A little competition is a good thing.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/09...t_off_attempt/

rick jones
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In article ,
says...

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/09...t_off_attempt/

Yes, competition is a good thing, especially when NASA doesn't
micromanage everything like it does with typical cost plus style
contracts. It's much easier for a private company to innovate if the
government isn't standing over its shoulder telling it what to do at
every turn.

Congrats to Orbital for what will hopefully turn out to be a successful
ISS cargo delivery demonstration mission.

Jeff
--
"the perennial claim that hypersonic airbreathing propulsion would
magically make space launch cheaper is nonsense -- LOX is much cheaper
than advanced airbreathing engines, and so are the tanks to put it in
and the extra thrust to carry it." - Henry Spencer

On 9/19/2013 7:30 AM, Jeff Findley wrote:
Yes, competition is a good thing, especially when NASA doesn't
micromanage everything like it does with typical cost plus style
contracts.

Along those lines, where is Bigelow Aerospace these days?
How far along are they from putting up one of their inflatable habitats
and are they planning to hire SpaceX or Orbital to do servicing missions?

Dave

David Spain wrote:
Along those lines, where is Bigelow Aerospace these days? How far
along are they from putting up one of their inflatable habitats and
are they planning to hire SpaceX or Orbital to do servicing
missions?

The last story I saw had Bigelow providing a module to be tested on
the ISS sometime in 2015.

rick jones
--
It is not a question of half full or empty - the glass has a leak.
The real question is "Can it be patched?"
these opinions are mine, all mine; HP might not want them anyway...
feel free to post, OR email to rick.jones2 in hp.com but NOT BOTH...

In article ,
says...

David Spain wrote:
Along those lines, where is Bigelow Aerospace these days? How far
along are they from putting up one of their inflatable habitats and
are they planning to hire SpaceX or Orbital to do servicing
missions?

The last story I saw had Bigelow providing a module to be tested on
the ISS sometime in 2015.

NASA and Bigelow Aerospace Announce BEAM Agreement
http://www.bigelowaerospace.com/announcements.php

Jeff
--
"the perennial claim that hypersonic airbreathing propulsion would
magically make space launch cheaper is nonsense -- LOX is much cheaper
than advanced airbreathing engines, and so are the tanks to put it in
and the extra thrust to carry it." - Henry Spencer

On 9/19/2013 7:30 AM, Jeff Findley wrote:
Yes, competition is a good thing, especially when NASA doesn't
micromanage everything like it does with typical cost plus style
contracts.

Along those lines, where is Bigelow Aerospace these days?
How far along are they from putting up one of their inflatable habitats
and are they planning to hire SpaceX or Orbital to do servicing missions?


Strictly speaking they've put up a couple of test versions of their habs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genesis_II

As for flying the real thing and people to it, good question.


Dave



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