Hotel Tycoon Pushes Inflatable Space Stations

heptapod writes "Reclusive millionaire and motel tycoon Robert Bigelow has announced launching inflatable space stations through his personal aerospace firm. He's working off of NASA's TransHab designs and hopes to get launch one as early as November 2005! I'm sure after someone wins the X Prize they'll need someplace to stay the night. I wonder if each inflatable station module won't come with complimentary bibles."

Comments

X-Prize == sub-orbital

[jeroen94704]

The x-prize is for a sub-orbital shot only. So they won't need a place to stay for a while yet.

Of course, once the proposed yearly x-prize competitions get going (races for height, shortest turnaround etc), it may only be a few years before a private party is able to launch people into actual orbit. Then it will be cool if someone has an of-the-shelf inflatable habitat ready for use.

Re:I wonder how many stars this hotel is gonna be.

[Firethorn]

Just because it's "inflatable" doesn't mean that it can't take a hit. You're not talking about a penny rubber ballon here. Even a rigid structure doesn't take hits well at the velocities encountered in space. And you'd actually have less chance of a breach with low impact collisions with a non-rigid structure. And the 2000 number awfully low, I think that's the activly tracked stuff.

By not having to send up a rigid structure, you can save on weight and space, resulting in considerable savings, as you can send up a larger structure with less assembly in space required.

Besides, by the time you inflate one of these to 1 atmosphere, the pressure difference between that and outside you'll have a very rigid structure. From looking at the articles, parts of the structure are rigid, providing points for preset 'utilities'. The expandable portions would be to provide space.

it could work...

[Anonymous Coward]

Never underestimate the power of gas filled bags. The Mars rovers even use them!

Space, for the most part is an empty environment. Once in space, the aerodynamics of the craft don't matter much. We have very strong synthetic fibers, make huge kevlar-like inflated bubbles. Big enough to dissipate the energy, or deflect the object. Use honeycomb like layers, and it could probably be made from replaceable pieces, in the (I'm thinking, unlikely) event of a puncture.

It would have to be assembled in space, and even large enough to encompase the craft to get to, and for use on the planet surface.

If your going to go anywhere REALLY far away....wear a bubble!

Bigelow = genius

[J05H]

Mr. Bigelow is brilliant. Maybe not as an aerospace engineer (he pays others for that), but as a man of vision and implimentation. Bigelow Aerospace has been working quietly for several years now, and it looks like they are finally ready to roll out some product. The Genesis pathfinder looks to be a very interesting testbed.

I've been looking over the Bigelow patents on USPTO site. Check out "inflatable satelite", "...thermal management" and "spacecraft sleeping berth" for some of the things they have been working on. The most revolutionary item so far seems to be building an inflatable Transhab-type module, but putting the solid core to the edge of the inflated cylinder. The core has two sets of fold-out floor panels that form two floors, plus the core has a vac-safe section. If there is a puncture, the crew can seal it up and evacuate into another section of their station.

Bigelow on USPTO.gov

start saving those frequent-flyer miles,
Josh