Inflatable Private Space Station Launched

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."

Comments

Module Phones Home @ 3 p.m. Eastern

[dschmelzer]

About 2.5 hours from now, the module will phone home and we will get a better sense of how the module is doing. Here are some additional resources...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5173388.stm
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/060712_genesi s-1_launch.html
http://www.bigelowaerospace.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bigelow_Aerospace

Re:Inflatable?

[earnest murderer]

At those speeds, debris punches holes in metal just as easily.

Technical details about the launch

[xp65]

You can find more technical details about the launch on the space fellowship: http://www.spacefellowship.com/News/?p=1614

We can expect video's and pictures, of the "living" annimals etc!