SpaceX has teamed up with space station developer Bigelow Aerospace to dramatically lower the cost of reaching and living in space. No aerospace company would turn down money from zillionaires looking for out-of-this-world adventure, but the bread and butter of this business would probably come from other sources:
(PC Mag) — Rather than just presenting the space station experience to the general public, Bigelow Aerospace is also focused on engaging corporations as well as entire nations looking to explore opportunities associated with conducting research in microgravity environment. …
Each unit will be powered by solar arrays and batteries and feature four large observation windows coated with UV protection film. Leasing one of the space stations will also include a complete astronaut training program designed to prepare passengers for the rigors of space travel and microgravity living.
The artist left off the Dragon capsule that should be docked to one end!
Living in a bubble?
Living in a bag?
I think they came up with this design while standing around the water cooler. It looks like a water jug.
FSM, I fucking hate the word “microgravity.” The gravitational field from earth in low earth orbit is only about 10-15% less than the field on the surface. Call it weightless, if you must, or free fall, but not microgravity. Yes, the difference in gravity is enough to make a difference to atomic clocks and must be accounted for in your GPS, but it’s not that much different.
Then again, it was a marketing magazine for computers, so I suppose I shouldn’t expect any better, or that I will ever win this argument.
Hope its okay if I link this :
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2012/05/14/space-x-set-to-launch-on-saturday-may-19/
Via the BA blog which gives an indication of the future / present progress SpaceX~wise. (Apologies and please let me know if not.)
I hope to see it happen. I want this to fly and work.
And so much more.