Space hotel by 2010?

Alan Boyle — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 00:47:25 GMT

There are a couple of things from my interview with Robert Bigelow that I couldn't easily wedge in to this item, but are important to mention:

1. For now, Bigelow has back-burnered the idea of sending up an intermediate-sized test vehicle that would not be human-rated - the type of inflatable known as the Galaxy or Guardian class.

If the Genesis 2 mission or the development of the Sundancer raises issues that need to be resolved in a test mission, such a mission could be wedged into the schedule.

"We have not queued up specifically a date [but] we have theoretically the ability to have a third smaller-scale launch," he said.

If everything goes smoothly, "we have decided to try to cut some of the time" from the initially planned development cycle and go directly from Genesis 2 to a "human-occupiable" module, he said.

2. The means for sending up people to the Sundancer module may not be available when it's launched. I believe this led Space.com Warren Ferster to call the module "a destination waiting for a means to get there."

3. The Sundancer would be built not to exceed a weight of 19,000 pounds so that it could be launched on a Falcon 9 Medium (or an Atlas 5/401). That mass is close to the low-Earth-orbit maximum for those launch vehicles. Habitable space for the Sundancer is 177 cubic meters. The Nautilus BA-330 has 330 cubic meters of space, and is targeted for a weight of 45,000 pounds.

4. Bigelow said that the launch vehicle wouldn't have to be human-rated by NASA. As noted above, FAA/AST would license the Atlas 5 (and the passenger capsule, whatever that turned out to be) for human spaceflight. And of course the Soyuz would be an acceptable launch vehicle as well.

Bigelow said the Soyuz's success demonstrated that you don't have to have a complex, triple-redundant system to have a safe system. In his view, the shuttle system was too complex, and "the Soyuz is a classic example of doing it right."

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The passenger capsule is something that appears to be still up in the air, so to speak, but Lockheed clearly would prefer to use a Lockheed-designed capsule with the Atlas 5. (Check the PDF file for details on that.) I'm wondering if this is actually a spin-off from a Lockheed COTS proposal.

Space hotel by 2010?

Alan Boyle — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 00:50:02 GMT

Oh, another thing: On the question of who would operate the "space hotel" ... Bigelow has said in the past that the idea would be for others to be the owner/operators of Bigelow modules. But today he said there was a wide spectrum of models that could be followed, including "jointly owned and jointly operated ventures." He didn't want to get into too much speculation on that, but I got the sense that the arrangements could be as various as the arrangements that govern terrestrial real estate (for example, franchises, leases, etc.).

Space hotel by 2010?

Sierra, Cheterfield, Va — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 01:08:12 GMT

Hi, Its me again the 13 year old. I was wondering if you got my email ? If you did that would be so great if you could answer my qustion on the Good Moring News tommorrow. I know you probaly won't because I am a 13 year old and doesn't really know how to spell very well but I do know how to use correct grammer and other proper English. I am in Honers classes and very Intelligent, I would also myself like to join the NASA company. But lets get back to what I was talking about, I truely like it if you would go on the Good Moring News and explain how we would live in the planets and stay in the hotels and drive cars. And again I would like to say thank you for your time and have a nice day and a good Saterday and Sunday. :)

Space hotel by 2010?

Chris Eldridge, Harrisburg PA — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 02:42:02 GMT

As I noted before, couldn't you break the cost of sending these test vehicles up by piggy backing with a simply manned Soyuz mission. In other words, replace the unneeded ORBITAL module on Soyuz with one of the test modules. Put a few paying customers in the capsule part of the Soyuz just for a joy ride with a planned quick return. Thus you orbit your test module and a few paying passengers to boot! I'm optimistic about all this but the tried and true Soyuz would be where I'd keep my bets. They are going to be launching it from French Guiana in a few years so doesn't that decrease the cost per pound to orbit? I'm definitely going to send my book's cover up on Genesis II so I am glad to hear that is not shelved. P.S. Oh, and if any "camera happy" reporters get a chance to visit Lockheed during all of this, I'd strongly advise them to put the darn thing away... These are the big boys!!

Space hotel by 2010?

Gaetano Marano - Italy — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 15:26:17 GMT

. . . . . . . large scale space tourism has NO future without a new, SAFE and low cost Shuttle able to carry COMMON peoples to/from earth orbit the same way a 747 doeson earth with acceptable "G" force and without the heavy astronauts-like training of a Soyuz flights ...this is the ONLY way to increase the number of space tourists from "units" to "thousands" . . . . . . .

