Philosophy
Crew Space Transportation-100 [CST-100]
"Boeing unveils its commercial capsule spacecraft"
July 22nd, 2010
PhysOrg.com
Boeing won an award worth $18 million from NASA under the Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) Space Act Agreement, which was intended to help in the development of new commercial systems for transporting astronauts to the International Space Station and any future private space stations.
The Boeing low-cost craft, Crew Space Transportation-100 (CST-100), is designed to carry up to seven astronauts on short missions up to 100 kilometers above the Earth’s surface. The craft resembles the Apollo spacecraft that transported astronauts to the moon in the 1960s and 70s, but is larger.
The craft will be able to remain docked to a space station in orbit up to seven months and will be protected during re-entry by an ablative heat shield. It will then descend with the aid of parachutes to an airbag-cushioned landing on dry ground. The heat shield would be replaced to allow the craft to fly again. The design allows for up to 10 missions for each craft.
Boeing said the first CST-100 will be launched from Florida, possibly as early as 2014 if enough funding is available. The design is compatible with a range of rockets including the Atlas V, Delta IV or SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, but the final choice of rocket is not yet decided.
NASA will not be Boeing’s only customer, as the company has also partnered with Bigelow Aerospace, which joined the Commercial Spaceflight Federation in June. According to Boeing, Bigelow Aerospace will contribute their expertise in designing and constructing space facilities, as well as being a user of the CST-100.
Robert Bigelow said the idea of the alliance was to make space travel commercial “the way air travel became commercial a century ago.” Boeing’s vice president Brewster Shaw agreed, saying the company’s vision was to become the Boeing commercial aircraft of space flight.
Bigelow Aerospace is building two types of space module — the Sundancer and BA330 — that will form part of the world’s first commercial space station, called the Orbital Space Complex, which the company hopes to be in orbit and operational by 2015. Bigelow said three-quarters of their revenue from space station customers would go towards the space transportation provider.
Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) and Orbital Sciences Corporation are also developing similar spacecraft, with the help of NASA funding.
NASA's future
- Lunar Real Estate Rights
"Lunar property rights" Hard cheese by K.R. February 16th, 2014 The Economist WHO owns the Moon? According to the United Nations Outer Space Treaty, signed by every space-faring country, no nation can claim sovereignty over Earth’s lunar satellite....
- The 70 Million Does Include A Bag Of Nuts
"Russia Hikes Price for Space Rides to $70 Million" by Irene Klotz May 1st, 2013 Discovery Communications Unsure when U.S. companies will be ready to fly astronauts to the International Space Station, NASA has signed up for six more rides with the...
- Nasa's Future
Maybe it is time to be realistic and turn NASA over to private enterprise. "House, Senate have different ideas for NASA's future" Commercial funding axed; no extra shuttle launch in plan by Bart Jansen July 21st, 2010 FLORIDATODAY.COM A House committee...
- Congressional Idiots
I wonder why they wish the NASA Moon project to continue...would it be because their state could benefit from supplied materials and services. They are idiots that wish to promote a one-sided venture into space. "It is imperative that the United States...
- Private Enterprise And Space
This is an excellent idea that could free up NASA to invest more in non-man programs and simply act as a custodian of private enterprise activities. "Let private firms run space taxis, panel told" by Irene Klotz July 30th, 2009 Reuters The U.S. government...
Philosophy
Case in point--privatization of NASA
Crew Space Transportation-100 [CST-100]"Boeing unveils its commercial capsule spacecraft"
July 22nd, 2010
PhysOrg.com
Boeing won an award worth $18 million from NASA under the Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) Space Act Agreement, which was intended to help in the development of new commercial systems for transporting astronauts to the International Space Station and any future private space stations.
The Boeing low-cost craft, Crew Space Transportation-100 (CST-100), is designed to carry up to seven astronauts on short missions up to 100 kilometers above the Earth’s surface. The craft resembles the Apollo spacecraft that transported astronauts to the moon in the 1960s and 70s, but is larger.
The craft will be able to remain docked to a space station in orbit up to seven months and will be protected during re-entry by an ablative heat shield. It will then descend with the aid of parachutes to an airbag-cushioned landing on dry ground. The heat shield would be replaced to allow the craft to fly again. The design allows for up to 10 missions for each craft.
Boeing said the first CST-100 will be launched from Florida, possibly as early as 2014 if enough funding is available. The design is compatible with a range of rockets including the Atlas V, Delta IV or SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, but the final choice of rocket is not yet decided.
NASA will not be Boeing’s only customer, as the company has also partnered with Bigelow Aerospace, which joined the Commercial Spaceflight Federation in June. According to Boeing, Bigelow Aerospace will contribute their expertise in designing and constructing space facilities, as well as being a user of the CST-100.
Robert Bigelow said the idea of the alliance was to make space travel commercial “the way air travel became commercial a century ago.” Boeing’s vice president Brewster Shaw agreed, saying the company’s vision was to become the Boeing commercial aircraft of space flight.
Bigelow Aerospace is building two types of space module — the Sundancer and BA330 — that will form part of the world’s first commercial space station, called the Orbital Space Complex, which the company hopes to be in orbit and operational by 2015. Bigelow said three-quarters of their revenue from space station customers would go towards the space transportation provider.
Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) and Orbital Sciences Corporation are also developing similar spacecraft, with the help of NASA funding.
NASA's future
- Lunar Real Estate Rights
"Lunar property rights" Hard cheese by K.R. February 16th, 2014 The Economist WHO owns the Moon? According to the United Nations Outer Space Treaty, signed by every space-faring country, no nation can claim sovereignty over Earth’s lunar satellite....
- The 70 Million Does Include A Bag Of Nuts
"Russia Hikes Price for Space Rides to $70 Million" by Irene Klotz May 1st, 2013 Discovery Communications Unsure when U.S. companies will be ready to fly astronauts to the International Space Station, NASA has signed up for six more rides with the...
- Nasa's Future
Maybe it is time to be realistic and turn NASA over to private enterprise. "House, Senate have different ideas for NASA's future" Commercial funding axed; no extra shuttle launch in plan by Bart Jansen July 21st, 2010 FLORIDATODAY.COM A House committee...
- Congressional Idiots
I wonder why they wish the NASA Moon project to continue...would it be because their state could benefit from supplied materials and services. They are idiots that wish to promote a one-sided venture into space. "It is imperative that the United States...
- Private Enterprise And Space
This is an excellent idea that could free up NASA to invest more in non-man programs and simply act as a custodian of private enterprise activities. "Let private firms run space taxis, panel told" by Irene Klotz July 30th, 2009 Reuters The U.S. government...