SpaceX To Skeptics: We Can Beat China
SpaceX has sent out a press release aimed at silencing the chatter that the young rocket company prices are “too good to be true” (since not even China can match SpaceX’s prices).
However in the process of defending the reputation of his rocket company, CEO Elon Musk does reveal a few interesting tidbits about SpaceX that may have rivals rethink their current practices within the industry.
The price of a standard flight on a Falcon 9 rocket is $54 million. We are the only launch company that publicly posts this information on our website (www.spacex.com). We have signed many legally binding contracts with both government and commercial customers for this price (or less). Because SpaceX is so vertically integrated, we know and can control the overwhelming majority of our costs. This is why I am so confident that our performance will increase and our prices will decline over time, as is the case with every other technology.
The average price of a full-up NASA Dragon cargo mission to the International Space Station is $133 million including inflation, or roughly $115m in today’s dollars, and we have a firm, fixed price contract with NASA for 12 missions. This price includes the costs of the Falcon 9 launch, the Dragon spacecraft, all operations, maintenance and overhead, and all of the work required to integrate with the Space Station. If there are cost overruns, SpaceX will cover the difference. (This concept may be foreign to some traditional government space contractors that seem to believe that cost overruns should be the responsibility of the taxpayer.) [...]
SpaceX has been profitable every year since 2007, despite dramatic employee growth and major infrastructure and operations investments. We have over 40 flights on manifest representing over $3 billion in revenues. [...]
China has the fastest growing economy in the world. But the American free enterprise system, which allows anyone with a better mouse-trap to compete, is what will ensure that the United States remains the world’s greatest superpower of innovation. (SpaceX)
Note: Emphasis theirs.
Truthfully SpaceX probably would not post prices online if they were not confident that they could service their clients at those rates (as changing prices “midway” can open ones self to a plethora of lawsuits).
While SpaceX’s press release will not satisfy skeptics (something their first successful rocket launch was supposed to do), it may help encourage the rocket industry to become much more transparent with their prices (as forcing tax payers to fork out extra cash is a great to kill off public trust for private space companies).
With the space race heating up between the US and China (note: Russia is apparently having a few difficulties), America will need companies like SpaceX to help us not only get back to the Moon, but also help our species settle Mars without breaking the bank.
Image Credit: SpaceX
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Can SpaceX Put A Man On Mars By 2031?
SpaceX (which is short for Space Exploration Technologies) is either the most brazen company ever formed by man or America’s last great hope for expanding free civilization across the star system.
Either way the company has announced plans to conquer the red planet before 2031, which is about six years before NASA’s original plan and four years before Russia’s.
The only question is, “do they have the right stuff?”
Note: Fast forward to 13:05
“We’ll probably put a first man in space in about three years,” Elon Musk told the Wall Street Journal Saturday. “We’re going all the way to Mars, I think… best case 10 years, worst case 15 to 20 years.” [...]
“Our goal is to facilitate the transfer of people and cargo to other planets, and then it will be up to people if they want to go,” said Musk, who also runs the Tesla company which develops electric cars. (Physorg.com)
With NASA nervous about landing anything over a ton upon Mars (let alone dealing with the side effects of cosmic radiation), one has to wonder how SpaceX plans on achieving this goal when the US government themselves are hesitant about the idea.
While SpaceX does have the fortitude to encounter Mars within our lifetime, there are at least a few problems the company will have to address if they want to see someone survive the trip towards Mars (let alone return home from it).
Exiting The Home World
Truthfully this should be SpaceX’s least difficult task, as their upcoming rocket (the Falcon Heavy) not only out performs their rivals, but their rocket is even less expensive than China’s (who usually have the cheapest price around).
While Falcon Heavy lacks the lift to help humanity break Earth orbit (let alone land on the Moon), it wouldn’t be surprising to see the company develop a Mars bound rocket within a decade (or even 15 years).
Into The (Radioactive) Black
Despite the celestial heaven’s serene appearance, the blackness of space harbors deadly cosmic radiation that can reduce an astronauts IQ to the level of a vegetable (not to mention wreak havoc upon the heart as well).
