I just missed Jim Benson’s discussion of SpaceDev’s Dreamchaser, because I was out in the hallway, but Neil Milburn of Armadillo Aerospace is about to speak.

Giving a brief history of the company. It’s a volunteer organization (so far) funded by John Carmack, writer of the Doom and Quake video games. They’re hobbyists, mixing computers and rockets. Think of themselves as “twenty-first century bicycle mechanics.”

Describing their new vehicle, with LOX/ethanol propellants. They’re have a “vertical drag racer” in January of ’07, and expect to have a hundred-kilometer altitude, X-Prize class vehicle next spring. They’ve been talking to Lutz Kayser, who developed OTRAG back in the sixties and seventies, and are incorporating some of his modular, low-cost-component ideas into their vehicle. It’s called Large Array of SimplE Rockets (LASER). Starting to think about orbital capability.

Chuck Lauer talking now about Rocketplane Kistler. Combining the two companies–one a horizontal takeoff and land, and the other a vertical takeoff and land, provides some good synergies. Showing CAD views of the XP suborbital vehicle. Based on a stretched Lear 25 for a four-seat vehicle, and working on a version with stretched fuselage and larger wings with eight seats. Verified computer design against the wind tunnel (did a lot of work at Marshall Spaceflight Center) and consider configuration validated, with stable entry (Burt Rutan wrong about feathered configuration only safe way to come back). Uisng Rocketdyne RS-88 engine.

Three and a half gees up, four to five minutes of weightlessness, four gees coming in. Oklahoma Spaceport got its license about a month ago. Established the first non-military overland track for rockets.

Looking into using XP as a platform for an expendable second stage. Would separate out of the atmosphere to avoid aero loads during separation. Using a Japanese hybrid rocket (LOX/Polyethylene). Developed as sounding rocket, and determined that they could get it to over four hundred kilometers altitude with a seventy-kilometer release, with nine minutes of weightlessness. Could also do scramjet/entry research with it.

Looking at other spaceports in Japan, Australia, Dubai, and US orbital spaceports (site still TBD), with long-term goal of point-to-point service. Hope to eventually integrate spaceplanes into conventional ATC system, with perhaps Anchorage as a world-wide hub.

Kistler is getting their contractors back on board, preparing for COTS, but also interested in Bigelow as a customer even without COTS. COTS only necessary to meet early NASA goals. They expect to be able to launch in 2007 or 2008 given funding because vehicle is three quarters built. Considering Florida and New Mexico as potential US launch sites. Could have fully-reusable system, at the same time that LEO comsats seem to be making a comeback.

Can fly standard space station hardware with a pressurized cargo module, for microgravity experiments of a couple weeks without ISS. Looking into ways of getting back to the moon with it, when combined with propellant depot. Need to have an entire earth-moon system serviceable by commercial vehicles quickly and cheaply. Thinks that with needed flight rate, could do heavy-lift job at fraction of the cost, and would like to see COTS model extended to lunar missions.

Dave Masten up now. Formed in Space Access ’04, built a lot ot test stands and infrastructure. Had major milestone of igniter about the time of Space Access ’05, had initial engine testing in November, and right after the recent ISDC had successful engine tests. Major milestones always seem to come right after major conferences. Will have their first flight test next week.

Starting off with suborbital, hundred kilograms to hundred kilometers. Want to build on operational capability, without being too concerned about performance initially. Next step will be a vehicle with a little more payload and a lot more altitude. Then scale up to something that can take people into space, vertical takeoff vertical landing. Want to be able to stack them to eventually get to orbit. Like vertical vertical because it lends itself eventually to a lunar lander. Interested in pursuing lunar lander challenge.

Engine R&D is complete, expect first hover flight next week (July 27th). Will compete for X-Prize Cup Lunar Lander Challenge, and expect to be able to go into space in early 2007.

I just missed Jim Benson’s discussion of SpaceDev’s Dreamchaser, because I was out in the hallway, but Neil Milburn of Armadillo Aerospace is about to speak.

Giving a brief history of the company. It’s a volunteer organization (so far) funded by John Carmack, writer of the Doom and Quake video games. They’re hobbyists, mixing computers and rockets. Think of themselves as “twenty-first century bicycle mechanics.”

Describing their new vehicle, with LOX/ethanol propellants. They’re have a “vertical drag racer” in January of ’07, and expect to have a hundred-kilometer altitude, X-Prize class vehicle next spring. They’ve been talking to Lutz Kayser, who developed OTRAG back in the sixties and seventies, and are incorporating some of his modular, low-cost-component ideas into their vehicle. It’s called Large Array of SimplE Rockets (LASER). Starting to think about orbital capability.

Chuck Lauer talking now about Rocketplane Kistler. Combining the two companies–one a horizontal takeoff and land, and the other a vertical takeoff and land, provides some good synergies. Showing CAD views of the XP suborbital vehicle. Based on a stretched Lear 25 for a four-seat vehicle, and working on a version with stretched fuselage and larger wings with eight seats. Verified computer design against the wind tunnel (did a lot of work at Marshall Spaceflight Center) and consider configuration validated, with stable entry (Burt Rutan wrong about feathered configuration only safe way to come back). Uisng Rocketdyne RS-88 engine.

