New NASA, Bigelow Deal Puts Inflatable Space Station Module One Step Closer to Orbit

[bananas]

http://spaceports.blogspot.com/2013/01/beam-me-up-to-space-station-mr-bigelow.html

Tuesday, January 08, 2013
BEAM me up to space station, Mr. Bigelow

NASA and Bigelow Aerospace have signed a $17.8 million contract. The details will be released later but apparently it deals with preliminary work on the proposed BEAM (Bigelow Expandable Activity Module) system for the ISS: New NASA, Bigelow Deal Puts Inflatable Space Station Module One Step Closer to Orbit - SpaceNews.com.

Bigelow Aerospace, owned by Robert Bigelow of North Las Vegas, Nevada, has been in the space station business several years having operated two orbiting demonstrator stations since 2006.

NASA spokesman Josh Buck said the agency would tap one of its Commercial Resupply Services contractors, Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) or Orbital Sciences Corp., to get BEAM to the space station from either Cape Canaveral, Florida or Wallops Island, Va. launch pads. A launch date appears likely prior to the end of 2016.

SpaceX and Orbital are under contract for space station cargo deliveries through 2016. So far, only SpaceX has flown to the station. The company, which flies Dragon cargo capsules atop Falcon 9 rockets, completed its first contracted run in October. Orbital, which is developing a cargo freighter called Cygnus for launch aboard the new Antares rocket, is now scheduled to launch a demonstration cargo run in February from NASA’s Wallops Island Flight Facility in Virginia, reports SpaceNews. More from Doug Messier at ParbolicArc.

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[krispos42]

1. I thought this was a marketing deal

"Wow, Bigelow Tea must be doing really well to sponsor NASA".




On the other hand, it's really sad when such a marketing partnership is not only permitted but expected.

[bananas]

2. Press conference next Wednesday in Las Vegas with Lori Garver and Bob Bigelow

http://nasawatch.com/archives/2013/01/nasa-and-bigelo.html

NASA and Bigelow To Announce New Agreement
By Keith Cowing on January 8, 2013 12:50 PM. 26 Comments

Keith's note: Planning is underway for press conference next Wednesday in Las Vegas where Lori Garver and Bob Bigelow will announce an agreement to work toward putting inflatable modules on the ISS. NASA signed a contract with Bigelow Aerospace in December 2012 focusing on the Bigelow Expanded Aerospace Module (BEAM). I have asked NASA PAO if there will be dial-in media availability for the media event. Awaiting a reply.