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Inflatable Space Station Prototype a Success

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the inflatables-in-spaaaaace dept.

Adam Weiss writes "The Genesis 1 inflatable space station prototype was launched last week from the Ukraine. Now, after a few days of forced silence, Bigelow Aerospace has announced that the mission is so far a complete success. Their website has a detailed description of the launch, as well as the first picture from the craft. For an account right from mission control, the Museum of Science in Boston has posted an interview with Eric Haakonstad, the Program Manager of the mission."

3 of 73 comments (clear)

  1. Managing space debris by UR30 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Quote: "After eight years of planning, the actual creation and delivery into space took only nine months." This is fast. Now that space is not for big governments any more, it will be interesting to see what can be done with space. For example, what about debris in orbit, which will be a serious problem. Will space be a business opporturnity for waste-management companies?

  2. Sirius Cybernetics? by Max+von+H. · · Score: 3, Insightful

    From Bigelow's website: "At this point in time, the vehicle is happy and healthy."

    Reminds me of some elevators and automatic doors, all very happy to serve.

    *chuckles*

    --
    -- It's always darker before it goes pitch black.
  3. You have GOT to be kidding by jeffmeden · · Score: 3, Insightful
    From TFA:
    Las Vegas, We Have a Problem
    Just as the anticipated time of SpaceQuest's contact with the Genesis I was approaching, a major storm caused power outages in much of the Arlington area. SpaceQuest, which was to receive the first communication from Genesis I and relay it to Las Vegas, had no power. Now, there was a little more than 30 minutes before SpaceQuest controllers were supposed to hear a cry of life from the Genesis I, but there was no life in the receivers in Virginia.

    They are trying to manage a SPACEFLIGHT and they don't have a simple backup power source? Don't book my ticket just yet please...