Inflatable Private Space Station Launched 233
Anonymous_Space_Ranger writes "CNN is reporting that the first steps to have a private space station are underway in Russia. While today's launch is unmanned, it is designed to orbit the planet for 5 years while the durability of the design is tested and future flights are planned around it." From the article: "[Robert] Bigelow envisions building a private orbiting space complex by 2015 that would be made up of several expandable Genesis-like modules linked together and could be used as a hotel, or perhaps a science lab or college. He has committed $500 million toward the project."
Space college? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Space college? (Score:2)
Re:Space college? (Score:2)
Re:Space college? (Score:3, Funny)
I don't know the answer to that, but I do know that it tastes so good when it touches your lips!
Re:Space college? (Score:2)
Re:Space college? (Score:2)
Re:Space college? (Score:2)
Inflatable space station? (Score:3, Funny)
Mission Scrubbed (Score:4, Funny)
Unfortunatly, the mission ended almost as fast as it started when they couldn't figure out how to get the air pump to work while in orbit.
In almost related news, here is a cool pic taken today of the ISS transiting the sun during today's EVA:
http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/satcom_transi
Does this.. (Score:3, Funny)
Ahhhh, thank you!
kaaahhhhnnn! (Score:2, Funny)
Sign me up for 12 hours of course work! (Score:3, Funny)
"could be used as a hotel, or perhaps a science lab or college."
Riiiight. They will send people to college... in space. Well technically LEO, but whatever. On the other hand, drinking and having sex in 0 G does sound fun.
Re:Sign me up for 12 hours of course work! (Score:3, Insightful)
You underestimate the value of gravity when it comes to puking those drinks back up.
-matthew
Re:Sign me up for 12 hours of course work! (Score:2)
Re:Sign me up for 12 hours of course work! (Score:2)
Or in front, or to the side if you wish. In Space, nobody can see you stream...
Re:Sign me up for 12 hours of course work! (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Sign me up for 12 hours of course work! (Score:2)
Really, I don't think this is going to be the problem everyone thinks it will be - humans are very adaptible!
Re:Sign me up for 12 hours of course work! (Score:2)
That solves the problem posed by Newton's 3rd law... "For every action there is an opposite and equal reaction.", but it doesn't really solve newton's first law:
Every object in a state of uniform motion tends to remain in that state of motion unless an external force is applied to it.
In other words: Once you reach the 'center' how exactly do you plan to stop?
Re:Sign me up for 12 hours of course work! (Score:2)
Re:Sign me up for 12 hours of course work! (Score:2)
You could bang into it and hurt yourself, and even a mild bump might serve to send you drifting accross the room.
After giving it some thought though it would be resolvable with a retractable "handle" (be it a ladder or rope or bar or whatever. You "climb out into the middle of the room", release the handle, se
Re:Sign me up for 12 hours of course work! (Score:2)
Ok, just starting from opposite sides may work. A little extra rotational energy shouldnt hurt anything (if aim isn't 100% on) but you might want to match momentum tho
Re:Your Signature is incorrect (or non-sequitor) (Score:2)
You are correct, of course. But perhaps a boolean operator could subtract the car from the equation, leaving a clean field and a more correct statement. I understand the series had a rather exclusive 'or that could be used for the purpose...
This just in! (Score:3, Interesting)
On a slightly more serious note, am I the only one who is weary of the "private" exploration of space, where the projects are controlled by individuals/companies rather than by the people as a whole? I mean, yeah its great for scientific advancment and all.. but the potential for abuse seems pretty severe....
Re:This just in! (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:This just in! (Score:2)
Inflatable != weak (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Inflatable != weak (Score:3, Funny)
No, I think we all have firsthand experience with water.
Re:Inflatable != weak (Score:3, Funny)
This is
Re:Inflatable != weak (Score:3, Funny)
Does sweat count?
Re:Inflatable != weak (Score:2)
Re:Inflatable != weak (Score:2)
Nothing in terrestrial exploration or habitation is ever 100% either.
