Commercial space station to launch before 2010

The world's first privately financed space station could be launched before 2010.

Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, Bigelow Aerospace has successfully placed two inflatable spacecraft, called Genesis I and Genesis II, in Earth orbit. The company had planned to orbit a third spacecraft called Galaxy in 2008 before lofting its Sundancer space station, able to support a crew of three, into orbit in 2010. But a statement by founder Robert Bigelow that was posted on the company's website says rising launch costs have pushed the company to forego the launch of Galaxy and bring forward Sundancer's launch.

The company had previously said it planned to launch Sundancer in 2010. Although Bigelow has not given a new date for launch, the statement says the schedule change means private space habitats "could be arriving much earlier than any of us had previously anticipated".

The announcement came three days after reports that another company called Galactic Suite intends to put a three-bedroom space hotel in orbit by 2012.

Thanks to Shaun Saunders for the post

Second inflatable spacecraft launched

Bigelow Aerospace has launched its second inflatable space module, Genesis 2. The Genesis 2 module launched from Russia's Yasny Cosmodrome atop a Dnepr launch rocket. Genesis 2 is about 2.5 metres wide and uses essentially the same physical design as its predecessor, Genesis 1, which launched into space on 12 July 2006 and is still in orbit. But Genesis 2 includes extra instruments that will monitor the craft's vital signs and 22 cameras – nine more than flew on Genesis 1. Some of the cameras will take pictures of photographs and other items people paid to send into space aboard the module in a programme called "Fly Your Stuff". The craft also holds a box of animals including cockroaches and scorpions and a machine that will select balls for Bingo games to be webcast on BigelowAerospace.com. All of this activity and testing is leading up to a module called Sundancer, to launch in 2010, which would be three times the diameter of the Genesis modules and is designed to be able to support a crew of three. In 2012, it hopes to launch a module called the BA 330 that would dock with Sundancer.

Thanks to Shaun A. Saunders for the post

NASA Tests Inflatable Lunar Shelters

NASA is preparing to test an inflatable structure that might one day be used to establish an outpost on the Moon. The inflatable structure is made of multilayer fabric and looks like an ungainly white robot with legs.

The main unit is 12 feet in diameter and 18 feet tall. It has a volume of about 1,600 cubic feet and is connected to an airlock, also inflatable. The two spaces are essentially pressurized cylinders, connected by an airtight door. Inflatable structures are just one of the construction types NASA is considering for an outpost on the Moon.

NASA says testing of inflatable habitats on the Moon could begin in 2020. As currently envisioned, a lunar outpost would begin with four-person crews making several seven-day visits to the Moon until their power supplies, rovers and living quarters are operational.

The mission would then be extended to two weeks, then two months and ultimately to 180 days.

In a related development, NASA will team up with the National Science Foundation to begin field testing of a similar inflatable structure in Antarctica either later this year or early next year.

submitted by Shaun A. Saunders

Inflatable Habitats for Polar and Space Colonists

One of the largest obsticales to establishing stations or colonies on Mars, the Moon or even in space has been transporting the structures that people would live in. Recent experiments with inflatable structures in space have shown proof of concept, showing non-ridged construction to be extremely promising.

At the article Inflatable Habitats
researchers make a convincing argument for lightweight inflatable construction. These structures would not only be easy to transport and set up, they also lend themselves well to gathering their own power and heat. Click on the link for more info

posted by Shaun A. Saunders