Bigelow's orbital 'baby'

Lee Wilson , Longview Washington — Fri, 14 Jul 2006 03:11:05 GMT

Cool, I think what you are doing is great, If I could afford to send something up I would.
I also like your uses of the term of genesis not just because of its religious terms but. rather it is truly a beginnng for the building of life and such..Scorpions are good.. it should be rather easy to check on bone density using such creatures as they.
it would be rather interesting to see how they react to weightlessness lol. also creating an enviroment for competion in food is rather interesting and procreation that would be a challenge for some species.
so are you also working on ways for creat artificial gravity? and could such devices also be used for emergencies for astronaughts should they need to use it for a short time?
or are we more looking at a way to create a biosphere on another world or planet like Mars?

you also said that they were bullet proof...have you also explored technologies that can self repair..(if there are any) and does it use Solar collection to power the unit?

Oh if need be can they be intergrated together?
and one other question, how about recycling plants for water, plant life etc...well maybe that is getting a little ahead lol..but it would be nice to see if one unit could have a complete echo system..er..I think that would be way over the 35 mil though lol.
well, I used to have dreams about venturing to space but...I am just a simple person.

Bigelow's orbital 'baby'

Jack Kennedy, Wise, Va. — Fri, 14 Jul 2006 03:53:32 GMT

THREE CHEERS!

First to Bob Bigelow! He is certainly go to be one of the star attractions at the Space Frontier Conference next week with the first private space station in orbit! It is wonderful to see the commercial space industry coming alive with this initial orbital success.

Cheers to the Russians for converting an ICBM to space development. Clearly, they mean business - space business! Let us hope that SpaceX can come on-line next with a successful American orbital booster rocket this fall to back-up the Bigelow effort. America needs Elon Musk to make the next launch window a roar-to-orbit.

Finally, cheers for the U.S. State Department for enabling the ITAR regs to permit the launch on a commercial Russian booster. This is part of what the future is going to be about with the globalization of the space effort. Let us hope the federal govt
will take more kindly to international Alt.Space.

Bigelow's orbital 'baby'

Dan Mills, Apple Valley, Ca — Fri, 14 Jul 2006 04:03:45 GMT

My congratulations to Mr Bigelow and his superb team! And also it is gratifying to know we have such friends as the Russian colleagues that were the pivotal contact for the missions success. We need more patriotic pioneers like Mr Bigelow! If I had the opportunity to become a part of such a historical and meaningful venture I would drop everything I am currently involved with and join his team in a minute! Keep up the great work, America is watching!

Bigelow's orbital 'baby'

Robin, Sherman Oaks, CA — Fri, 14 Jul 2006 04:52:44 GMT

Alan, thanks for the links to Heavens-Above and Real Time Satellite Tracking.

I don't see the information posted on Space Frontier Foundation's conference website yet (space-frontier.org/Events/NewSpace2006/), but an email today from rabble-rouser Tumlinson says that Robert Bigelow will give the keynote address at the conference in Las Vegas next Friday.

Maybe you'll get to hear the speech, since you are expected at the banquet later that day to receive the Space Journalism Award.

Bigelow's orbital 'baby'

Robin — Fri, 14 Jul 2006 04:59:14 GMT

Alan, are you at a loss for words?

Bigelow's orbital 'baby'

Alan Boyle — Fri, 14 Jul 2006 05:11:42 GMT

I'm in a zombielike state right now, Robin. Between the shuttle coverage and all what else that's going on, it's been a busy week, er, month.

Starting Sunday, I'll be on a grand tour to Florida for the shuttle landing, then to Las Vegas for the Space Frontier Foundation's conference (and thanks for your good wishes on the Space Journalism Award ... once again, the zombie can only grunt his thanks), then to the New Mexico area for some rocket reporting (shades of Michael Belfiore ... http://www.michaelbelfiore.com/blog), then back to Seattle.

