Commercial Space Station as a replacement for ISS?

On 12/04/2011 8:36 AM, Jorge R. Frank wrote:
On 04/10/2011 09:50 AM, Alan Erskine wrote:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CSS_Sky...x_construction

Interesting idea; and the proposed launch date corresponds with the
Falcon Heavy.

Over on sci.space.shuttle in the Falcon Heavy thread, Jeff Findley said
"Build it and they will come"; well, here they come!

Even if a commercial space station is built, it will not be a
"replacement" for ISS, in the sense that the ISS partners will not
abandon ISS in favor of it. A commercial station would operate in
parallel with ISS, not in place of it.


ISS won't last forever - 10-15 years is likely. There'll still be a lot
of research to be done and Bigalow could provide the location for that.

ISS won't last forever - 10-15 years is likely. *There'll still be a lot
of research to be done and Bigalow could provide the location for that.

Exactly what research? So far nasa has been silent on earth shattering
science ...........

"David Spain" wrote in message
...
Matt Wiser wrote:
Show me the money and then the hardware. Otherwise, it's more hot air
from
those who think Commercial Space is the best thing since sliced bread.

For the short term this is just about the only thing in the oven right
now.

Although I'm a big fan of commercial space I tend to agree with Matt that
right now I just don't understand the economics. For SpaceX and Falcon it
works because of the COTS seed money going into it to make it viable once
the
infrastructure is set up. But where's the equivalent for Bigelow and the
others? Without the big govt. contracts to sustain it through initial
deployment what becomes of it?

I'm all for private enterprise picking up the tab for space expansionism,
but
frankly I don't see where the dollars are coming from either.

I mean I 'get' the idea of space tourism ala Virgin Galactic, but how much
expansionism will that really fund? What sustains the Bigelow LEO hotel?
And
I'm not event talking about the cost of getting there in the first place!

Dave

Expansionism in due course, but exploration will remain in the hands of NASA
and other government space agencies. The commercial side can support
exploration (fuel depots if those prove viable, resupply of a lunar base
once that's an action item again, things like that), and will no doubt get
rich in the exploitation phase.

On some message boards, there's some folks who want the private sector to
handle all HSF. 'Scuse me, but that's not politically possible. Anyone like
that would be not only shown the door on The Hill, but they'd get a kick in
the ass to speed them on the way out.

"bob haller" wrote in message
...
ISS won't last forever - 10-15 years is likely. There'll still be a lot
of research to be done and Bigalow could provide the location for that.

Exactly what research? So far nasa has been silent on earth shattering
science ...........

The construction phase is almost done, luddite. The research phase is
getting underway.