Brief updates

A few minor items of note in the news the last few days:

  • The Washington Post profiles Space Adventures and its role in shaping the space tourism industry. The article includes a quote from current ISS tourist Charles Simonyi, who contacted the reporter “in an e-mail from space”. Not a description you see in any ordinary Post article…
  • Speaking of Simonyi, he calls the ISS both “cozy” and “complicated” in a video broadcast. He has made a number of amateur radio contacts, including one with a ham in Honolulu who got to speak with both Simonyi and NASA astronaut Sunita Williams.
  • The Washington Times provides a breezy overview of the current state of the space tourism industry, from Simonyi to Virgin Galactic to future plans. The article claims that there is a “space tourism office at the United Nations”, but I have never heard of an office specifically devoted to space tourism there (there is the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs, but that is not devoted to space tourism per se.)
  • In this week’s issue of The Space Review, I review last week’s Bigelow announcement. Bigelow states, “We consider ourselves wholesalers of destinations that we build and we don’t consider ourselves as space hotel folks.” He does go on to say, however, that he would be willing to lease his facilities to companies that operate space hotels, including Virgin Galactic; Alex Tai of Virgin later said, “We can certainly look into that.”

5 comments to Brief updates

  • Ferris Valyn

    A couple things concerning Bigelow
    First, I remember there being discussion that they had plans for taking revenue in before launch of their BA-330 modules. Now, I am pretty sure this was in the press, and not just rumor, but I didn’t see anything like that mentioned. So, am I mis-remembering something, or did they not address it?
    Second, concerning the water landing – I have to admit, I understand where they are coming from. However, I’ve often wondered if their might not be ways around this. And part of it is my lack of knoweldge, but why assume it must be the ocean? Could it be done in something smaller? For example, is there any reason you couldn’t do it in one of the Great Lakes? What about the finger lakes? Or even something the size of Houghton Lake, in Michigna? What about something smaller? If you could put the capusle down in a target area that size, and still leave wide enough margins, then there wouldn’t be a need for the sort of large fleet that was used with the early space program – instead, just a glorified heavy tugboat, and they’d be to shore in a very short time.

    Comment and thoughts?

  • Peter Shearer

    I agree Ferris, I’d like to hear what “officials” say about that. By quote un quote “officials” I mean officials other then NaySay… People at these new space start ups that actually consider challenges to be possible.

    To Jeff Foust or anyone else that can answer this question…

    Q: Is Bigelow Aerospace publicly offered yet? If so… Nasdaq Symbol is what? If not yet, will it be??? Has anyone heard anything regarding this?

    I don’t know about you guys (and girls)… but I’m going to be investing in Bigelow ASAP!

  • Jeff Foust

    Peter: Bigelow Aerospace is privately owned by Robert Bigelow, and is not publicly traded.

  • Bigelow has built a better mousetrap and has some years to drum up support for its vision of national space.

  • David Stever

    Ferris Valyn Said:
    is there any reason you couldn’t do it in one of the Great Lakes? What about the finger lakes? Or even something the size of Houghton Lake, in Michigan? What about something smaller? If you could put the capsule down in a target area that size, and still leave wide enough margins, then there wouldn’t be a need for the sort of large fleet that was used with the early space program – instead, just a glorified heavy tugboat, and they’d be to shore in a very short time.

    I hadn’t thought about that, but yes, think about the footprint of a capsule or craft coming down- look for a lake or body of water shaped like your orbital footprint, and aim for the lake. Smaller recovery fleet, easier pickup, smaller waves for the folks waiting for pick-up. I like this! Of course, I’d like them to come down in Lake Huron, close to Thunder Bay, so I could watch it from my family’s cottage south of Alpena (45 degrees north, easily reachable from most orbits).

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