January 17, 2013
Son of Transhab
So we’ve come full circle. Bigelow Aerospace, who based their Genesis inflatable space module on a NASA research project, is now selling back to the space agency its own technology. That’s probably a win-win outcome, though, since the contract — to test a prototype “expandable” module on the International Space Station starting in 2015 — may help keep Bigelow going, and should cost the government less in the long run.
Robert T. Bigelow, who made his money in the hotel business, got the idea for inflatable space habitats from NASA’s Transhab project of the 1990s. In fact, it was reading our April/May 1999 story on Transhab (here’s a downloadable PDF) and other similar articles in the popular press that inspired him. Practically everyone at the time thought Transhab was cool, and potentially very useful. But it didn’t fit into NASA’s plans for the space station, and was abandoned. Bigelow was eccentric enough, or maybe visionary enough — we’ll see how it plays out — to pick up the concept and see it through to launch his twin Genesis modules.
Only one thing bothers me about yesterday’s announcement. Bigelow is often held out by the New Space faithful as a key player in a would-be private economy based in Earth orbit. SpaceX and others would provide the rides, and Bigelow would provide the hotel/lab space. Once again, though, the only one stepping forward with money to make things happen is the U.S. government. Bigelow seems to still have plans for a private orbital module, but so far it’s just that — plans.
By the way, NASA apparently doesn’t like using the word “inflatable” anymore, since it conjures images of party balloons and Jiffy Pop.
Whatever. You fill it up with air.
“is now selling back to the space agency its own technology”
Firstly, Bigelow spent several years and many millions of dollars to make that technology flight-worthy. NASA was nowhere close to launching systems like the Genesis spacecraft or BEAM.
Secondly, since when does NASA “own” technologies? NASA’s charter (as amended, Sec. 20112) explicitly instructs NASA to aid commercial industry and to use commercial products and services to the maximum extent possible. The US aviation industry certainly benefited from NACA, which did not take a proprietary view of its research. It saw industry as a partner to aid and not as a competitor to disparage. Technologies initially developed at NACA were made practical and affordable by industry and then “sold back” to the government to the benefit of everyone involved. The same is going on here with Bigelow.
“Once again, though, the only one stepping forward with money to make things happen is the U.S. government.”
If you think NASA on its own could have gotten a BEAM system to the ISS for $17.8M then I have a great big space station in the sky I want to sell you. Bigelow has spent about $250M on development of this habitat technology and that obviously includes funding for most of this project.
Comment by Clark S Lindsey — January 17, 2013 @ 2:45 pm
Concerning the one thing that bothers you, I think Bigelow has said he cannot launch his private space stations until he has a good way of transporting personnel. He is waiting for SpaceX and the others to get their crewed vehicles going. 2016?
Comment by jesse — January 17, 2013 @ 9:37 pm
Jesse and Clark — All fair points. I did say that BEAM “should cost the government less in the long run,” so I agree, Clark — NASA undoubtedly would have spent far more money than Bigelow to get to where Bigelow is today. So I wish him well. I’m just waiting, like lots of people, for the day when some of these ambitious space projects are truly self-sufficient. Maybe that day is coming soon.
Comment by Tony Reichhardt — January 18, 2013 @ 1:31 pm