DailyDirt: Looking Forward To More Space Exploration

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

Mon, Apr 11th 2016 5:00pm — Michael Ho

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.

SpaceX has successfully landed one of its rockets on a barge at sea. This is only the second time the company has been able to land a rocket safely, but it shows that it can be done. The next step is actually reusing one of these rockets (for less than the cost of building a new one). [url]
The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) is going to be added to the International Space Station, and this inflatable habitat might point the way towards cheaper space stations. There are only a few ways to build space stations: launch large spaceworthy structures into orbit (say, in the bay of a space shuttle or actually on top of a rocket), bring up the pieces and put them together in space, or some combination of pre-fab structures and in-space construction. Inflatable space stations make it slightly easier to construct large structures in space -- and we'll see how spaceworthy they are. [url]
A metal composite foam material might be lightweight and strong enough to protect people from dangerous radiation -- AND bullets, too. These materials can block X-rays, gamma rays and neutron radiation better (compared to bulk metals of the same weight), but they're not ready for trips to Mars just yet. [url]

After you've finished checking out those links, take a look at our Daily Deals for cool gadgets and other awesome stuff.

Filed Under: bigelow expandable activity module, falcon 9, iss, manned missions, re-usable rockets, rockets, space exploration
Companies: bigelow aerospace, nasa, spacex

5 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 11 Apr 2016 @ 7:10pm

metal composite foam?
Can they make engine blocks out of tht stuff, too?
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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.
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Apr 2016 @ 8:03am

Re: metal composite foam?
I can see it now - V8 to orbit, the ultimate muscle car...
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JoeCool (profile), 12 Apr 2016 @ 10:13am

Re: Re: metal composite foam?
Actually, I think V8 FROM orbit is more what we're looking for. ;)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_KXgFpguE0
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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.
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