If SpaceX aspires to trek the vastness of space in order to help humanity migrate upon Mars, they will need adequate shielding to protect them from being microwaved by the universe.
Although layers of lead around the craft would suffice, it might be wiser to use magnetic shields instead which would help reduce the amount of weight SpaceX has to launch into orbit.
The private space firm might also want to ponder patients using anti-radiation drugs too, although building a radiation safe cabin (surround by lead) would be advisable.
Micro Gravity Blues
Despite the joys of weightlessness, the fact is that humans were not designed to thrive in micro gravity.
The lack of gravity can not only cause our muscles to waste away, but also weaken our bones as well. Worse, our immune system tends to slack off while at the same time provoking dangerous bacteria to become even more lethal.
While electrical shocks and omega-3 seafood could save future explorers muscles and bones (as exercise is not enough), SpaceX will need to figure out a sensible way of mimicking gravity upon their rocket lest future explorers skip landing upon Mars due to being too weak to survive Martian gravity.
Note: Do any readers have any ideas on tackling the gravity problem? Aside from spinning techniques that is.
Final Destination: Crimson Soil
Even if SpaceX finds a way to cheaply exit our homeworld and avoids succumbing to the effects of radiation and micro gravity, finding a way to safely land upon Mars will prove to be a daunting challenge.
It might be wiser for SpaceX to simply land their larger craft upon the Martian moon known as Deimos instead, and ferry astronauts to the surface using smaller space craft.
Since the red planet lacks an abundance of water in liquid form, SpaceX could use Ballutes to slow the craft down, enabling a human vessel to gently touch down upon the red planet instead of smashing into its surface.
Note: Future red planet residents might want to consider building a Skyhook (aka space elevator) upon Phobos, which could reduce the cost of landing upon Mars, as well as launching off of the crimson world.
Can SpaceX Put A Man On Mars?
Truthfully only time will reveal whether SpaceX can send a man (or woman) to Mars within the next two decades.
However if SpaceX is successful we could witness a new age for humanity, one that envisions us leaving our Earthen cradle in order to explore the solar playground around us.
Image Credits: NASA, ADAM
Read MoreRussia To Challenge Bigelow For Space Station Supremacy
Bigelow Aerospace has more or less been the main contender on the commercial space station front. While other challengers like Galactic Suite have emerged, most have yet to build anything beyond fancy diagrams and CGI videos.
However that may change with the entrance of a new comer to the commercial space station industry, one who hails from “mother Russia.”
Two Russian companies have also recently announced their intentions to build, launch and operate a private space habitat named the Commercial Space Station, or CSS. [...]
“The most exciting possibilities include flights from the station to the moon or Mars,” Sergey Kostenko, chief executive officer of Moscow-based Orbital Technologies, told SPACE.com.
Orbital Technologies said the station will have a crew of up to seven and will be serviced by Russian Soyuz and Progress spacecraft and potentially other commercially available vehicles. The station would consist of one module about 10 feet (3 meters) in diameter powered by solar arrays, with a usable volume of about 700 cubic feet (20 cubic meters), Kostenko said. The plan is to launch it in 2015 or 2016. (Space.com)
Orbital Technologies is already receiving backing from the Russian Federal Space Agency, and unlike Bigelow Aerospace the former intends to heavily cater towards the tourism market instead of seeking out nations or companies as primary clients.
According to Space.com the Commercial Space Station (note: yes, I know the name is rather generic) will hold up to seven inhabitants, and the company is boasting that they already have clients lined up to board their celestial station beyond the sky.
Read Moret/Space Launch Concept: For Earth And Mars?
Borrowing off of its siblings design, t/Space (or Transformational Space for you non-space geeks) presents a unique concept on how to launch humans safely from Earth to the International Space Station.
While t/Space’s flight approach would benefit companies like Bigelow Aerospace (as one can see in the video below), it could also help out future explorers on Mars.
Although engineers are still working out the kinks when it comes to landing on Mars (at least anything over a ton), finding an inexpensive way to leave the Red Planet will be critical if humans ever settle there en mass.