Space hotel by 2010?

a p garcia — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 17:00:07 GMT

I hope when this Genesis Space module is placed in a desireable orbit and not the 51.6 degrees that the ISS flies, as well as a higher orbit. I would also like some sort of artifical gravity so people can stay there for extended periods so they won't suffer long term zero "G" health effects.

Space hotel by 2010?

James Buchanan, Laurel, MD — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 22:36:15 GMT

__________________________________________________ . . . . . . . large scale space tourism has NO future without a new, SAFE and low cost Shuttle able to carry COMMON peoples to/from earth orbit the same way a 747 doeson earth with acceptable "G" force and without the heavy astronauts-like training of a Soyuz flights ...this is the ONLY way to increase the number of space tourists from "units" to "thousands" . . . . . . . _____________________________________________________ Space hotels were Bigelow's original concepts, and there will be a market for them in that capacity. At the same time, they offer a massive savings over hardshell space stations like the ISS, in that they're pretty all inclusive. Life support, power, docking capability, and open plan configurability in a two module design. Basically, its a civilian Salyut or Skylab arrangement, sustainable in a single user or lease user mode. Artificial gravity through rotation is a few generations out yet. Certainly not impossible, but not within the realm of capability for these small first generation stations. They're configured for "six wall" usage, having the "floor" and "ceiling" available for additional equipment mounting with the occupant floating.

Space hotel by 2010?

Gaetano Marano - Italy — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 00:30:52 GMT

. James Buchanan (Laurel, MD) said... "Space hotels were Bigelow's original concepts" ------------------------------------------------------ GM: Space Hotels and Space Stations are two different kind of problems if the Bigelow modules will be reliable like the ISS module, they can be used for Space Stations but, if we want many tourists for Space Hotels, we need something like a space-train or a space-plane the american "wild west" ended to be "wild" when many railways was built to connect east to west (and the west's economical growth started following and around the railways' tracks) also if Bigelow will launch in orbit an Hilton (the hotel, not Paris) we will never see tourists in space until the only "train" for that travel will be the $25M-per-seat Soyuz (with the training and the risks of an astronauts) the number of tourists may increase (but only of a few units) only if COTS companies will succeed (around 2012-2015) in their effort to launch low cost manned capsule (however, the risks of the flight yet remain high like with with Soyuz and the astronauts-like training will not change so much) .

Space hotel by 2010?

Mindy, Union, Kentucky — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 15:02:42 GMT

I agree with the above on that space tourism will have no ground untill the price starts to become low enough for a more average person to afford. As long as the price stays in the millions, anyone other than celebreties and oil tycoons would scoff at it and toss any dreams of spending a weekend in a space hotel out the door.

Space hotel by 2010?

Monte Davis — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 17:05:18 GMT

Re: Charles Lurio's "I’m much more hopeful than I’d have been just a few years ago..." In his article in the current Ad Astra, Lurio speaks deprecatingly of "industry behemoths in a market-free bubble... the central command model... NASA's long marriage to Old Space." Has Lockheed-Martin been transformed overnight from Old Space behemoth to sprightly entrepreneur? Or could it be that the whole game of "Old Space, New Space" has more to do with ideology, labeling and lobbying than with understanding?

Space hotel by 2010?

Michael Reid, Bella Vista, AR — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 17:52:35 GMT

I believe from an operational standard, the reason the "standards" and training other then physical fitness is so high, for soyuz trips, to the space station, is the ISS was designed purely from a technical view. With that being said, the visitor has to know how to move, what not to grab onto for support. etc.. With that in mind, Bigelow is developing a habitat geared towards visitors first, and science second. Which should greatly reduce the training and orientation required to prepare someone for the trip. Which right from the start will reduce overheard required per trip. Yes water training/emergency preparedness, learning how to retrieve and don spacesuits, what to do if pilots/chaffeurs become incapacited etc.. How to utilize said communications equipment in an emergency... So in summary, If the proper habitat is built, the overall infrastructure required should be significantly less when it comes to launching someone for a 3 nite 4 day stay in orbit.

Space hotel by 2010?

Steve Northrop, USFK, Korea — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 17:56:48 GMT

Bigelow is on the right track with his "space tourism" concept, but I believe the implications are being widely misinterpreted. The biggest asset I see to this concept is corporate funded space research as opposed to the government dominated NASA-ran industry. With commercial industries financing new research, a new age of space competition will be ushered in, and it may be possible that from this research and development we will see the "common man" space tourist through advances in rocketry and space habitation.

Space hotel by 2010?

Ed W, New York — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 23:30:52 GMT

I guess this hotel should be called Babylon .5?

