![]() NASA is currently working on a 'Deep Space Gateway' project with the Russian Space Agency, which could involve a site near the moon that would serve as a pit-stop for astronauts on long-term missions to Mars. Lunar exploration has gained renewed attention in recent weeks - earlier this month, Vice President Mike Pence promised to "refocus America's space program toward human exploration and discovery" in an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal. Pence wrote that establishing a "renewed American presence on the moon" is a vital strategic goal for the U.S. Lunar Depot: Capital has been flowing from both companies and will continue," Bigelow wrote, then added, "NASA & this country will need to have investment also to pay for the benefits." The Washington Post puts the project's price tag at $2.3 billion. In a couple of Tweets on Tuesday, Bigelow seemed to suggest that he'd need NASA funding to fully execute his space hotel plans. The space agency has said that so far, the soft materials Bigelow used to create BEAM are proving they can perform just as well as more rigid structures in space. NASA has said it might extend BEAM's stay at the ISS beyond its initial two year test run, and use the inflatable space as long-term storage. ![]() Astronauts don't live inside it, but they use the space for experiments, collecting air and surface samples to test for microbes, as well as monitoring how effective the BEAM is at blocking radiation. The company's 'Bigelow Expandable Activity Module,' or BEAM, was attached to the International Space Station in April 2016 and then blown up to full size that May. Bigelow said in a statement that its pods also “provide for greater volume, safety, opportunity and economy than the aluminum alternatives.” Now the company says it will be ready for lunar orbit by 2022.Įxpandable, soft-shell space habitats are easier to fit into rockets for launch than other heavier structures. ![]() ![]() A rendering of the inside of Bigelow Aerospace's B330 space station was released in 2016. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |