Bigelow Aerospace

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Bigelow Aerospace
Company typePrivate
IndustryAerospace
Founded1999[1]
FounderRobert Bigelow (Founder and President)
Headquarters
North Las Vegas, Nevada
,
United States
ProductsOrbital facilities, commercial space stations
Number of employees
110 (2010)[2]
WebsiteBigelowAerospace.com

Bigelow Aerospace is a North Las Vegas, Nevada space technology startup company that is pioneering work on expandable space station modules. Bigelow Aerospace was founded by Robert Bigelow in 1998[3] and is funded in large part by the fortune Bigelow gained through his ownership of the hotel chain Budget Suites of America. By 2010, Bigelow had invested US$180 million in the company.[4] Bigelow has stated on multiple occasions that he is prepared to fund Bigelow Aerospace with about US$500 million through 2015 in order to achieve launch of full-scale hardware.[3][5]

History

Bigelow originally licensed the multi-layer, expandable space module technology from NASA after NASA cancelled the ISS TransHab project due to budget constraints in the late 1990s.[6] Bigelow continued to develop the technology for a decade, redesigning the module fabric layers—including adding proprietary extensions of Vectran shield fabric, "a double-strength variant of Kevlar" -- and developing a family of uncrewed and crewed expandable spacecraft in a variety of sizes.[6] Bigelow invested US$75 million in proprietary extensions to the NASA technology by mid-2006 ,[1] and $180 million into the technology by 2010.[4] In early 2010, NASA came full circle to once again investigate "making inflatable space-station modules to make roomier, lighter, cheaper-to-launch spacecraft" by announcing plans in its budget proposal released 22 February 2010. NASA is "considering connecting a Bigelow expandable craft to the ISS to verify their safety by testing life support, radiation shielding, thermal control and communications capabilities."[6]

Since early on, Bigelow has been intent on "pursuing markets for a variety of users including biotech and pharmaceutical company and university research, entertainment applications and government military and civil users." The business model includes "'leasing out' small space stations or habitats made of one or more Nautilus inflatable modules to different research communities or corporations.".[3] Despite these broad plans for space commercialization, the space tourism destination and "space hotel" monikers were frequently used by many media outlets following the 2006/2007 launches of Genesis I and Genesis II. Robert Bigelow has been explicit that he is aiming to do business in space in a new way, with "low cost and rapid turnaround, contrary to traditional NASA ISS and space shuttle operations and bureaucracy."[3]

Pioneering a new market

Bigelow is pioneering a new market in a flexible and configurable set of space habitats.[2] Moreover, industry observers have noted that a Bigelow is demonstrating audacity to pioneer such a market "in a capital-intensive, highly-regulated industry like spaceflight."[2]

Bigelow recently announced that it has agreements with six sovereign nations to utilize on-orbit facilities of the commercial space station: United Kingdom, Netherlands, Australia, Singapore, Japan and Sweden.[7]

Module design and business plans

An expandable module is a space structure that has a flexible outer shell, allowing conservation of diameter for launch and weight overall. Once in orbit, the module is inflated to allow for greater work, play and living area for astronauts. Expandable modules were initially proposed and designed by the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) under the TransHab program. After cancellation of the Transhab program, Bigelow Aerospace entered into three Space Act agreements whereby Bigelow Aerospace is the sole commercializer of several of NASA's key expandable module technologies.

File:NautilusModule2.jpg
Model of the proposed BA 330 module.

The company is developing a family of prototype and production space station modules, including:

  • Genesis I, a one-third scale prototype module launched on July 12, 2006 weighing approximately 3,000 pounds (1,360 kg), with approximate dimensions of 14.5 feet (4.4 meters) in length and 5.25 feet (1.6 meters) in diameter, expanding to nearly twice the diameter once in orbit;[8]
  • Genesis II, with the same dimensions as Genesis I but with additional systems to be tested and items being sent up by paying members of the public. It was launched on June 28, 2007 .[9]
  • Sundancer, the first human inhabited test module
  • BA-330, a full-scale production module weighing approximately 50,000 pounds (23,000 kg) when fully loaded, with dimensions of approximately 45 feet (13.7 meters) in length and 22 feet (6.7 meters) in diameter when expanded.[10] The BA 330 was formerly referred to as the Nautilus.
  • BA-2100, a recently proposed concept module that would require a heavy-lift launcher and would place in orbit the complete infrastructure of a 2100 cubic meter habitat, over six times as large as the BA-330. As of October 2010, initial estimates put the vehicle mass between 70-90 tonnes, with a diameter of approximately 25 ft. It is planned to have docking ports at both ends.[11]