I'm still getting the hang of this comments thing, so I hope all you posters out there will excuse me if I'm sometimes at a loss for words. I will note that I specifically asked Mr. B about the ITAR regulations after Jack Kennedy wondered about that in an earlier comment ... so your comments are quite valuable, even if you hear nary a grunt in response when they're made.

BTW, Robin Snelson is keeping excellent track of the Lunar Lander Challenge at http://lunarlander.spaceracenews.com/ ... Thanks again, Robin!

Bigelow's orbital 'baby'

KURT, IRVINE CALIFORNIA — Fri, 14 Jul 2006 05:11:51 GMT

Cool!!!! Mr. Bigelow has opened the frontier for private space stations. Hope someday, I'll be able to make a trip to space!

Bigelow's orbital 'baby'

Ilia Bekyarov — Fri, 14 Jul 2006 06:41:18 GMT

What abbout ONE GREAT PRIVATE, powerfull "Hubble-like" telescope? The Universe is still unknown for us! I think that we do not need right now space stations, but more space based telescopes - our eyes when "The BIG Asteroid" comes towards our precious planet! Mr. Bigelow will save the planet - this is really cool! Who will save the Earth? Who will be Our Hero? I think it will be Me! : ) What about private space program for destruction of asteroids - the potential Earth killers?

Bigelow's orbital 'baby'

Firefly, Broadtsairs, Kent, England — Fri, 14 Jul 2006 07:09:09 GMT

Brilliant! This is the way to go in space commercialisation and development.
I proposed the inflatable approach in a London Business School paper (1983), which makes me doubly happy.
Your project has a potential partner in Virgin Galatic, which I hope you'll consider. An (inflatable) hotel would be natural destination for its space riders.
Good fortune to you!

Bigelow's orbital 'baby'

Christopher Eldridge, Harrisburg PA — Fri, 14 Jul 2006 18:57:58 GMT

Maybe once it is up and running and proven safe, we could send our world leaders up and say "Hey look... Do you see that little blue dot of yours? Do you see how thin the atmosphere looks from up here as opposed to down there? Do you see how there are no borders??? What about that forest fire in the Amazon... Aren't you the least bit worried about that?"

Hey, one possibility for getting those inflatable modules up into space is replacing the Soyuz orbital module (you know, the round ball on the front that is an air lock) with one of those inflatable habitats. Simply launch the first couple Soyuz with tourist and leave the habitat module there - slowly adding to the number in orbit. This way you can launch both tourists and the future space hotel at the same time. Those orbital module on the Soyuz isn't needed for reentry.

Bigelow's orbital 'baby'

Stowe Davison, College Park MD — Fri, 14 Jul 2006 19:33:38 GMT

Didn't Robert Heinlein have a book or short story describing technology like this? I'm trying to remember the title. As I recall, asteroid belt prospectors would live in "bubs", which were just like Genesis except bigger and were in solar rather than terestrial orbit. Does anyone know the title of that book/story? Might have come out in Boy's Life (Boy Scout magazine) in the 60's.

Bigelow's orbital 'baby'

a p garcia — Fri, 14 Jul 2006 21:06:15 GMT

I am surprised NASA didn't think of it or maybe I shouldn't be surprised. After all look at all the "good" ideas and rockets that NASA decided to scrap or passover, rockets like "Saturn 5", "SR-71", "X-33", infavor of all the ?Scientific Achievements? and "money pit" called "International Space Station". It took people like Burt Rutan and Mr. Bigelow to shead light how well NASA is doing.

Bigelow's orbital 'baby'

Frank Glover, Rochester, NY — Fri, 14 Jul 2006 23:00:36 GMT

It's not clear that there's money in flying a Hubble-sized private orbital telescope, espically if dedicated to asteroid searches (a wider-angle 'scope might be better for that, and inflatable technologies might be of limited help here...you can't have a good collapsable mirror, multiple smaller mirrors require humans present for assembly, and either requires a stiff metallic [or maybe composite] framework. A Hubble-sized payload needs Shuttle-sized [but not necessairily the Space Shuttle itself] launchers).

