FYI,

"Bigelow Orbital Modules: Accelerated Space Plans"
SPACE.com
http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20061122/sc_space/bigeloworbitalmodules
acceleratedspaceplans

: The success of Bigelow Aerospace's Genesis 1 module, which has
: been operating in orbit since July 12, has put the company well
: ahead in its plans for bigger and more capable modules that
: eventually will host visitors in orbit.

: "From a technological standpoint, we are years ahead of where we
: thought we would be at this time...due to the success of Genesis
: 1," said Bigelow Aerospace Corporate Counsel, Mike Gold. "At this
: point, we feel we're ready to move ahead and tackle what will be
: the largest challenge to date for Bigelow Aerospace...to develop a
: habitat that will actually be capable of supporting a crew."

: At present, Bigelow Aerospace is readying the next space module
: mission and gearing up company plans to orbit a human-rated
: habitat--the Sundancer--at the firm's ground control central in
: Las Vegas, Nevada.

: Now being groomed for flight is Genesis 2. Its launch campaign
: will begin in January, Gold told SPACE.com, with liftoff of the
: hardware slated for the first quarter of next year. Barring launch
: delays, Genesis 2's flight could come on the early end of that
: quarter, he added.

: Externally, Genesis 2 looks very similar to the company's earlier
: orbital module. However, the newer craft will carry a variety of
: new and different payloads and experiments, along with enhanced
: systems, Gold advised.

: Onboard the next-to-be-launched expandable module, Gold said that
: additional cameras are to relay images down to several ground
: locales--an expansion of Bigelow's mission control network beyond
: the Las Vegas complex.

: "We're first adding ground sites domestically...with possible
: international sites after that. The more stations we have, the
: more data and value we obtain from our missions," Gold said.

: Bigelow Aerospace leader, Robert Bigelow, unveiled more details
: about his entrepreneurial habitat plans in September, spotlighting
: a new module project that is dubbed Sundancer.

: That craft would offer 180 cubic meters of habitable space, fully-
: equipped with life support systems, attitude control, on-orbit
: maneuverability, as well as reboost and de-orbit capability. This
: larger module--sporting a trio of windows--could support a three-
: person crew and be on-orbit in a late 2009-2010 time frame,
: Bigelow reported.

: Gold said that work is already underway in designing Sundancer.
: Genesis 2, in fact, will carry technology that could be
: implemented in the Sundancer module. Furthermore, Sundancer is
: itself a progressive step toward the BA-330 orbital habitat.
: The "330" signifies the cubic meters of that module's internal
: volume.

: Lessons learned from the performance of both Genesis 2 and
: Sundancer is driving the design and schedule of future projects,
: such as the BA-330, Gold said.

: In September, Bigelow Aerospace announced a partnership with
: Lockheed Martin to explore the capability of launching passengers
: to Bigelow-built commercial space complexes on human-rated Atlas V
: rockets.

: According to George Sowers, Atlas Business Development and
: Advanced Programs Director, Lockheed Martin is working with
: Bigelow Aerospace "to evaluate the market of space tourism and
: research to determine if Atlas could be a part of this potential
: new market area."

: A potential passenger capsule for Bigelow would likely be launched
: aboard the Atlas V 401 configuration. Demonstrating human-
: qualified system upgrades could be done by pre-testing those
: upgrades on commercial or government missions prior to flying the
: first passengers.

: "As a merchant supplier of launch services, Lockheed Martin is
: working with Bigelow to explore the feasibility of using the Atlas
: V system to launch passengers to a Bigelow-built space habitat,"
: said Julie Andrews, spokeswoman for Lockheed Martin Space Systems
: Company. "The feasibility study will address the technical aspects
: of human-qualifying the Atlas as well as business considerations,"
: she told SPACE.com.

: The two space companies have agreed to explore the technical
: requirements for launch services that haul commercial crew and
: cargo to expandable orbital space complexes.

: Also, Bigelow and Lockheed Martin are probing the production and
: supply of Atlas rockets, as well as delving into flight safety and
: performance of the booster. Potential business models and business
: plans are on the table too.

: Following this initial work, each company will assess the
: feasibility of going forward with a program to develop a human-
: qualified Atlas to match the expected demand.

: Space operations and programs at Bigelow Aerospace are on the
: upswing--so much so that the company is increasing its talent
: pool, on the lookout for expert engineers, technicians, managers
: as well as astronauts, Gold pointed out.

: Projects underway at Bigelow Aerospace--along with activities at
: other private organizations like SpaceX and Scaled Composites, for
: example--should help offset, somewhat, worries about the graying
: of the aerospace workforce.

: "It gives people solid, hands-on experience. The lack of that has
: been part of the problem in the past," Gold said. "We have
: ambitious plans and we're looking for good people. We like to
: think that this is the biggest adventure in space."

Mark Reiff