Bigelow Aerospace anticipates that its inflatable modules will be more durable than rigid modules.[12] This is partially due to the company's use of several layers of vectran, a material twice as strong as kevlar, and also because, in theory, flexible walls should be able to sustain micrometeorite impacts better than rigid walls. In ground-based testing, micrometeoroids that were capable of puncturing standard ISS module materials only penetrated about half-way through the Bigelow skin. Operations director Mike Gold commented that Bigelow modules also wouldn't suffer from the same local shattering problems likely with metallic modules. This could result in as much as 24 hours to remedy punctures in comparison to the more serious results of standard ISS skin micrometeoroid damage.[6]

Expected uses for Bigelow Aerospace's expandable modules include microgravity research and development and space manufacturing. Other potential uses include space tourism, such as modules for orbital hotels, and space transportation, such as components in spaceships for Moon or Mars manned missions. The company plans to sell BA 330 modules for US$100 million apiece.[citation needed] Bigelow also plans to launch by 2010 an orbital resort, tentatively called the CSS Skywalker.[citation needed]

On April 10, 2007, Bigelow Aerospace announced business plans to offer (by 2012) a four-week orbital stay for US$15 million, with another four weeks for an additional US$3 million. An entire orbital facility could also be leased for US$88 million a year, or half a facility for US$54 million a year.[13] Speaking during a teleconference organised by the Commercial Spaceflight Federation in February 2010 Bigelow announced a new price of $23 million for a 30 day stay on a Bigelow habitat. That price covers everything including transport, training, and consumables.[14]

In 2010, Bigelow proposed conceptual designs for expandable habitats that would be substantially larger than the BA-330, previously its largest at 330 m3 habitat volume. Contingent on NASA going forward with a super heavy lifter, the proposed concept would include "expandable habitats offering 2,100 cubic meters of volume — nearly twice the capacity available on the International Space Station" and another providing 3,240 cubic meters.[15]

Bigelow Commercial Space Station

Main article: Bigelow Commercial Space Station

The Bigelow Next-Generation Commercial Space Station is a private orbital space complex currently under development by Bigelow. The space station will be constructed of both Sundancer and BA 330 expandable spacecraft modules as well as a central docking node, propulsion, solar arrays, and attached crew capsules. Initial launch of space station components is planned for 2014, with portions of the station available for leased use as early as 2015.[16] Bigelow has publicly shown space station design configurations with up to nine BA-300 modules containing 100,000 cu ft (2,800 m3) of habitable space[7] Bigelow began to publicly refer to the initial configuration—two Sundancer modules and one BA-330 module— of the first Bigelow station as "Space Complex Alpha" in October 2010.[2] A second orbital station—Space Complex Bravo—is scheduled to begin launches in 2016.[17]

Bigelow recently announced that it has agreements with six sovereign nations to utilize on-orbit facilities of the commercial space station: United Kingdom, Netherlands, Australia, Singapore, Japan and Sweden.[7]

As earlier space station, CSS Skywalker (Commercial Space Station Skywalker), was a 2005 concept for the first space hotel by Bigelow Aerospace.[18] The Skywalker was designed to be composed of multiple Nautilus habitat modules, which would be expanded and connected upon reaching orbit. An MDPM (Multi-Directional Propulsion Module) would allow the Skywalker to be moved into interplanetary or lunar trajectories.[19]

Module construction and deployment timeline

On July 12, 2006 and June 28, 2007, Bigelow launched the Genesis I and II modules, respectively. In mid-2008, Bigelow Aerospace completed the Galaxy module but did not launch it due to rising launch costs[20] and, the ability to substantially validate the new Galaxy technologies terrestrially, particularly after the successful two Genesis launches in 2006 and 2007.[21] It was tested on the ground at its North Las Vegas facility instead.