Since land rockets would probably be expensive (regardless of where you’re launching them from), t/Space could provide an inexpensive alternative, especially when one considers that Mars has 38% of Earth’s gravity.
A small craft might be able to reach the asteroid moon Phobos, where passengers could then transfer to a larger space craft.
Either way t/Space’s design should give SpaceX some friendly competition, although hopefully t/Space will be able to demonstrate its feasibility in the wild soon as their technology could make traveling beyond the heavens not only cheaper, but safer as well.
(via Spaceports)
Read MoreIs Reaction Engines Martian Plan Sound? (Video)
Known throughout the space community for their Skylon jets (which are still in development), Reaction Engines has proposed what appears to be a reasonable path to help humanity reach the red planet within our life time.
Note: If the video does not work above, you can visit Reaction Engines to watch the clip in its entirety.
While the plan for the most part is rather sound, the one fatal area is the length of time it takes to reach the crimson world as solar radiation might fry the astronauts brains before they even get an opportunity to land.
Unless artificial magnetic fields can be constructed around the space craft, future explorers may have to wait until VASIMR engines become a reality (in order to cut the travel time from 6 months to 39 days).
Trek time aside, Reaction Engines does have the wisest approach when it comes to establishing outposts upon Mars (i.e. sending future supplies ahead of a Martian landing), although time will only tell if humanity sends one of their own to visit the crimson world within the next half century.
(via RLV And Space Transport News)
Read MoreSpaceX To Challenge Russia (For US Rocket Transport)
With President Obama cancelling Constellation and outsourcing space to the private sector, many politicians have been complaining that ditching the NASA rockets will leave America in the hands of the Russians.
Now it looks like SpaceX, a company who thus far has been able to launch one successful rocket into space is challenging Russia for the right to launch Americans into space.
(Earth Times) As lawmakers weigh the pros and cons of turning over US manned spaceflight to contractors, one commercial hopeful vowed Thursday that her firm could fly US astronauts to the orbiting space station for less than a trip on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft. Gwynne Shotwell, president of Space X, said she could guarantee her company would be able to provide at least three flights to the International Space Station (ISS) for less than 50 million dollars a seat. A ride on the Soyuz currently costs the US space agency NASA 51 million dollars per astronaut, and that price is likely to rise when current agreements expire. [...]
While other industry executives declined to offer such an exact price for their services, all said they would be ready to fly to orbit within three or four years.
SpaceX has designed the Dragon spacecraft (pictured above) to not only transport humans into space, but also cargo for the International Space Station.
Whether or not Congress will choose SpaceX over Russia has yet to be seen (note: it would be very foolish if they chose otherwise), but either way this could help the private space industry gain some much needed respect among the bureaucrats in Washington, DC.
Read MoreRide The Light: Planetary Society To Launch 3 Solar Sails
(Hat Tip: Space Spin)
Thanks to the donation of an anonymous donor, it looks as if the Planetary Society will be able to launch not one, but three (3!) solar sails over the next several years.
(The Planetary Society) LightSail is an innovative program that will launch three separate spacecraft over the course of several years, beginning with LightSail-1, which will demonstrate that sunlight alone can propel a spacecraft in Earth orbit. LightSails 2 and 3, more ambitious still, will reach farther into space.
“We are going to merge the ultra-light technology of nanosats with the ultra-large technology of solar sails in an audacious new program,” said Friedman.
Taking advantage of the technological advances in micro- and nano-spacecraft over the past five years, The Planetary Society will build LightSail-1 with three Cubesat spacecraft. One Cubesat will form the central electronics and control module, and two additional Cubesats will house the solar sail module. Cameras, additional sensors, and a control system will be added to the basic Cubesat electronics bus.
“To get sunlight to push us through space, we need a large sail attached to a small spacecraft. Lightsail-1 fits into a volume of just three liters before the sails unfurl to fly on light. It’s elegant,” exclaimed Planetary Society Vice President Bill Nye the Science Guy.
Solar sail’s have the potential of opening up the outer solar system by eliminating the need for star ships to bring their own fuel with them (reducing the overall cost).