Space hotel by 2010?

Howard Lewis, Las Vegas, Nevada — Mon, 25 Sep 2006 10:48:50 GMT

Congratulations to my boss Mr. Biglow, I hope to do security there at your new first class five-star hotel in space someday.

Space hotel by 2010?

Alan Boyle — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 02:16:46 GMT

Paging Sierra ... The folks at Bigelow Aerospace would like to get in touch with you to talk about planets, hotels and more. I don't think I have a valid e-mail address for you, so please feel free to write me at cosmiclog@msnbc.com and let me know how we can contact you with answers. For what it's worth, by the time you're my age (oh, in about 40 years or so), you may be able to get on a spaceship at a regional spaceport, strap yourself in and ride up to a big complex in orbit for kind of an adventure vacation. It'd be like a Six Flags roller-coaster tour, I'd say. There'd be a lot of games, a lot of opportunities to float around and see the earth from 200 miles up ... maybe even the opportunity to go to the moon and experience a lunar low-gravity vacation (if you save *lots* of money). At least that's the way I see it. I'd love to be around to find out if it really works that way. Who knows? Maybe the moon will be the place to be for creaky old folks like an 82-year-old me. If this is an interesting subject, you might like reading "The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress" by Robert Heinlein.

Space hotel by 2010?

Brian Laks — Sun, 18 Mar 2007 05:09:52 GMT

I'm still waiting for the day when space travel becomes inexpensive enough that designers begin to incorporate style into the craft/station interiors and exteriors. I'd like to stay in a "luxury" space hotel, one that doesn't look like the inside of a metal can. I can envision a new breed of spacecraft designer specializing in luxury space yachts.

Space hotel by 2010?

Tony Rotz — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 14:45:14 GMT

Will the outer skin be strong enough to protect from space debris or other objects.

Space hotel by 2010?

Thomas Ashby, Calgary — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 00:01:30 GMT

Tony Rotz...that is a very good question and issue. It probably is one of the main issues that won't let this fly. Perhaps they can re-design the craft and come up with composites of Kevlar and materials of that nature... Anyway you look at it, this won't be any kind of reality for a number of years..but so what? Do it right the first time and you can't go wrong.

Space hotel by 2010?

Trevor HM Cooper Ottawa Ontario Canada — Tue, 13 May 2008 16:54:21 GMT

If we redesign the HLV pre-launch, after it reaches orbital velocity we can attach it to other Heavy Launch Vehicles and use it as infrastructure.
The payload will be handled later.
We designed a piece of infrastructure that requires six HLV's to complete one structure.
We call it a condo.
We want to rent it out to the public as a hotel.
We designed the condo so it could be used as a transport to any orbit within our solar system.
This condo cannot land on any heavenly body. (But it might be able to move up beside a small asteroid and mine it)
NASA showed us that we can lift 1.5m lbs into a LEO.
NASA leaves the fuel tank to eventually fall back to Earth.
Yet first, NASA brings the 1.5m lbs back to earth in the form of a shuttle, leaving only a small piece of infrastructure in space.
We can leave 1m lbs in space as infrastructure and land a small light 36-passenger vehicle back on Earth.
Our site does not illustrate this clearly.
On our site we will have a slide show that shows how we can convert all the hardware and soft ware from a shuttle (or Saturn V rocket) to a newly designed HLV.
Using about the same amount of fuel per launch, but lifting six pay loads per launch and after every six successful launches a new piece of infrastructure is produced.
You may look at some of our ideas but most are still hidden.
All questions get answers of the same quality and size as the questions.
Send your questions
tasha9503 . com

Space hotel by 2010?

Frederick D. Leiserson Yuba City California — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 05:59:10 GMT

They've been talking about this for about ten years. Will it ever get done?

Space hotel by 2010?

Sam Johnson, elizabethtown, kentucky — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 18:10:53 GMT

Seriously. why would anyone waste their money on such a presumptuous idea. he does not want to do this to give the common people an experience of a lifetime. Hardly anyone could ever afford this. and the billionaires that we do have on earth would not waste their fortune on a space trip that they may never come back from.
honestly. I think the idea is about as likely as trying to put disneyland in space. if it happens, i will never say anything again. But really? do we honestly need billion dollar space hotels? Yes. It would be a dream come true from some people to travel to space. but i think biglow just wants to be the one to do it, and doesn't care about how it is done. it will never be safe and it will never be practical.

Space hotel by 2010?

Brandon, Grand Rapids Michigan — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 18:41:28 GMT

It's almost time, they'll do it and it will change everything.