration systems hardware to NASA, it would be mostly structural. 

WRT another poster's comment, the BA330 is large step (>50%) mass increase from SD.  I wouldn't want to push the extra mass out to the moon, that is a large dV hit.

[Orbital Debris]

Doesn't it take a week longer to get to EML-2 than EML-1?

I wouldn't get too wrapped around 1 vs 2.  It is under study, and maybe I just should have said cis-lunar space.  Exact design reference mission has a lot of TBD's, just like a lot of the paper missions you see here.

[RocketmanUS]

Wouldn't the Delta IV Heavy be able to send a Sundancer to EML2 ( US may need some modifications if to place the module in EML2 )?

[ChefPat]

Doesn't it take a week longer to get to EML-2 than EML-1?

But lower delta-v.

The Delta-v difference is negligible. Both are less than 1 kps from LEO. The problem as I see it is consumables. If it takes 3 days to get to EML-1 & 10 days to get to EML-2 that would take 2 radically different ships.

[ChefPat]

Doesn't it take a week longer to get to EML-2 than EML-1?

I wouldn't get too wrapped around 1 vs 2.  It is under study, and maybe I just should have said cis-lunar space.  Exact design reference mission has a lot of TBD's, just like a lot of the paper missions you see here.

Well, we've seen EML-2 mentioned in news articles recently & now we're hearing from you. Our best source on BA news.
But I'll take your advise & not worry too much.