While the lack of on board fuel is a benefit to solar sails, its only setback to solar sails would be finding a way for settlers to return back to Earth (an issue magnetic sails might be able to resolve).
Read MoreVideo: What Recession? Galactic Suite To Build Space Hotel In 2012
With the global recession forcing people and businesses alike to reduce spending, it looks like one space company is set on establishing a presence in the heavens above, come what may.
(Reuters) A company behind plans to open the first hotel in space says it is on target to accept its first paying guests in 2012 despite critics questioning the investment and time frame for the multi-billion dollar project.
The Barcelona-based architects of The Galactic Suite Space Resort say it will cost $4.4 million for a three-night stay at the hotel, with this price including an eight-week training course on a tropical island.
Despite arriving upon the scene more than a few years ago, Galactic Suite has already secured 43 clients which translates to $184,900,000 in business (assuming each client was charged the current fare).
They also boast the backing of an anonymous billionaire, who seems to have pledged around $3 billion in order to finance this endeavor.
While Galactic Suite has yet to launch anything into space (unlike their rival Bigelow Aerospace which has launched two space habitats already), their successful entrance to the stars could help revolutionize the entire space industry–if not our planet as well.
Read MoreTo Fund Or Not To Fund: A Stimulus For SpaceX? (Video)
With Congress wresting over the bailout stimulus package, it looks as if SpaceX (who launched their first successful rocket last year) is asking the public to contact their state representatives in order lobby for additional funding for COTS-d (aka the Constellation Orbital Transportation Services).
(SpaceX) What this would mean for taxpayers and high tech jobs in the United States is very significant. Let’s consider the default plan under way, which expects that our country will use the Russian Soyuz at the currently negotiated price of $47 million per seat for the period between Shuttle retirement (2010) and Ares/Orion reaching Space Station (2016). Even assuming that we drop the number of US astronauts going to Station from the current 30 per year with Shuttle down to 14 per year, the cost will be approximately $3.3 billion. However, there is also a human cost in the thousands of jobs that the money could have supported back home.
In contrast, F9/Dragon would cost less than $20M per seat and it is 100% manufactured and launched in the United States. We are estimating that it would create well in excess of a 1000 high quality jobs at Cape Canaveral and an equivalent number in California and Texas, where we do our manufacturing and testing. Moreover, the total cost would only be $1.5B, so taxpayers would save nearly $2B. [...]
COTS Capability D can be completed within two years from date of funds receipt. In fact, with a little extra money and some modifications to the plan, it can be accelerated even further.
Since COTS Capability D is an existing option in an already competed contract, NASA could exercise it right away, resulting in immediate job creation. [...]
If you think this makes sense, please contact your representatives in the House and Senate, as well as Rep. Mollohan and Senator Mikulski who lead the Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Subcommittees. Please encourage them to fund NASA Exploration in the Stimulus Bill and provide the $300M in funding necessary to begin COTS Capability D.
While the public may not be a fan of spending even more tax dollars for the private sector (note: this author is not), Congress should probably fund the COTS-d program (as outsourcing to Russia does not sound like a great idea).
SpaceX has even provided a video, in order to help inspire Americans to support a home grown NewSpace company.
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Video: Next Decade Could See SpaceX On The Moon
(Hat Tip: Space Transport News)
After successfully launching their Falcon 1 rocket, SpaceX is aiming at not only sending cargo and crew to the International Space Station, but also potentially landing people on the Moon by the next decade.
Click on the image below to watch.
Note: Did any of you catch the reference to Mars? 
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Jim Benson, Rest In Peace
I was saddened to hear about Jim Benson’s passing away recently, who founded SpaceDev (and later on Benson Space which dissolved due to his health situation).
While Jim Benson will be missed by all (mostly his close friends and family), I think its best to remember the man for who he was–a passionate advocate for expanding our species to other worlds.
Click the image below to watch (hat tip: Space Transport News).
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NASA To Embrace NewSpace Over Russia
(Hat Tip: Space Transport News)
After President Bush signed the Soyuz waiver allowing NASA to rely on Russia to transport astronauts to the International Space Station, it looks as if the space agency is seriously considering courting the private sector (aka NewSpace) at Russia’s expense.