But if Bigelow's projects (which are clearly oriented toward human use) adds to the incentives to create more economical human access to Low Earth Orbit, it's worth it. Once you have that, many other things (like assembly of a private orbital telescope) that can't currently be taken seriously, become possible, and practical.

Bigelow's orbital 'baby'

Sean Davis. Bristol. UK. — Sat, 15 Jul 2006 09:32:00 GMT

Bravo Mr.Bigelow, took my binoculars out last night and found Genesis sweeping across the twilight sky.(thanks Heavens-above.com) Hope to see many more in the future.

Bigelow's orbital 'baby'

Chris Mann, Sydney — Sun, 16 Jul 2006 13:23:29 GMT

I've got to wait till 4.44am this morning for a good view. I'll be out with my telescope.

Bigelow's orbital 'baby'

paul allen mitchell ,eugene,oregon u.s.a. — Sun, 06 Aug 2006 17:56:49 GMT

How dare you! Making a hero out of Mr. Bigelow for wasting all of that money on a program only a very few wealthy peaple will ever get to benifit from!
I just a normal hard working American my self,and i have spent my life saving's {$40,000}feeding and giving shelter to the homeless here in oregon ,just to read about Mr. Bigalow wanting to have the first hotel in space!!!WHAT A WAST OF HIS TIME AND MONEY!!!
Mr.Bigalow! if you realy want to show what a Great Man you are ,then why don't you use your time,money,and smarts to help your own .Right here in the good old U.S.A ?????????????

Bigelow's orbital 'baby'

Alan Boyle — Sun, 06 Aug 2006 18:53:05 GMT

Paul, that's quite admirable to devote so much of your resources to helping the homeless, and that should be celebrated. I think the idea behind what Mr. Bigelow is doing is actually to bring down the cost of spaceflight and living in space, so that it will be open to more than "only a very few wealthy people." And over the long run, over centuries of time, that's the only way we're going to be able to ensure the survival and expansion of the human species. If we can figure out how to make space pay, and how to stretch out our habitat beyond this little rock, that will create homes for all those future generations who otherwise would be homeless. If it comes to pass, and that's a really big, multibillion-dollar "if," Bigelow will be remembered for playing some role as a benefactor in that effort. In fact, I don't think it's going to get done unless people with lots of money get involved, just as the European expansion to the New World wouldn't have happened without the Mayflower's financial backers, the Hudson's Bay Company, etc. Sorry if I get a little dreamy-eyed about this, but I'd have to agree with Stephen Hawking that it's imperative we expand our biosphere beyond Earth in the long run:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13293390/

That's not to take anything away from all the good work you and others are doing. In fact, Bigelow is no slouch when it comes to more traditional forms of philanthropy. Here's a snippet from a story about him by Sam Dinkin in The Space Review:

"Bigelow himself is an interesting character. He appears to be hedging his bets a little by donating $7 million to the University of Nevada Las Vegas including endowing the Bigelow Physics Building, yet was also purported to be on the Board of the Rhine Research Center and the National Institute for Discovery Sciences.

"I am a little surprised that Bigelow does not appear in the Forbes 400, which finishes off at $750 million. He has, according to his bio, 'many thousands of apartment units and many thousands of hotel rooms in 4 states including the hotel chain Budget Suites of America' under his belt. The 23 Budget Suites properties would probably not get him the $2.3 billion that Motel 6 got selling out 550 properties to Accor in 1990. But someone like him saying he is ready to invest up to $500 million probably is not kidding.

"Whatever it is that motivates Bigelow to fund space habitats — whether it is research, manufacturing, tourism, or facilitating the search for extraterrestrial intelligence — he is certainly providing more good in my estimation than Ted Turner’s billion-dollar donation to the United Nations. Space altruism could benefit from having a big tent for ideas. And if we hook enough Nautiluses together, Bigelow will have the biggest space tent around."

http://www.thespacereview.com/article/292/1

Bigelow's orbital 'baby'

Micah Fitch, Minneapolis, MN — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 05:38:17 GMT

Robert T. Bigelow is a personal hero of mine.