News ULA and Bigelow Announce Partnership

[Codz]

ULA and Bigelow Aerospace announced a partnership to hasten the commercialization of LEO, and eventually the Moon. The current specifics of the partnership include ULA providing an Atlas V 552 to launch Bigelow's next generation of expandable habs, the B330's in the 2019-20 timeframe.

Bigelow Aerospace (BA) and United Launch Alliance (ULA) announced they are partnering to develop and deploy habitable volumes in Low Earth orbit (LEO). The volumes will be based on the Bigelow Aerospace B330 expandable module with the initial launch to orbit in 2020 on ULA's Atlas V 552 configuration launch vehicle.

The B330 will have 330 cubic meters (12,000 cu ft) of internal space. The craft will support zero-gravity research including scientific missions and manufacturing processes. Beyond its industrial and scientific purposes, however, it has potential as a destination for space tourism and a craft for missions destined for the Moon and Mars.

“We are exploring options for the location of the initial B330 including discussions with NASA on the possibility of attaching it to the International Space Station (ISS),” said Robert Bigelow, founder and president of Bigelow Aerospace. “In that configuration, the B330 will enlarge the station’s volume by 30% and function as a multipurpose testbed in support of NASA’s exploration goals as well as provide significant commercial opportunities. The working name for this module is XBASE or Expandable Bigelow Advanced Station Enhancement.”

http://www.ulalaunch.com/bigelow-ae...tainable+Commercialization+in+Low+Earth+Orbit

 

[boogabooga]

Interesting, after BEAM was just launched by SpaceX.

 

[Thunder Chicken]

The BEAM is a test article and could be boosted in the Dragon's trunk, but each B330 module is expected to weigh something between 45,000 and 50,000 lb. IIRC the Falcon 9FT can only get about 30,000 lb to LEO. Until SpaceX can get the Falcon 9H flying reliably, the smart ride for Bigelow is an Atlas V. No politics, just physics.

 

[Pipcard]

It's also because Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy seem to offer only one fairing size, and B330 won't fit in that.

With the fairing being relatively small compared to the Falcon Heavy's payload capacity, it appears that SpaceX plans to use Falcon Heavy mainly for large communications satellites with all three cores returning to the launch site.

 

[Unstung]

The BEAM is a test article and could be boosted in the Dragon's trunk, but each B330 module is expected to weigh something between 45,000 and 50,000 lb. IIRC the Falcon 9FT can only get about 30,000 lb to LEO. Until SpaceX can get the Falcon 9H flying reliably, the smart ride for Bigelow is an Atlas V. No politics, just physics.

The Delta IV Heavy and Atlas V are America's only active heavy lift launch vehicles, so there's not much choice. However, shouldn't ULA be developing Vulcan to end reliance on the RD-180s?

With the Falcon Heavy debut soon, it seems prudent for SpaceX to develop a larger fairing.

 

[Thunder Chicken]

It's also because Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy seem to offer only one fairing size, and B330 won't fit in that.

I'm sure if weight wasn't the prime issue that SpaceX would whip up a new fairing for a customer. They definitely will need a bigger fairing for the Falcon Heavy when that becomes operational.

 

[RGClark]

Excellent news! By taking the commercial space approach and using existing or soon to exist launchers such as the Falcon Heavy manned flights to the Moon can be undertaken for a fraction of the cost of the NASA's estimates.


Bob Clark

 

[ADSWNJ]

I'm sure if weight wasn't the prime issue that SpaceX would whip up a new fairing for a customer. They definitely will need a bigger fairing for the Falcon Heavy when that becomes operational.

Is the issue the diameter / volume of the fairing space, or the diameter of the mating connector to the stage 2 booster?

 

[Thunder Chicken]

Is the issue the diameter / volume of the fairing space, or the diameter of the mating connector to the stage 2 booster?

It looks to be a length issue mostly.

 

[MaverickSawyer]

However, shouldn't ULA be developing Vulcan to end reliance on the RD-180s?

They are... they're just waiting on the engines. Give 'em two years or so.

 

[boogabooga]

Is the issue the diameter / volume of the fairing space, or the diameter of the mating connector to the stage 2 booster?

I would find it a bit ironic that an inflatable habitat- whose entire purpose is to fit into a small space for launch- would still be too bulky to fit within some payload fairings.

This after two entire space stations were assembled from non-inflatable modules in the past.

 

[Codz]

I would find it a bit ironic that an inflatable habitat- whose entire purpose is to fit into a small space for launch- would still be too bulky to fit within some payload fairings.

This after two entire space stations were assembled from non-inflatable modules in the past.

This particular model will be 45 by 22 feet and 43,000 pounds when it's fully expanded, so it was never meant to be a direct replacement for the more compact static modules.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B330

 

[RGClark]

It looks to be a length issue mostly.

If only length, might be possible to add an additional center section to increase the F9 fairing length.
Note with the F9 full thrust upgrade, just the F9 as an expendable, not needing the Falcon Heavy, would have enough payload capacity to launch the BA330 at 19.8 metric tons, compared to the F9 expendable's 22.8 metric tons.

The F9 launcher would be about 1/3rd the price of the Atlas 5.

Bob Clark

 

[Urwumpe]

The F9 launcher would be about 1/3rd the price of the Atlas 5.

Great. Would you sign a contract for getting me such a launch service for that price?

 

[RGClark]

Great. Would you sign a contract for getting me such a launch service for that price?

No doubt there would be an extra charge for lengthening the fairing, but far less than say the cost of the vehicle.

Bob Clark

 

[Urwumpe]

No doubt there would be an extra charge for lengthening the fairing, but far less than say the cost of the vehicle.

Bob Clark

What I mean is: If your own money (and the money of your children and your children's children) would be at stake, would you still say that it is sure possible to get such a launch at 1/3rd of the costs of a Ariane 5? :lol:

Even if you are wrong by just a few millions either by the real customer prize that SpaceX has or the real prize that Arianespace demands (if there would be still unsold Ariane 5 launchers, I know they are all sold out now), it would be a painful difference to simply make such advertisements.