ATK to Acquire Swales Aerospace April 4, 2007
Posted by Brian Pfeifer in ATK, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, News and politics, Rocketplane Kistler.add a comment
Beltsville, MD based Swales designs and manufactures spacecraft subsystems, small satellites, and EVA tools. They created several of the thermal sensors and other hand-held tools used on the Return to Flight Shuttle missions and thermal blankets and radiators found on the ISS as well as many NASA, NOAA, and DoD spacecraft.
ATK is slowly acquiring companies and partnerships that will eventually allow the business to handle complete missions from the design and engineering phase to launch and in space operations. Their partnership agreement last year with Rocketplane Kistler was intended to gain access to the medium lift K1 booster. Now ATK has swallowed up some impressive engineering talent and experience as well as satellite subsystem design and fabrication facilities. Boeing and Lockheed-Martin better watch their backs. ATK is on the prowl.
What is Bigelow Up To? February 14, 2007
Posted by Brian Pfeifer in Bigelow Aerospace, Blue Origin, Lockheed Martin, NASA, Rocketplane Kistler, Russia, Space Startups, SpaceX.add a comment
In April, Robert Bigelow will unveil long secret business plans at the National Space Symposium. Industry watchers are abuzz with speculation at to what he plans to reveal. Back in November, Bigelow announced that Genesis II, scheduled for launch by April 1, will be the last opportunity to fly personal effects on a test flight. Does this mean that Genesis II will be Bigelow’s final sub-scale demonstrator? Was Genesis I so successful that he’s ready to proceed with his first full-sized Nautilus module?
Last year, Bigelow also entered into negotiations with Lockheed-Martin to explore the feasibility of man-rating the Atlas 5 launch vehicle. Will Bigelow announce an agreement to carry through with the project? Will Lockheed resurrect one of their plans for a space capsule to ride atop the Atlas and taxi people to waiting Bigelow habitation modules?
Energiya, announced plans last year for a commercial circumlunar flight. Drawings that used to be on the Bigelow web site depict Russian Soyuz docked to a Bigelow inflatable habitat. Has Bigelow entered into an agreement with Energiya to provide living space for their flight around the Moon?
NASA’s Orion capsule is designed to be one component of a flexible modular system. For any given mission additional components are added like an earth departure rocket stage, additional living space, and life support. There has been recent talk in the space community about the feasibility of Orion missions to NEO’s, Near Earth Objects. Missions to these asteroids would need additional habitation space, just like that provided by a Bigelow inflatable module. Is NASA requesting just such a system?
Speculating about the future of Bigelow Aerospace is fun because there are so many possibilities. While other aerospace startups are slogging through the process of building and testing rocket boosters, Bigelow has jumped ahead to design systems that will take advantage of these boosters. His inflatable modules will dramatically increase the capabilities of anyone who can launch people into orbit. Whether it’s SpaceX, Blue Origin, Rocketplane Kistler, Energiya, or NASA, he’s providing the tools to expand their missions, and turn cramped space capsules into full-fledged spacecraft.
Bigelow Aerospace: Profile October 26, 2006
Posted by Brian Pfeifer in Bigelow Aerospace, Lockheed Martin, Space Startups, SpaceX.add a comment
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.
