Babylon 0.5 ?

In Between

Got this off the BBC.

A prototype Space Hotel using inflation technology :D

[url]http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6253054.stm[/url]

The picture looks vaguely familiar.



Thoughts ????

WORF

Interesting concept, I'd go just as long as nobody took any knives or other sharp objects.

Worf

ShadowDancer

Didnt they launch something similar a little while ago to test this idea of inflatable habitats?

Eclecticonaut

"Genesis II is a 15 ft (4.5m) module designed to expand to a diameter of 8ft (2.4m)."

Isn't that a pretty tight space?

croxis

Only if you are overweight

Stingray

I wonder what material those inflatable sections are made of to protect the people inside from the hostile environment outside?

Chaosed

Are the solar panels to change into loading docks once the seres takes off?

Biggles

[QUOTE=ShadowDancer;161970]Didnt they launch something similar a little while ago to test this idea of inflatable habitats?[/QUOTE]

Bigelow Aerospace sent up a small test vehicle last year, which was successful. This recent launch is their second test vehicle.

ShadowDancer

I think they'll be the cobra bays ;)

Space Ghost

I hope they bring duct tape... lots and lots of duct tape. ;)

Mungrel

They will need it with all that space junk floating about. [url]http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/air_space/4218443.html?page=3[/url]

CurZ

The ascension of the common man.

Sanfam

Ordinary! Ordinary! ORDINARY!

sataicallista

My first thought was how can an inflatable structure be safe in space? Forget knives on the inside, there's so much debris floating around, rocks and such things. How does it deflect them? Or would one single puncture destroy the seal?

croxis

Didn't part of the apollo lander have paper thin sections as well?

Stingray

Update on Yahoo! There are a few links to pictures too!! :)

[URL="http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20070701/sc_space/privatespacestationprototypebeamsdownnewimages"]http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20070701/sc_space/privatespacestationprototypebeamsdownnewimages[/URL]

Looks completely ludicrous... I mean... it's a frakking balloon... I suppose as a temporary solution to build something more solid inside, I guess.

Chaosed

Kevlar is used in bullet proof vest. Thats just cloth.

Biggles

[QUOTE=sataicallista;162108]My first thought was how can an inflatable structure be safe in space? Forget knives on the inside, there's so much debris floating around, rocks and such things. How does it deflect them? Or would one single puncture destroy the seal?[/QUOTE]

There actually isn't [i]that[/i] much stuff floating around up there once you get passed LEO. Even LEO isn't [i]that[/i] crowded.

[QUOTE=croxis;162114]Didn't part of the apollo lander have paper thin sections as well?[/QUOTE]

Yes, it did.

bobo

More info at [URL="http://www.bigelowaerospace.com/"]their web site[/URL]. He appears to be sincere about this. He's offered a [URL="http://www.bigelowaerospace.com/multiverse/space_prize.php"]separate prize of $50M[/URL] to createe a launcher to these hotels in space.

bobo

More information on the contruction:
[QUOTE]The skin is made of several layers that include proprietary impact-resistant materials. Testing on the ground has shown that the expandable shells of a Bigelow module are much more resistant to space debris than the modules on the International Space Station.[/QUOTE]

bobo

And finally more info on the first launch [URL="http://www.bigelowaerospace.com/out_there/genesis_I_vehicle_performance.php"]here[/URL]. Really interesting counter part to the X-prize part of the spaze biz today.