Three and a half gees up, four to five minutes of weightlessness, four gees coming in. Oklahoma Spaceport got its license about a month ago. Established the first non-military overland track for rockets.

Looking into using XP as a platform for an expendable second stage. Would separate out of the atmosphere to avoid aero loads during separation. Using a Japanese hybrid rocket (LOX/Polyethylene). Developed as sounding rocket, and determined that they could get it to over four hundred kilometers altitude with a seventy-kilometer release, with nine minutes of weightlessness. Could also do scramjet/entry research with it.

Looking at other spaceports in Japan, Australia, Dubai, and US orbital spaceports (site still TBD), with long-term goal of point-to-point service. Hope to eventually integrate spaceplanes into conventional ATC system, with perhaps Anchorage as a world-wide hub.

Kistler is getting their contractors back on board, preparing for COTS, but also interested in Bigelow as a customer even without COTS. COTS only necessary to meet early NASA goals. They expect to be able to launch in 2007 or 2008 given funding because vehicle is three quarters built. Considering Florida and New Mexico as potential US launch sites. Could have fully-reusable system, at the same time that LEO comsats seem to be making a comeback.

Can fly standard space station hardware with a pressurized cargo module, for microgravity experiments of a couple weeks without ISS. Looking into ways of getting back to the moon with it, when combined with propellant depot. Need to have an entire earth-moon system serviceable by commercial vehicles quickly and cheaply. Thinks that with needed flight rate, could do heavy-lift job at fraction of the cost, and would like to see COTS model extended to lunar missions.

Dave Masten up now. Formed in Space Access ’04, built a lot ot test stands and infrastructure. Had major milestone of igniter about the time of Space Access ’05, had initial engine testing in November, and right after the recent ISDC had successful engine tests. Major milestones always seem to come right after major conferences. Will have their first flight test next week.

Starting off with suborbital, hundred kilograms to hundred kilometers. Want to build on operational capability, without being too concerned about performance initially. Next step will be a vehicle with a little more payload and a lot more altitude. Then scale up to something that can take people into space, vertical takeoff vertical landing. Want to be able to stack them to eventually get to orbit. Like vertical vertical because it lends itself eventually to a lunar lander. Interested in pursuing lunar lander challenge.

Engine R&D is complete, expect first hover flight next week (July 27th). Will compete for X-Prize Cup Lunar Lander Challenge, and expect to be able to go into space in early 2007.

I just missed Jim Benson’s discussion of SpaceDev’s Dreamchaser, because I was out in the hallway, but Neil Milburn of Armadillo Aerospace is about to speak.

Giving a brief history of the company. It’s a volunteer organization (so far) funded by John Carmack, writer of the Doom and Quake video games. They’re hobbyists, mixing computers and rockets. Think of themselves as “twenty-first century bicycle mechanics.”

Describing their new vehicle, with LOX/ethanol propellants. They’re have a “vertical drag racer” in January of ’07, and expect to have a hundred-kilometer altitude, X-Prize class vehicle next spring. They’ve been talking to Lutz Kayser, who developed OTRAG back in the sixties and seventies, and are incorporating some of his modular, low-cost-component ideas into their vehicle. It’s called Large Array of SimplE Rockets (LASER). Starting to think about orbital capability.

Chuck Lauer talking now about Rocketplane Kistler. Combining the two companies–one a horizontal takeoff and land, and the other a vertical takeoff and land, provides some good synergies. Showing CAD views of the XP suborbital vehicle. Based on a stretched Lear 25 for a four-seat vehicle, and working on a version with stretched fuselage and larger wings with eight seats. Verified computer design against the wind tunnel (did a lot of work at Marshall Spaceflight Center) and consider configuration validated, with stable entry (Burt Rutan wrong about feathered configuration only safe way to come back). Uisng Rocketdyne RS-88 engine.

Three and a half gees up, four to five minutes of weightlessness, four gees coming in. Oklahoma Spaceport got its license about a month ago. Established the first non-military overland track for rockets.

Looking into using XP as a platform for an expendable second stage. Would separate out of the atmosphere to avoid aero loads during separation. Using a Japanese hybrid rocket (LOX/Polyethylene). Developed as sounding rocket, and determined that they could get it to over four hundred kilometers altitude with a seventy-kilometer release, with nine minutes of weightlessness. Could also do scramjet/entry research with it.

Looking at other spaceports in Japan, Australia, Dubai, and US orbital spaceports (site still TBD), with long-term goal of point-to-point service. Hope to eventually integrate spaceplanes into conventional ATC system, with perhaps Anchorage as a world-wide hub.