(Space.com) NASA has no intention of paying Russia to help deliver supplies to the international space station (ISS) beyond 2011 despite winning congressional and presidential approval to do so.“NASA’s policy has not changed,” NASA spokesman David Steitz said Oct. 2. “NASA will rely on U.S. commercial cargo services to resupply ISS following retirement of the shuttle, and does not intend to purchase Progress cargo services after 2011.”
NASA probably decided to change its tune after SpaceX’s successful launch of their Falcon rocket.
Even though SpaceX is still 1 in 4 (as their first three rockets failed), the US government is probably more willing to risk their future on an upcoming space company rather than a proven, yet potentially dangerous space power.
Note: Russia will probably not enjoy losing a large customer such as NASA, and this latest move may help forge an alliance between the former USSR and China (who recently completed their first space walk).
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Victory!!! SpaceX Falcon 1 Launch A Success! (Video)
(Hat Tip: Space Transport News )
After three previous launches that ended prematurely, it looks as if SpaceX has finally launched their Falcon 1 rocket, setting a stage for NewSpace (aka the private space sector) and more importantly humanity.
Here is a link (windows media player) to the video for those of you who might have missed the launch. an image of the Falcon rocket at liftoff.
Here is a video of the launch (hat tip: Space Transport News).
Note: Space Transport News has more!
Update: Some are saying that the video is linking to the second launch. I will see if I can hunt down a video towards the fourth launch (as SpaceX has yet to post an official video of the launch an official video of the launch in their gallery section).
Update 2: Clark via Space Transport News has found a video of the launch via YouTube!
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A New Hope: Nanosail-D May Launch Again
(Hat Tip: Space Transport News, Image Credit: John Ballentine)
While many will acknowledge SpaceX’s third launch failure as a setback for the private space sector (aka NewSpace), many may not realize that it was also a setback for the “deep space” community as one of the passengers on board was the Nanosail-D satellite (a solar sail prototype).
Despite the tragic loss, it looks as though another solar sail is available for launch–provided that they can secure a rocket to send them beyond the sky.
(Centauri Dreams) Greg’s recent phone call may not have been as dramatic as that scene in Contact, but he was able to tell me that although NanoSail-D did perish in the SpaceX Falcon explosion, there is a second sail. Marshall Space Flight Center built two. So now we’re in the energizing position of having a second chance at a sail deployment in space, and it could be done soon via the next Falcon launch, if SpaceX will cooperate in the enterprise.
Hopefully SpaceX will be kind enough to consider adding NanoSail’s “surviving twin” on the next rocket, as it will help scientists and engineers study how a solar sail reacts “in the wild” (not to mention give SpaceX something to boast about to the ever skeptical media).
Even though the solar sail have the potential of helping humanity visit other star systems, they could also shorten the amount of time it would take to reach lunar moons around the gas giants (not to mention the Kuiper Belt as well).
This would enable future colonies on Callisto, Ganymede, Titan and Neptune’s Triton to flourish, as solar sails could be used to speedily transport goods between these distant worlds.
Update: Added “hat tip.”
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SpaceX Adds NASA As A Future Client
SpaceX, an emerging space corporation that is slowly (but surely) winning over NASA’s affection has been awarded a contract by the space agency in order to transport cargo into orbit.
(NASA Press Release) NASA has awarded Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, a NASA Launch Services contract for the Falcon 1 and Falcon 9 launch vehicles. [...]
The contract is an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract where NASA may order launch services through June 30, 2010, for launches to occur through December 2012. Under the NASA Launch Services IDIQ contracts, the potential total contract value is between $20,000 and $1 billion, depending on the number of missions awarded.
The contract seeks a launch capability for payloads weighing 551 pounds or heavier into a circular orbit of 124 miles at an orbital inclination of 28.5 degrees. Payloads would be launched to support three NASA mission directorates: Science, Space Operations and Exploration Systems.
Despite the fact that this deals mainly with cargo, SpaceX is one of the few companies attempting at lowering the cost of launching humans and objects into space, thereby making it easier for corporations to enter into space.