Bigelow has reserved a 2014 launch on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket,[22] but has not yet announced the payload. The Falcon 9 is capable of launching either a Sundancer or a BA 330 module. Bigelow is also in talks with Lockheed Martin to potentially contract launch services on its Atlas V - 401 vehicle.[23][24]

Note: Dates of upcoming launches are proposed and are subject to change.

Module Type Module Name Flight Date Launch Vehicle Status
Genesis Pathfinder Genesis I July 12, 2006 14:53 UTC Dnepr Launch successful, on orbit[25]
Genesis Pathfinder Genesis II June 28, 2007 15:02 UTC Dnepr Launch successful, on orbit[26]
Galaxy Galaxy Canceled none Launch canceled, tests on ground [21]
Sundancer unknown 2014[16] unknown Under construction[6]
BA 330 unknown 2014-2015[16] unknown In design; mockup built
BA 2100 unknown pending funding[citation needed] none exist[citation needed] proposed

Genesis I

Genesis I, the first Bigelow Aerospace module to be placed into orbit

On July 12, 2006, Genesis I launched on a Dnepr booster from Dombarovskiy Cosmodrome in Orenburg Oblast, Russia. The launch was conducted by Bigelow and ISC Kosmotras. Despite ground-side difficulties during launch, the spacecraft performed as expected upon reaching orbit, inflating, deploying solar arrays and starting internal systems.[27] The mission is planned to last for five years and include extensive observation of the craft's performance including testing packing/deployment procedures and resistance to radiation and space debris, among other space hazards and conditions. Mike Gold, corporate counsel for Bigelow Aerospace, stated in relation to this mission and the next, "Our motto at Bigelow Aerospace is 'fly early and often'. Regardless of the results of Genesis 1, we will launch a follow-up mission rapidly."[25]

Genesis II

On June 28, 2007, Genesis II launched on another Dnepr (a converted SS-18 ICBM) from Dombarovskiy Cosmodrome in Orenburg Oblast, Russia. Launched at 8:02 a.m. PDT Genesis II was inserted into orbit at 8:16 a.m. PDT at an inclination of 64 degrees.

Although Genesis I and Genesis II are identical in size and similar in appearance there are several notable differences. Firstly, Genesis I contains 13 video cameras whereas Genesis II contains 22. Secondly, Genesis II includes a suite of additional sensors and avionics that are not present in Genesis I.

Fly your stuff program

Bigelow Aerospace ran a Fly Your Stuff program for the Genesis II launch. The cost to launch pictures or small items was around US$300. Bigelow now photographs each item with internal cameras as the items float inside the craft, displaying them on the company website.

The first image of the interior of Genesis II appeared on the company's website on June 29, 2007. Some of the pictures and other items placed aboard Genesis II as part of the Fly Your Stuff program are clearly visible. Another interior image, apparently taken with more of the spacecraft's internal lights activated, was posted on July 2, 2007. Articles from the Fly Your Stuff program are also visible in this image.

Test items, supplied by Bigelow Aerospace employees, were sent into orbit on Genesis I. No new images of items floating inside Genesis I have been released since shortly after the launch and initial activation of the spacecraft due to problems with a computer which controls several of the internal cameras.[28]

Sundancer

The currently third planned Bigelow launch, Sundancer, will be equipped with full life support systems, attitude control, orbital maneuvering systems, and will be capable of reboost and deorbit burns.[29] Like the Genesis pathfinders, Sundancer will launch with its outer surface compacted around its central core, with air expanding it to its full size after entering orbit. After expansion, the module will measure 8.7 m (28.5 ft) in length and 6.3 m (20.6 ft) in diameter, with 180 cubic meters (greater than 6,000 cubic feet) of interior volume.[30] Unlike previous Bigelow craft, it will feature three observation windows.[29] As of September 2009, SpaceX had been contracted to provide a Falcon 9 vehicle for launch of a Bigelow payload in 2011.[31] However, as of February 2010 the only slot reserved for Bigelow on the SpaceX launch manifest is in 2014, and that manifest makes no claim about the nature of the Bigelow payload (Sundancer, or BA330, or otherwise).[22]

Crew and passenger transport

Bigelow's business model requires a means of transporting humans to and from low earth orbit. In 2004 Bigelow established and funded a $50 million prize, America's Space Prize, to stimulate development of manned vehicles. The prize expired without a winner in early 2010.

