Digital Sprocket

Bigelow Aerospace shares the common vision of cheaper spaceflight with other aerospace startups, but their strategy is unique. Founded and funded by Robert Bigelow in 1991, the company is developing autonomous space habitats. Each Nautilus module, which may be linked to others to create larger spaces, has a volume of 330 cubic meters and it’s own solar panels, and life support systems. Instead of starting from scratch, Bigelow Aerospace secured an exclusive 17-year license to use inflatable module technology developed by NASA.

One thing you won’t find in Bigelow’s Las Vegas headquarters, are plans for any revolutionary rockets. They are a consumer of launch services, and have no intention of getting into the business. Rather, they expect to purchase quite a few launches from other aerospace startups. In 2004, to encourage the development of the launchers he needs, Robert Bigelow established a competition along the lines of the X Prize. To claim the $50 million prize a privately funded team will need to demonstrate the ability to dock with a Bigelow module in a five-man spacecraft.

Bigelow has also announced its preference for purchasing launches from private US companies, and ordered several launches from SpaceX, but they are not relying on just the startups. Last month, they penned an agreement with aerospace giant Lockheed Martin to explore the possibility of using the Atlas V to fly crews and equipment to Bigelow modules.

Bigelow realizes that any project this complex is bound to break down periodically. To mitigate the impact of failures, they have instituted a rigorous testing program. First everything is tested out on the ground and pushed to the breaking point. Then, they will fly as many test flights as they can. In July, they launched Genesis I, a one third scale demonstrator. They plan a second before the year is out, and their current plans call for six to ten more before the first full sized module flies in 2010. With any luck, they intend to launch their first fully commercial habitat by 2015.

Can a business succeed by launching habitat modules? Many have described Bigelow Aerospace as a “space hotel” business. They’ve missed some important clues. Bigelow is not building hotels; rather they are creating space real estate. Once in orbit, they plan to lease space to everyone from space tourists, to drug manufacturers, to university scientists. While most aerospace startups are racing to build launchers, Bigelow is investing the next step, the destination.