If successful, Elon Musk (the CEO of SpaceX) may be able to help humanity not only reach the Moon, but Mars as well.
(Image Credit: SpaceX)
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Video: Did Benson Space Go Kaputt?
(Hat Tip: Personal Spaceflight)
It looks as if one of the three “major” competitors for the suborbital flights has recently disappeared–at least from cyberspace.
Benson Space, who was pursuing development of the Dream Chaser seems to have either allowed its domain BensonSpace.com to fall into the hands of Rockets Away! Media (which is a good thing compared to a spammer) or has decided to currently lay down its pursuit of a suborbital vehicle, even after redesigning the shuttle craft (hat tip: RLV Transport News).
While the Dream Chaser continues to live on in its original form over at SpaceDev, the disappearance of its younger sibling Benson Space Company may not be an encouraging sign to investors looking into the space industry.
(Video: Dream Chaser (first design) promo demonstrating how the shuttle would ferry tourists from Earth to space. Redesign of craft can be seen in video format over here).
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Google X-Prize: LunaTrex "Secures" Creative Funding
It looks as if one of the contestants in the Google Lunar X-Prize has found a unique way of securing funding in order to win the $30 million prize.
(LunaTrex X-Prize Blog) Team LunaTrex has a few companies in its membership that are profitable and that also have profit-generating products that relate to aerospace. One such company, AirBuoyant, is coming out with what could be considered a precursor to the “flying car”, called VertiPod. VertiPod will have 2 models, the VP1 ultralight one-person craft, and the VP-2, two-person craft. Both will be in production this summer, and will be featured at Oshkosh AirVenture in Wisconsin.
AirBuoyant has made the commitment to direct all profits from the sales of VertiPods to Team LunaTrex’s GLXP pursuit, until that effort is fully funded. This could represent millions of dollars per year, and additionally, provides a bridge to the aerospace industry for many with an experiential product like VertiPod. While the site is still under construction, you can keep tabs on VertiPod’s progress at http://VertiPod.com.
While flying cars may be a more speculative industry, it is good to see more established players in the market backing smaller space firms whose goals may not yield a profit financially (at least immediately).
After all, if companies like Microsoft backed projects such as solar sails and space elevators, they would probably find themselves with a more favorable spotlight in the public (especially if one of these space firms actually succeeded).
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Video: Google And Virgin Partner For Martian Colony
After realizing that going to the Moon was not their cup of tea, the Mountain View giant has decided to partner up with Virgin Galactic to launch the first Martian colony funded by corporate dollars instead of governmental taxes.
(Google Press Release) “Some people are calling Virgle an ‘interplanetary Noah’s Ark,’” said Virgin Group President and Founder Sir Richard Branson, who conceived the new venture. “I’m one of them. It’s a potentially remarkable business, but more than that, it’s a glorious adventure. For me, Virgle evokes the spirit of explorers such as Christopher Columbus and Marco Polo, who set sail looking for the New World. I do hope we’ll be a bit more efficient about actually finding it, though.” [...]
“Virgle is the ultimate application of a principle we’ve always believed at Google: that you can do well by doing good,” said Google co-founder Larry Page, who plans to share leadership of the new Martian civilization with Branson and Google co-founder Sergey Brin.
“We feel that ensuring the survival of the human race by helping it colonize a new planet is both a moral good in and of itself and also the most likely method of ensuring the survival of our best – okay, fine, only — base of web search volume and advertising inventory,” Page added. “So, you know, it’s, like, win-win.”
The plan calls for terraforming the planet within a 100 years, using the newly improved Virgle One spaceship to transport citizens willing to brave the dangers of Martian weather, radiation and wildlife in order to settle the red planet (via the Open Source Planet).
Despite the fact that experts have pointed out that terraforming Mars may be a bad idea, Sergey Brin has decided to lead the charge and is asking humans with Earthen citizenship to join him in his quest to conquer the crimson planet.
Sergey Brin is asking interested users to not only fill out the necessary forms online, but to also submit a video proving why they should be one of the lucky few to join him and several hundred pigs on the surface of another world.