In August, 2009, Bigelow Aerospace announced the development of the Orion Lite spacecraft, intended to be a lower cost, and less capable version of the Orion spacecraft under development by NASA. The intention would be for Orion Lite to provide access to low earth orbit using either the Atlas 5 or Falcon 9 launch systems, and carrying a crew of up to 7.[32]

At the time Bigelow Aerospace's corporate counsel Mike Gold said: "...we would be foolish to depend completely on one capsule provider or any single launch system," ..."Therefore, it is vital from both a practical and business perspective to ensure that SpaceX and Dragon aren't the only options available to us, hence the need for another capsule."[33]

Bigelow entered NASA's Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) program with one proposal of its own and another one in collaboration with Boeing. Since then NASA has awarded Boeing $18 million for initial development of a crew capsule as part of CCDev. Bigelow is working with Boeing to refine requirements.

As of 2010, Bigelow is actively pursuing both the Boeing CST-100 and the SpaceX Dragon capsules for launch options. "Bigelow offers Boeing, SpaceX, and other vehicle developers ... the promise of a sustained, large market for space transportation services."[2] With the initial Space Complex Alpha space station Bigelow "would need six flights a year; with the launch of a second, larger station, that number would grow to 24, or two a month."[2]

Aspirations beyond Earth-orbit

In February, 2010, following the announcement of NASA's post-Augustine Commission plans to reorient human-to-orbit plans more in the direction of commercial launch providers, Robert Bigelow said "We as a company have lunar ambitions. ... and we also have Mars ambitions as well."[34]

In April 2010, Mr Bigelow talked about having a space station at Lagrange point L1 and said his proposed private Moon Base would consist of three BA 330s.[15]

Honors

Bigelow Aerospace has received several honors for its spaceflight efforts. On October 3, 2006, Bigelow Aerospace received the Innovator Award from the Arthur C. Clarke Foundation.[35] The award recognizes "initiatives or new inventions that have had recent impact on or hold particular promise for satellite communications and society, and stand as distinguished examples of innovative thinking." Robert Bigelow was presented the award at the Arthur C. Clarke Awards in Washington D.C. alongside Walter Cronkite, who was honored on the same night with the Arthur C. Clarke Lifetime Achievement Award.

