Leonard David has a report from Las Vegas on what Bob Bigelow is up to with inflatable space structures. I probably haven't emphasized this activity enough. If SpaceX is successful, we will soon have a private space habitat testbed launched on a private launch vehicle.

So what’s wrong with this scenario: Private space modules, launched on private rockets, and visited by privately-built space ships?

That may not be too far-fetched. Along with Bigelow, there is a growing guild of millionaires and billionaires now tossing in their own bucks to back an array of space ventures.

“We’re all aware that we’re somewhat co-dependent on each other,” Bigelow made clear. “We kind of know each other. We kind of keep track of who is doing what,” he said.

Ideally, Bigelow stated, is having a federal entity, like the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) say: “Welcome home boys. We can make fast decisions. We have some discretionary money for space activities. We have some ideas and maybe you guys can save us money.”

DARPA would save money, as well as time, counting on a confab of private space entrepreneurs, Bigelow said. “I think their patriotism would surface. They would have a potential customer that has money that we can count on. And that’s going to be a customer that we can serve.”

I should note also that, since Leonard seems to be in Vegas, I expect I'll see him this weekend at the Return to the Moon conference. If all y'all go, you may as well.

Rand,

It would be nice if Bigelow made it there too. Nowhere near as certain, but it wouldn't be too far out of the way for him. :-)

Look forward to seeing you there, and hearing your feedback on my presentation (though you might be at Michael Mealling's presentation--they booked him at the same time but as I am).

~Jon

Rand,

It would be nice if Bigelow made it there too. Nowhere near as certain, but it wouldn't be too far out of the way for him. :-)

Look forward to seeing you there, and hearing your feedback on my presentation (though you might be at Michael Mealling's presentation--they booked him at the same time but as I am).

~Jon

I hope private enterprise exploits this narrow window of opportunity, because if the US gets another "Jimmy Carter" presidency (Kerry), the chance will go away quickly.

Can the country survive another Carter era with double digit inflation, unemployment, and interest rates?