Thank you! Inflatable Myths (Score:3, Informative)
The inflatable module is really only different in that uses air pressure to maintain its shape instead of framework (actually, there is a framed core down the middle with avionics and inflation equipmen
Module Phones Home @ 3 p.m. Eastern (Score:5, Informative)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5173388.stm [bbc.co.uk]
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/060712_genes
http://www.bigelowaerospace.com/ [bigelowaerospace.com]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bigelow_Aerospace [wikipedia.org]
low news profile lately (Score:2)
Re:low news profile lately (Score:2, Informative)
http://www.hobbyspace.com/nucleus/index.php [hobbyspace.com]
You are right that Bigelow Aerospace isn't very press-savvy. But they seem to be remedying that problem slowly.
Re:low news profile lately (Score:2)
Re:low news profile lately (Score:2)
FWIW, he got his fortunes by starting the Budget Suites of America chain, and has a building (the Robert Bigelow Physics Building) named after him on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he has donated lots of money.
Somebody Help!!! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Somebody Help!!! (Score:2)
Did anyone else stop reading.... (Score:2)
Yeah, me neither.
great... (Score:4, Funny)
I welcome our new... (Score:2)
After a critical accident leading to the ship being sucked into a wormhole, gaint insect humaniods that look like Bigelow return and use his fortune to free all insect kind...
Unmanned? I think not... (Score:2)
And now the crew of ISS... (Score:2)
...will have somehwere to go for "recreration"... *wink* *wink* *nudge* *nudge*
Re:And now the crew of ISS... (Score:2)
Re:And now the crew of ISS... (Score:2)
I can see it now... "So, Miss Buxom, it says here on your application to live on our new space station that you are a prostitute... tell us, exactly how do you see that benefitting the station?"
inflatable launches (Score:2)
Seems like a perfect match to supply the inflatable stations.
Re:inflatable launches (Score:2)
Seems like a perfect match to supply the inflatable stations.
A few comments/corrections:
* It's Blue Origin, not Blue Operations
* I'm pretty sure the company isn't run by Neal Stephenson, he's just an employee/consultant
* I hadn't heard of Blue Origin pursuing airship-t
Re:inflatable launches (Score:2)
Neal really was running the show then as far as I know that hasn't changes, but I lost touch with my friend at Blue. Neal had a desk, showed up most days, head honcho. I met him there, in the "office / warehouse / industrial park." Asked him what he was working on. He gave me a vague answer about a trilogy which turned out to be the Baroque Cycle.
They had lost of other low cost launch ideas, but redirec
Darwin keeps on racking up the victories (Score:2, Funny)
Headache. (Score:2, Funny)
cellular walled inflatables can be self healing (Score:5, Interesting)
Technical details about the launch (Score:5, Informative)
You can find more technical details about the launch on the space fellowship: http://www.spacefellowship.com/News/?p=1614 [spacefellowship.com]
We can expect video's and pictures, of the "living" annimals etc!
That's not a moon... (Score:3, Funny)
What about traditional spacecraft? (Score:3, Informative)
Prior art (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Prior art (Score:2)
16 inches is a thin wall? (Score:2, Funny)
Hotel huh? (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Hotel huh? (Score:3, Funny)
Obligatory... (Score:5, Funny)
KHAAANNN!!!
Only $500 million? (Score:2, Funny)
I wish some (one!) of these guys would get it into their heads to toss me $100,000 to see if I might work/do something they might consider cool. I'd spend the rest of my life bouncing from country to countr
Re:Inflatable? (Score:2, Funny)
Yo mama so inflatable, the shuttle tried to dock with her.
Re:Inflatable? (Score:2)
Re:Inflatable? (Score:2, Informative)
Not to mention all that debris and junk that will no doubt be floating around inside this structure. Something Hollywood doesn't portray is the sheer amount of crap (sometimes literally fecal matter) and general gross-ness in weightlessness. Remember Newton's laws? If you cough, saliva travels until it hits something -- then it sticks, since it's moist. In the high humidity environment, bacterias, molds, and other fun stuff run rampant. Got crumbs in space? Yo
Re:Inflatable? (Score:2)
Makes me wonder where the spinning space stations that they promised us 40 years ago are. I guess in the same place all the flying cars and robot maids are.