On January 26, 2007, the Space Foundation announced that Bigelow Aerospace would be the recipient of its 2007 Space Achievement Award.[36] Bigelow Aerospace joins a list of previous winners that include the Titan Launch Vehicle team; The Inertial Upper Stage team, the SpaceShipOne team; the Arianespace-CNES Ariane 4 launch team; the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) teams; the NASA/Industry Galileo space probe team; the Hubble Space Telescope team; Sea Launch; and the NASA/Boeing International Space Station team. The award was presented to Robert Bigelow on April 9, 2007 at the 23rd National Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Sigurd De Keyser (2006-06-04). "Bigelow Aerospace; Russian Dnepr rocket to launch a 1/3-scale Genesis model". SpaceFellowship News. Retrieved 2010-03-04.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Bigelow still thinks big, The Space Review, 2010-11-01, accessed 2010-11-02.
  3. ^ a b c d Bigelow's Gamble Aviation Week & Space Technology, 2004-09-26, reprint (authorized), accessed 2010-02-17.
  4. ^ a b The Americans may still go to the moon before the Chinese, The Economist, 2010-02-18, accessed 2010-03-04.
  5. ^ Mr. B's Big Plan, Geoffrey Little, Air & Space Magazine, 2008-01-01, accessed 2010-02-18
  6. ^ a b c d e NASA turned on by blow-up space stations, Paul Marks, NewScientist, 2010-03-03, accessed 2010-03-03.
  7. ^ a b c Bigelow Aerospace Shows Off Bigger, Badder Space Real Estate, Popular Mechanics, 2010-10-28, accessed 2010-11-02. Cite error: The named reference "pm20101028" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  8. ^ "Out There - Genesis I". BigelowAerospace.com. Archived from the original on 2007-03-17. Retrieved 2007-03-31.
  9. ^ "Genesis II".
  10. ^ David, Leonard (2004-05-24). "Bigelow Aerospace to Tackle Inflatable Space Habitats". Space.com.
  11. ^ "BA-2100 module and other Bigelow Aerospace news". Retrieved 2010-11-20.
  12. ^ Fildes, Jonathan (2006-07-14). "Inflatable space module puffs up". BBC News.
  13. ^ Lemos, Robert (2007-04-10). "Space Symposium: Bigelow Puts Price on Space -- $15 Million". Wired Science blog. Retrieved 2007-04-11.
  14. ^ http://www.hobbyspace.com/nucleus/index.php?itemid=18366. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  15. ^ a b Private Moon Bases a Hot Idea for Space Pioneer, Leonard David, Space.com, 14 April 2010, accessed 2010-04-15.
  16. ^ a b c Bigelow Aerospace — Next-Generation Commercial Space Stations: Orbital Complex Construction, Bigelow Aerospace, accessed 2010-07-15.
  17. ^ Balloons in Space: A History, Space.com, 2010-11-12, accessed 2010-11-14.
  18. ^ The Five-Billion-Star Hotel, 1 Mar 2005
  19. ^ "CSS Skywalker". Encyclopedia Astronautica.
  20. ^ Company sees future in space, Las Vegas Review-Journal, 2008-08-15, accessed 2010-05-03
  21. ^ a b "Special Announcement From Robert T. Bigelow" (Press release). Bigelow Aerospace. 2007-08-13. Retrieved 2010-05-03. This dramatic rise in launch costs has forced us to rethink our strategy with Galaxy. Due to the fact that a high percentage of the systems Galaxy was meant to test can be effectively validated on a terrestrial basis, the technical value of launching the spacecraft - particularly after the successful launch of both Genesis I and II - is somewhat marginal. Therefore, we have decided to expedite our schedule yet again, and are now planning to move ahead directly with Bigelow Aerospace's first human habitable spacecraft, the Sundancer.
  22. ^ a b "SpaceX Launch Manifest, copyright 2010, 'last update' date unknown". SpaceX.com. 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-13.
  23. ^ "Bigelow Aerospace and Lockheed Martin Converging on Terms for Launch Services" (Press release). Bigelow Aerospace. 2008-02-05. Retrieved 2008-03-09.
  24. ^ No major hurdles to upgrade Atlas V rockets for people, David Shiga, NewScientist.com, 2008-02-07, accessed 2010-03-01
  25. ^ a b David, Leonard (2006-07-12). "Bigelow Orbital Module Launched into Space". Space.com. Retrieved 2007-03-11.
  26. ^ Malik, Tariq (2007-06-28). "Bigelow's Second Orbital Module Launches Into Space". Space.com. Retrieved 2007-06-29. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  27. ^ "Launch of Genesis I Pathfinder Ushers in a New Era of Commercial Space Development". SpaceFellowship.com. 2006-07-15. Retrieved 2007-03-12.
  28. ^ Ingham, Jay (2007-02-13). "Genesis I Vehicle Performance Update". BigelowAerospace.com. Archived from the original on 2007-12-08.
  29. ^ a b Ferster, Warren (2006-09-21). "Private Space Habitat Could Launch by 2010". Space.com. Retrieved 2007-07-28.
  30. ^ Covault, Craig (2007-04-08). "Bigelow Reveals Business Plan". Aviation Week. Retrieved 2007-07-28.
  31. ^ "SpaceX Launch Manifest". SpaceX.com. 2009. Retrieved 2009-09-07.
  32. ^ Klamper, Amy (2009-08-14). "Company pitches 'lite' spaceship to NASA : Stripped down version of NASA's future spaceship could be ready 2013". Msnbc.com. Retrieved 2009-09-07.
  33. ^ Clark Lindsey. "Bigelow Aerospace proposes "Orion Lite" concept to Augustine panel". Space Transportion News.
  34. ^ Private Spaceflight Goes Public, Alan Boyle, MSNBC Cosmic Log, 2010-02-01.
  35. ^ "2006 Arthur C. Clarke Awards to honor Walter Cronkite and Robert Bigelow" (Press release). ClarkeFoundation.org. 2006-09-12. Retrieved 2007-03-11.
  36. ^ "Space Foundation honors Bigelow Aerospace with Space Achievement Award" (Press release). SpaceFoundation.org. 2007-01-25. Retrieved 2007-03-11.

External links

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