Bigelow Aerospace, A new Genesis in space |
Bigelow Aerospace, A new Genesis in space |
Jun 1 2006, 07:18 PM
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#1
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 2454 Joined: 8-July 05 From: NGC 5907 Member No.: 430 |
To quote:
On June 16, he'll use a Russian Dnepr rocket to launch a 1/3-scale Genesis model of his planned commercial orbital space station. That much has been public for a while. What I didn't learn until just now is what will be on that module. Freefloating inside will be 1,000 photocards and small personal objects contributed by Bigelow employees. If all goes well, those items will be continuously blown throughout the pressurized module in a kind of space collage. Six onboard cameras will stream video to Bigelow's new website, which will launch tomorrow or Friday. Seven external cameras will provide views of the Earth from space and the outside of the module. If that doesn't get even the most disinterested member of the public at least intrigued about the possibilities of space travel, I don't know what will. But it gets better. Subject to a successful launch of the first module, Bigelow will launch a second Genesis module in September, and that one will contain photos and other small items contributed by anyone who cares to pony up $295. Full article here: http://michaelbelfiore.com/blog/2006/05/bi...s-to-orbit.html -------------------- "After having some business dealings with men, I am occasionally chagrined,
and feel as if I had done some wrong, and it is hard to forget the ugly circumstance. I see that such intercourse long continued would make one thoroughly prosaic, hard, and coarse. But the longest intercourse with Nature, though in her rudest moods, does not thus harden and make coarse. A hard, sensible man whom we liken to a rock is indeed much harder than a rock. From hard, coarse, insensible men with whom I have no sympathy, I go to commune with the rocks, whose hearts are comparatively soft." - Henry David Thoreau, November 15, 1853 |
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Sep 22 2006, 12:45 PM
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#2
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Member Group: Members Posts: 321 Joined: 6-April 06 From: Cape Canaveral Member No.: 734 |
How are you going to power it? Also, how do get rid of it at the end of the ISS? The additional habitable volume is insignificant
The orbiter would detiorate quickly. It would be worse that sitting on the ground. "Symbol of the work"? It is an inanimate object, it doesn't need a "reward". Your "reward" would give it a fate like Columbia |
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Sep 22 2006, 01:15 PM
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#3
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Member Group: Members Posts: 593 Joined: 20-April 05 Member No.: 279 |
How are you going to power it? Also, how do get rid of it at the end of the ISS? The additional habitable volume is insignificant Last issue first: it need not be. There's, what, ~300 cubic metres of payload bay not including the docking adapter. I can't believe that a small hab module - not a working volume, just additional space for the crew and/or tourists - couldn't be built in the next four years, providing more much-needed room. Power - for lighting, ventilation and heating - needn't be a huge amount. QUOTE "Symbol of the work"? It is an inanimate object, it doesn't need a "reward". I'm reminded of military aircraft. They look ok in museums, but nothing is as inspirational as seeing them fly. Post 2010, to know there's a shuttle permanently berthed at the gleaming, magnitude minus whatever-it-is ISS, rather than slowly falling to pieces as a museum piece, would be a wonderful reminder to people around the planet regarding that "magnificent flying machine" - and maybe it could just spur peoples' memories to recall the second half of Tsiolkovsky's famous quote: "...man cannot stay in the cradle forever." Andy |
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Sep 22 2006, 01:21 PM
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#4
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Founder Group: Chairman Posts: 14448 Joined: 8-February 04 Member No.: 1 |
Last issue first: it need not be. There's, what, ~300 cubic metres of payload bay not including the docking adapter. I can't believe that a small hab module - not a working volume, just additional space for the crew and/or tourists - couldn't be built in the next four years, providing more much-needed room. Then why take up the docking port with a Shuttle - just take this small hab module you propose and bolt it onto the end of Node 2 and put the last PMA on the end of it? It's seems like you've thought of a solution for a problem that doesn't actually exist. Doug |
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