Re:Inflatable? (Score:5, Informative)
Well, according to the TFA:
So, the idea is to determine exactly what the risks would be.
After all, to coin a phrase, "Space is big...". If you put it in the right place, made it able to heal from smaller bits hitting it, and limited your stay to a few weeks, your statistically greatest risk would be from getting up there and back. If you're 100x as likely to blow up on the way up or burn up on the way down than to have your space station smashed by space junk, it's not worth worrying about the space junk.
Re:Inflatable? (Score:3, Funny)
The world is full up with fussbudgets. Perhaps we should take all the phone sanatizers and . . .
KFG
Re:Inflatable? (Score:2)
Re:Inflatable? (Score:2)
Sure. In the same way that shooting yourself in the head is a cure for cancer.
Re:Inflatable? (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Inflatable? (Score:3, Interesting)
An inflatable, on the other hand, has to be flexible in order to allow it to inflate. That seems to imply that something like a paint chip might just well zip right through a wall or two.
What I have always thought was a good idea (but I am not a rocket scientist) is to use some type of expanding foam to fill the infla
Re:Inflatable? (Score:3, Interesting)
That depends on how much "give" there is. With the right kind of cushioning effect to absorb the energy, it might actually be pretty durable.
Re:Inflatable? (Score:2)
And of course the NASA scientists who designed the basic system that Bigelow is using didn't think of that [nasa.gov]!
Re:Inflatable? (Score:5, Funny)
"Wait a minute. Space debris! *slap* Guys, hold off on that idea - you have to read this slashdot post first!"
Re:Inflatable? (Score:5, Funny)
1) All inflatable structures are essentially thin-walled latex balloons that will pop under the slightest stress.
2) Rigid structures in orbit are constantly stricken by space junk, but do not fail because of their thick armor plating.
3) Nobody is tracking the larger space junk.
4) Nobody has ever conducted experiments to learn more about the specific risk posed by the smaller space junk, meteoroids, etc.
5) And, of course, because the opinion of a random
Perhaps they.... (Score:3, Funny)
Sincerely,
The A.S.S.
[Amazingly Stupendous Sarcasmo]
Re:Perhaps they.... (Score:3, Funny)
This idea excited me so much I almost had a star-gasm.
Re:Inflatable? (Score:5, Informative)
NORAD - from 1968. Yes, the space junk is still tracked today.
http://archives.cbc.ca/IDCC-1-71-1552-10481/confl
Or were you using the sarcasm tag? I could not tell.
Re:Inflatable? (Score:2)
For all I know, so was the OP...
heh..yes, well... (Score:2)
I could tell you couldn't tell.
Dude, the guy couldn't have made it more obvious; one point after another were so plainly wrong as to be overwhelmingly ironic.
5 is slightly incorrect (Score:2)
OTH, this was suppose to be part of the ISS originally, but was axed to save money. What most have missed here is that the same fabric that is used to slow down and stop radiation on the tin can ISS is the same being used on this. In addition, the same materi
Re:5 is slightly incorrect (Score:2)
I say 5 is meaningful in every way that matters to the discussion.
But at least your straight pedantry makes a pleasant change of pace from my humorous pedantry.
Re:Inflatable? (Score:3, Funny)
1) Summary of parent comment
2) Summary of parent comment:1)
3) ???
4) Profit!
Re:Inflatable? (Score:5, Insightful)
With something inflatable, thin walls might be an advantage for small untrackable space-junk. It'd likely pass right through the whole structure and impart little energy to it (doing little damage). There'd be holes of course, but with the proper material that wouldn't rip the holes would be small and repairable.
