RocketSTEM Issue #6 - March 2014 | Page 51

massive habitats at 45 feet in length and over 22 feet astronauts could work on them, essentially a hangar in in diameter. They will provide 330 cubic meters (almost space. Due to the massive size, the Olympus habitats 11,760 cubic feet) of useable interior space. To put would not be built in Las Vegas. They would need to that into perspective, a 12 ft. by 12 ft. bedroom with 8 be built on a waterway, most likely close to the launch foot high ceilings is only 1,152 cubic feet of space. The facility where they would launch from. Harmony module on the ISS provides just 2,666 cubic Also in the planning stages is an effort to launch their feet of living space. own astronauts or perhaps even paid tourists into space. One BA 330 will be able to support a crew of 6 But unlike all other U.S. manned launches coming from and the modules can be connected to form a larger Cape Kennedy / Cape Canveral, Bigelow is looking at complex. The BA 330 has an innovative Micrometeorite the recently expanded launch site at Wallops Island, and Orbital Debris Shield, which in testing by Bigelow Virginia. Recently, Director of D.C. Operations Mike has proven superior to the Aluminum skinned modules Gold expressed interest in that facility as it would have currently in use on the ISS. Each BA 330 will have two less traffic then the Florida facilities allowing more propulsion systems for maneuvers and orbital boosts flexibility and frequency of launches. A proposal to and independent avionics systems to support those NASA will hopefully be submitted soon. maneuvers. Electrical power will be supplied by solar The future of space exploration seems to indeed arrays and storage batteries. Each BA 300 will have include expandable modules, and Bigelow Aerospace its own Environment Control and Life Support System is leading the way. NASA is very interested in them including lavatory and hygiene facilities. And for a once again, and Robert Bigelow is so sure of their room with a view, the BA 330 sports 4 large windows success that he has invested over a quarter of a billion which are UV coated for protection. dollars into this venture already. Maybe someday you The uses for such a large habitat range from a space will be able to catch a ride aboard a Dragon or Dream station, to a hydroponics farm growing some of the food for the crew, to medical research, even a storage facility where crews venturing out into deep space could dock and resupply before starting, or during their voyage. Other models of the BA 330 are being developed also. The BA 330-DS is modified to be used in deep space, such as in lunar orbit or in one of the Lagrange Points, where gravitational forces act on a spacecraft in such a way to allow it to orbit with the celestial body they are near. This effectively neutralizes the movement of the spacecraft, allowing it to reside in the same point indefinitely. The main difference between the Deep Space and regular BA 330 is additional radiation shielding. Another version known as the BA 330MDS is configured to allow landing on another celestial body, such as the Moon. It would come with propulsion systems which would allow it to land on the surface and An artist rendering of a BA 330 inflatable space habitat in orbit above Mars. modifications to the structure to allow it to The BA 330 contains 330 cubic meters of volume inside of it. reside on the surface. With its large size, the Image: Bigelow Aerospace BA 330-MDs would essentially be its own Lunar Base once landed on the surface of the Moon. Chaser spacecraft and head to one of his habitats in Robert Bigelow is not stopping there either. Bigelow outer space. But for now, just think about the amazing Aerospace is designing an even larger habitat named future that lies ahead the next time you see one of Olympus. Due to its massive interior volume of 2,250 those bounce houses. cubic meters (79,458 cubic feet) , it would need to be launched on NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS), or Information sources: perhaps the SpaceX Falcon 9 Heavy which is also in • w w w . d e l m a r v a n o w . c o m / a r t i c l e / 2 0 1 4 0 2 1 8 / the design and construction phase. NEWS/302170016/ Similar in design to the BA 330 but on a much larger scale, it could accommodate a crew of 24 or more. • www.bigelowaerospace.com/index.php A modified version of this massive habitat could allow • www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/02/affordablehabitats-more-buck-rogers-less-money-bigelow/ smaller spacecraft to enter it for transport, or so that 49 www.RocketSTEM.org 49