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Old December 10th 17, 03:47 AM posted to sci.space.policy
Fred J. McCall[_3_]
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Default Tourist flights

Jeff Findley wrote:

In article ,
says...

Jeff Findley wrote:

In article ,
says...

"Fred J. McCall" wrote in message
...

"Greg \(Strider\) Moore" wrote:

"Fred J. McCall" wrote in message
. ..

All that being said, Bigelow may have gone to the Dark Side, having
made a partnership agreement with ULA.


I hadn't heard that. Interesting.


I think they did it because right now Atlas is the only booster that
can put up a B330 module and Bigelow views a partnership as cheaper
than buying launches.

http://www.ulalaunch.com/bigelow-aer...in-forces.aspx



Hmm, had to look it up but yeah apparently the B330 is more massive than I
thought.
That said, does look like Falcon FT (expendable) could handle it now (the
older Falcons definitely couldn't.)

Hmm, this is unfortunate. I'll have to push back my prediction of a fully
private space hotel mission then, if simply because of the cost of the Atlas
V.


Falcon Heavy test flight ought to happen early next year (hopefully
January). Couldn't Falcon Heavy put a B330 into orbit? That may not
help the first B330, but could lower the (delivered) cost of subsequent
modules.


I don't understand why, if an Atlas V can loft it, it couldn't go up
on Delta IV Heavy or Falcon 9 FT. Both of those vehicles can lift
more than Atlas V. Payload fairing?


I'm really not sure. I suppose Atlas V is the only one that can launch
it *right now* since Delta IV Heavy is far too expensive and Falcon
Heavy hasn't been flight tested yet. But, lack of a flight test hasn't
stopped customers from booking flights on Falcon Heavy, repeating the
pattern that occurred with Falcon 9. Far cheaper launches really do
motivate at least a few customers.


It doesn't need to go up on Falcon Heavy. Falcon 9 Full Thrust can
lift more than Atlas V. Falcon 9 FT is the one they're currently
launching things on.


At any rate, if it does go up and NASA allows it to be attached to ISS,
it will no doubt result in an increased number of both commercial cargo
and commercial crew flights to ISS. That's good for the industry all
around.


I think they're talking about launching them as 'free flyers'. That
was a big part of the reason for the redesign that eliminated the need
for a central power hub, giving each B330 its own independent power
production and environmental control capability.


--
"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable
man persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore,
all progress depends on the unreasonable man."
--George Bernard Shaw