-
#20
by
yg1968
on 09 Jun, 2019 20:05
-
I'll need to find time to read more of the official documents. But with Bigelow's involvement, I'm not clear on what will hopefully benefit them more. Getting seats paid for trips to station are fine. Given their business, is this going to be a push to add a private habitat of their design (customized for station mass and available ports) or just for funds to whet the whistles of tourists or private investors flying up and only using spacecraft and ISS resources?
Either way, it's a fascinating series of events.
On that issue, here is what NASA's press release says:
As a first step, NASA is making one space station port and utilities available for industry to attach a commercial module to support commercial activities, and today is releasing a synopsis as Appendix I in NASA’s Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships (NextSTEP) 2 Broad Agency Announcement (BAA). NASA expects to release the solicitation June 14, with awards made by the end of the fiscal year. The forward port of the station’s Harmony module will be available to industry for a finite period of time.
NASA will follow up with a synopsis for NextSTEP 2 Appendix K in July to partner with industry in the development of future free-flying commercial stations in low-Earth orbit.
https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-opens-international-space-station-to-new-commercial-opportunities-private
-
#21
by
yg1968
on 09 Jun, 2019 20:37
-
This is a bit of a guess on my part but given that both Bigelow and Axiom announced that they were in discussions to fly private astronauts to ISS makes me believe that they are the leading companies for these 2 private missions per year.
-
#22
by
TrevorMonty
on 09 Jun, 2019 21:08
-
With only one port up for grabs and two competitors its winner take all. The alternative is Bigelow and Axiom share port by joining their two modules. They can still compete while sharing resources.
There are three companies trying to make go of ZBLAN fibre production, also couple companies want to do inspace assembly of satellites so hopefully enough business to support two modules.
I can see ZBLAN eventually moving to unmanned free flyer. Will allow for lower cost cargo vehicles that don't need to meet ISS strict safety critera. Before this happens will need to perfect automated production on manned station.
-
#23
by
yg1968
on 10 Jun, 2019 00:50
-
-
#24
by
Tomness
on 10 Jun, 2019 00:52
-
With only one port up for grabs and two competitors its winner take all. The alternative is Bigelow and Axiom share port by joining their two modules. They can still compete while sharing resources.
It would be awesome if they can both win, and double the living space of the ISS. If they could power them selves and maintain semi-independence. They could both be the Next Step to Commercial LEO Stations.
-
#25
by
brickmack
on 11 Jun, 2019 01:17
-
With only one port up for grabs and two competitors its winner take all.
I'd hope more ports become available for expansion later on. Most of the proposals add 2-4 additional ports. And node 2 nadir could be used (as was planned originally with node 3), provided its CBM can be made up for elsewhere
-
#26
by
Olaf
on 11 Jun, 2019 16:33
-
-
#27
by
yg1968
on 12 Jun, 2019 00:09
-
-
#28
by
yg1968
on 12 Jun, 2019 00:19
-
-
#29
by
Tywin
on 12 Jun, 2019 02:54
-
Interesting if that's the case. It's Space X starting to find customers outside of Nasa for Crew Dragon and make use of used D2's.
Do we know if these are Nasa flights or private Space X flights?
I’d be very surprised if NASA is contracting the flights, seems to go against the whole ethos of what they are trying to achieve. Also the Bigelow tweet reads to me as Bigelow has paid deposits to SpaceX.
And for Boeing and her Starliner...
Two spacecraft by year, one for each company, 7 seats for sell, at maybe 30 million per tourist, 210 Million per fly, not bad at all, and by 50 million per seat, 350 millions...good enough...
-
#30
by
Tywin
on 12 Jun, 2019 02:57
-
Maybe this is, the beginning of space Hotels in LEO? And the really spread of the space tourism industry?
-
#31
by
Tywin
on 12 Jun, 2019 03:16
-
By the way, if SNC development the crew spacecraft DreamChaser they can participate in this new program for the ISS?
-
#32
by
yg1968
on 14 Jun, 2019 23:58
-
-
#33
by
gongora
on 21 Jun, 2019 20:44
-
-
#34
by
yg1968
on 24 Jun, 2019 14:51
-
-
#35
by
Asteroza
on 27 Jun, 2019 23:38
-
One wonders that with thinking along these lines, there would have been a huge initial award priority for something like an extended node module with many ports to facilitate all this commercialization. Doesn't even need to be fitted out at launch, so you might be able to shift more mass to increasing overall length. That, or a "sacrificial" Cygnus pressurized cargo module left at the station that leaves more ports than it used.
-
#36
by
Olaf
on 10 Jul, 2019 15:42
-
-
#37
by
Olaf
on 10 Jul, 2019 15:42
-
-
#38
by
Olaf
on 10 Jul, 2019 15:43
-
-
#39
by
Olaf
on 10 Jul, 2019 15:43
-