Re:Inflatable? (Score:2)
Second, impacts in space work like this: small object A encounters large object B. A becomes a rapidly expanding vapor. An amount of stuff from B aproximately equal in mass to A becomes a rapidly expanding vapor.
OK, so there is nothing you can do to prevent various parts of your
Re:Inflatable? (Score:5, Informative)
Maybe passing through an occupant on the way through. That doesn't sound very safe to me.
Welcome to space. It's not safe. Neither is mountain climbing or skydiving, yet people do these activities all the time. Also you should probbably be comparing the risk of being hit by space junk with the risk of dying on re-entry or liftoff. I'd be willing to bet that the risks posed by space junk are a LOT smaller than liftoff/re-entry.
Also try to remeber that although there's a lot of junk, it's spread out over a VERY large area. The size of human being is relatively small, so it's not terribly likely that someone would be hit by space junk.
De-evolution (Score:2)
A lion could attack you on the way to the next valley, doesn't seem very safe for me.
A bear cuold eat you if you get ut of the trees, it doesn't seem very safe to me.
The wind might blow you over on land, doesn't seem very safe to me.
meh, someone has to stay behind.
Re:Inflatable? (Score:2)
Two holes in the structure would cause decompression, sure. But I'm not sure I'd say that it would be "explosive decompression"--ie, the whole thing disappears in a fraction of a second.
Now the obvious question for an engineer trying to design this is how big will the hole be? Can the pumps that inf
Re:Inflatable? (Score:3, Insightful)
Well, one problem here... when you make something pass through the entire structure, in space there's a little problem with that: explosive decompression. Now that you've introduced a hole or two in your structure, all that pressurized stuff in the structure wants to get out of the structure, and spread far, far apart.
It all depends on how big the hole is, and how the material you're working with behaves. Pop a rubber balloon with a tiny hole and it explodes. Pop a rubber inflatable raft however, and the
Re:Inflatable? (Score:2)
Re:Inflatable? (Score:2)
The question would be: "at what relative speed does the impact occur?"
For example:
One object...a space station, inflatable or otherwise is moving at 17,500 mph.
It is overtaken by an object...a 2cm bit of metal with a mass of 5g...moving at 17,520 mph.
The math would suggest the metal bit would do little to no damage.
Now, if that same 5g metal bit MET rather than overtook the space station and the speeds were identical, there would be a much more signi
Re:Inflatable? (Score:5, Informative)
Many people hear "inflatable structure" and think of some sort of balloon ready to pop at the smallest prick. Bigelow's structure are actually quite sturdy though, arguably more durable than the ISS's walls. From a BBC article on the launch:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5173388.stm [bbc.co.uk]
It is built around a rigid central core and two solid bulkheads. The inflatable walls are composed of a range of materials including Kevlar, often used in bullet-proof vests, and a fibrous textile called Vectran.
The walls are designed to be airtight and tough, to withstand the impact of space debris and small meteorites.
On a full-scale module, each wall would be 40cm (16 inches) thick.
"It's extremely durable and resistant to any puncture or penetration," said Mr Bigelow.
Re:Inflatable? (Score:2)
Why does this statement remind me of William Proxmire?
Oh...
Re:introducing the station to debris (Score:2)
Plus, ain't you ever thrown anything at a balloon? It'll just bounce off, man
Re:introducing the station to debris (Score:2)
I did once. I missed and hit my brother in the head. He cried, I got grounded.
Re:introducing the station to debris (Score:2)
So while the debris may orbit at dangerous velocities, its relative speed to that of the space station will not be so high. Besides which, as others have stated, debris is track
Re:introducing the station to debris (Score:2, Insightful)
1) Orbits are elliptical, so orbiters can collide at non-zero relative speeds.
2) The direction of the rotation vector need not be the same between any two orbits. One orbit may be pole-to-pole, while another may track the equator. Or one may be a "left-hand" orbit around the equator, while another may be a "right-hand" orbit. The se
Re:introducing the station to debris (Score:2)
Golf clap (Score:2)