DailyDirt: Looking Forward To More Space Exploration

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

We've seen space travel getting cheaper over time, but it's still pretty expensive to get a person into low earth orbit. Some billionaires are optimistic that space travel will be accessible to more than just astronauts and other billionaires, and we're seeing some progress. Reusable rockets and more affordable space stations could lead to some pretty cool space-based vacations -- if you remember to bring your SPF infinity sunblock. After you've finished checking out those links, take a look at our Daily Deals for cool gadgets and other awesome stuff.
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Filed Under: bigelow expandable activity module, falcon 9, iss, manned missions, re-usable rockets, rockets, space exploration
Companies: bigelow aerospace, nasa, spacex


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  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 11 Apr 2016 @ 7:10pm

    metal composite foam?

    Can they make engine blocks out of tht stuff, too?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    klaus (profile), 12 Apr 2016 @ 1:08am

    Space Fun

    I have to say, the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module sounds like the ISS is getting it's own bouncy castle. Not that there's anything wrong with that...

    Being serious, it does look like an interesting concept and use of materials. It's also interesting how private finance and private initiatives are merging more and more with the public's. Interesting times ahead.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Paraquat (profile), 20 Apr 2016 @ 7:04pm

    Reusable rockets are more expensive

    The whole space shuttle era should serve as evidence that making space craft "reusable" doesn't necessarily make it cheaper. I do realize that the space shuttle itself was not the whole banana - it had to ride into orbit on booster rockets which themselves were disposable. But the space shuttle program was sold to Congress as a way of making space travel cheaper because the shuttle component could be reused.

    Meanwhile, the vastly cheaper Russian disposable space capsules now provide the only way for humans to reach the ISS. However, supplies are occasionally sent up on disposable unmanned rockets.

    Thanks to Star Wars and similar movies, we're conditioned to seeing flying "space airplanes" with wings and wheels that can take off and land under their own power. As a practical matter, this just doesn't work. One lesson we ought to have learned by now: bringing wings and wheels into space makes no sense.

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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