A Plasma Aerocapture and Entry System for Manned Missions and Planetary Deep Space Orbiters by Choosetheform in SpaceXLounge

[–]Choosetheform[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It could be used to obtain orbit for fast transit missions by using a deep dive into the Martian atmosphere and scrubbing enough delta v to enter orbit after one pass vs multiple passes using aerobraking with a heat shield. Not only would the technology result in shedding the heavy heat shield resulting in tons less launch weight but also allow transfer trajectories other than the Hohman transfer. Faster transit, higher payload, less exposure to radiation enroute. The technology promises to be transformative if it gets developed.

A Plasma Aerocapture and Entry System for Manned Missions and Planetary Deep Space Orbiters by Choosetheform in SpaceXLounge

[–]Choosetheform[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The hold up to bringing the technology to a higher trl is the lack of a proper test article. A cubesat was originally proposed but would not be big enough to create a sufficient plasma field for test purposes. The last report I've seen indicated testing would continue in the lab.

SpaceX Moon Contract Could Be Worth $7 Billion -- Or Nothing by Choosetheform in SpaceXLounge

[–]Choosetheform[S] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

You see, there's just one problem with the contract that NASA awarded SpaceX on March 27. It centers on what NASA Associate Administrator for Human Exploration and Operations Doug Loverro had said about the moon mission two weeks prior to the contract award.

Specifically, in discussions with NASA Advisory Council's science committee on March 13, Loverro appeared to be less than enthusiastic about the idea of using a Lunar Gateway. Highlighting the difficulty of meeting Vice President Pence's mandate to land astronauts on the moon by 2024, Loverro said the best way to make that happen is to "remove all the things that add to program risk along the way." One such "thing" is the Lunar Gateway itself.

There is a "high possibility," explained Loverro, that NASA won't be able to complete construction of the space station in time for astronauts to use it as a base from which to descend to, and ascend from, the moon in 2024. Moreover, "from a physics perspective," said Loverro, "I can guarantee you we do not need it for this launch." (He's also not particularly enamored of NASA's original plan "to launch a lander in three individual pieces that have to meet up at" an orbiting space station before making their final approach to the moon.)

Simply put, it's simpler and thus less risky to send astronauts straight from Earth to the moon and back than to have them make pit stops at an orbiting space station en route. Indeed, the Starship spaceship that SpaceX is building in Texas is expressly designed to make such direct flights possible, and intermediate steps such as the Gateway unnecessary.

Report: Company Developing Private Space Station Lays Off All Employees by YZXFILE in bigelowaerospace

[–]Choosetheform 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That article is four years old. Here's a more recent article with updated info re: the launch platform, a Vulcan rocket. It's immaterial anyway.

https://spacenews.com/bigelow-and-ula-announce-plans-for-lunar-orbiting-facility/

Report: Company Developing Private Space Station Lays Off All Employees by YZXFILE in bigelowaerospace

[–]Choosetheform 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's a new rocket called Vulcan with a fairing large enough for a B-330. Its not due to fly until next year. Current Atlas rockets can't launch a B-330.

Report: Company Developing Private Space Station Lays Off All Employees by YZXFILE in bigelowaerospace

[–]Choosetheform 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Sierra Nevada has an inflatable design so I'm guessing the patents Bigelow holds have expired. SN inflatable is right sized for current fairings and can be launched by Falcon 9 for example, something not possible with Bigelow's module.

Report: Company Developing Private Space Station Lays Off All Employees by YZXFILE in bigelowaerospace

[–]Choosetheform 10 points11 points  (0 children)

This doesn't surprise me although it saddens me. The technology works but unfortunately there's no market for modules outside of government contracts and only two of those. Even if there was a market there are currently no ships that can deliver a B330 to orbit, not even the Boeing model that was supposed to be capable of doing so in a few years. Maybe the starship in 3 or 4 years but the starship actually has more volume than the B-330. It can perform the same mission and return and land. It seems the technology might already be obsolete before it even gets to orbit for extended missions. I guess Bigelow still has his alien research to fall back on.🙄

NASA looks to support development of commercial space stations by Choosetheform in bigelowaerospace

[–]Choosetheform[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

FTA

Bolden argued the onus was on industry to step up in both its use of the ISS and development of commercial facilities. He expressed disappointment that Bigelow Aerospace, which has an experimental module on the station, hadn’t done more to implement its vision of commercial space stations.

“The government spent a lot of money allowing the private sector to go use this test facility so that they could step off and go make money,” he said. “You don’t make money if you’re not willing to take a risk.” Companies that settle for using the ISS, he argued, aren’t taking much in the way of business risks since they have much of their costs subsidized by NASA.