Note: While Brin works out getting the permits for establishing a Martian colony, Larry Page is working on the Jupiter mission which involves settling the moons Ganymede and Callisto in the hopes of expanding Virgle’s empire across the solar system.
In other related news, Microsoft has decided to partner with the Saturn Corporation (a division of General Motors) to colonize Titan in the hopes that its methane lakes will help ease the energy crisis on our home world.
Microsoft hopes this initiative will help ease public tension after the software giant imprisoned Yahoo! employees on Mercury after they resisted its attempts at taking over the company.
Note: Microsoft and Google are still suing each other in court over the right to colonize the dwarf planet Ceres, which they believe holds the key towards settling Mars.
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Artificial Gravity Via Bigelow Space Stations?
No matter where you go, you can not escape it. Understood by infants, “math-matized” by Newton, you can not forsake the effects of gravity, no matter what your “lying eyes” may be telling you.
You may never be able to escape the effects of gravity (in its entirety), but you can reduce it, freeing yourself from the stress of lifting objects of greater density than yourself.
One of the best places to do this is by launching yourself beyond the sky in order to get a glimpse of the heavens above. But staying there for long periods could have harmful effects upon your health, hurting not only your heart, bones, and immune system, but also aiding the deadly bacteria trying to kill you.
Currently scientists are trying to find ways to combat this issue, using everything from drugs to brain surgery. Although these options may eventually liberate us from the side effects of microgravity, it may be “less messy” to find a technological solution (as it may have less side effects).
While futuristic technologies such as plasma rockets and space elevator stations may hold much promise for our young race (gravity wise), we may be better off constructing orbital space stations–with a Bigelow twist.
Bigelow Aerospace, a space corporation focusing on creating inflatable space stations may be the key towards solving our gravitational woes.
Having already successfully launched two inflatable space stations (with a third one planned for human habitation), Bigelow plans on launching these inflatable modules, and connecting them together to form a space station that may rival the ISS.
But what if Bigelow Aerospace could alter the design of their inflatable modules to make several of them connect in a circle? They could then slowly rotate the entire structure (note: which may be an engineer’s nightmare) in order to simulate artificial gravity via centrifugal force.
While some may prefer to have an orbital space station enclosed with a “hardier” shell, doing so may not be as feasible due to the rising cost of rocket launches (hat tip: ParabolicArc.com).
Bigelow’s modules on the other hand, may not only be cheaper to launch into space, but may be safer as well, as its thick outer skin may be able to take “a greater punch” than its metallic rivals.
These inflatable modules may also more expendable than their more rigid cousins, as it would be much easier to replace a module or two (like a Pontoon bridge), than an entire section of a more traditional space station.
Whether or not Bigelow eventually decides to move in this direction, only time will reveal. But if so, Bigelow could ultimately allow us to safely venture out into the blackness of space, without the fear of losing our health in the process.
Editors Note (3/31): Ken Talton of the Brickmuppet Blog points out that the engineering/math to rotate Bigelow’s inflatable space stations in order to simulate gravity has already been figured out, and can be seen over here (pdf).
Update (3/31): The space stations are not exactly like Bigelow, but they do provide some “hard science” towards the idea.
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Florida Offering $40 Million Prize To Space Industry?
(Image Credit: Earth Ethics Institute)
Despite the fact the Sunshine State has already “cornered the space market,” Florida is looking to attract even more space companies in order to secure its dominance as the space titan of America.
(Spaceports Blog) Two Florida state legislators have offered identical Senate and House bills to create a “Resuable Space Industry Prize Program” funded by a proposed $40-million dollar prize “to the firm or individual in the private space sector providing the most significant advancements within the reusable space vehicle industry during the period beginning January 1, 2009 and ending January 1, 2014.”
Although other states such as Virginia and New Mexico are also actively courting the space industry, few may be able to match Florida’s offer.
With the space shuttle scheduled to retire in a few years, Floridian politicians are probably trying to find ways to keep their engineers, scientists and astronauts from considering migrating towards greener pastures.
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Establish First Contact (& Subscribe)
Love of Lunar
Martian Delights
Interplanetary Essays