Kistler is getting their contractors back on board, preparing for COTS, but also interested in Bigelow as a customer even without COTS. COTS only necessary to meet early NASA goals. They expect to be able to launch in 2007 or 2008 given funding because vehicle is three quarters built. Considering Florida and New Mexico as potential US launch sites. Could have fully-reusable system, at the same time that LEO comsats seem to be making a comeback.

Can fly standard space station hardware with a pressurized cargo module, for microgravity experiments of a couple weeks without ISS. Looking into ways of getting back to the moon with it, when combined with propellant depot. Need to have an entire earth-moon system serviceable by commercial vehicles quickly and cheaply. Thinks that with needed flight rate, could do heavy-lift job at fraction of the cost, and would like to see COTS model extended to lunar missions.

Dave Masten up now. Formed in Space Access ’04, built a lot ot test stands and infrastructure. Had major milestone of igniter about the time of Space Access ’05, had initial engine testing in November, and right after the recent ISDC had successful engine tests. Major milestones always seem to come right after major conferences. Will have their first flight test next week.

Starting off with suborbital, hundred kilograms to hundred kilometers. Want to build on operational capability, without being too concerned about performance initially. Next step will be a vehicle with a little more payload and a lot more altitude. Then scale up to something that can take people into space, vertical takeoff vertical landing. Want to be able to stack them to eventually get to orbit. Like vertical vertical because it lends itself eventually to a lunar lander. Interested in pursuing lunar lander challenge.

Engine R&D is complete, expect first hover flight next week (July 27th). Will compete for X-Prize Cup Lunar Lander Challenge, and expect to be able to go into space in early 2007.

Rick Tumlinson is introducing Bob Bigelow, admiring someone who “antes up.” He’s worked all his life to build what he’s got, and now he’s doing something bigger and grander and more important to create a great future for our kids. He’s translating his business and real estate knowledge into the development of space which is (in the Foundation’s words) just a place.

Definitely wants to go to space. His wife says that she would like to send him to the moon (bang, zoom…). No rimshot.

Thanking the Russians for how they accommodated them, and the extra effort they went to. Also thanking his company’s staff. A small organization that makes up for it with incredible enthusiasm and skills. Still looking for more people in engineering, legal, accounting. Two plants, one in North Vegas, one in Houston. Also a Washington office, which is a crucial part of the activities. Technological challenges are huge, but not on the top of the list of what can hurt you. Politics is much tougher, which is what the Washington office struggles with every day.

Burt Rutan and Elon Musk are successful because they’re not just good technically, but good businessmen. (Acknowledging Buzz Aldrin, who just walked into the room, calling him “my hero.”) They know how to manage money, and people, and the technical aspects follow. Priority order is politics, management, and then the technical part.

Community is not very large and “we need to stick together, pull together, and make things happen.” He sees himself as being part of the destination part. “We will fly your stuff.” Taking emailed photos, converting to cards, and flying them in the habitats where they can float around and be viewed with a camera. Also taking golf-ball-sized objects. Inviting people to fly with them.

Evolving to the goal of a full-size module that can sustain up to six people for years at a time–LEO, deep space, and lunar and Martian surfaces. Each additional spacecraft will be increasingly complex, getting larger and testing new subsystems, while also learning how to manage communications with multiple spacecraft simultaneously. Will be flying every six months, so up to five spacecraft to track and communicate with over a two-and-a-half-year period. Building own tracking stations in Hawaii, Fairbanks, etc. Will fly a second flight later this year, also out of Russia (SS-18 Dneper–an altered ICBM). Likes the idea of swords to ploughshares.

ISS not “customer friendly,” leaving rest of the world sitting on the sidelines. 350 astronauts in the world right now, but hopes to increase that by fifteen to twenty times over the next dozen years or so. Sees astronauts for other governments as a more interesting market than tourism per se.

Look at themselves as providing facilities to meet customer requirements, but not necessarily involved in what actually takes place on board (like a regional mall). Banks understand this kind of deal. A number of terrestrial and marine models for destinations that can serve as useful models. Wants to train thousands of “professional astronauts” to serve needs of big aerospace in a similar manner to which the military trains pilots and aviation professionals for that business.

First module will be 330 cubic meters (a little over half of current ISS size). Dneper can handle first two generations–Genesis and Galaxy, but generation after that will outgrow it. Estimate twenty launches in third year of operation (sixteen for people and four for cargo). Would like a crew vehicle that can handle eight people, but thinks that’s driven by seat cost, and would be happy with less if it can be done for comparable seat cost. Looking to Atlas V or Falcon 9 (if Elon is of a mind to do that).

Thinks that space tourism will happen, but their focus is on the path of serving private services for exploration and cargo, following the nautical analogy. Doesn’t want to depend on any one income stream, and trying to develop thorough understanding of what kinds of income streams can be derived from robotic applications. Thinks that tourism will be relatively small population for the first few years, due to high price. Professional astronaut community seems like the biggest single revenue opportunity, by pursuing countries that have previously had few opportunities. Space tourism pricing will have to be lower than “professional astronatus.” Thinks that eight million per trip would have some market, but they’d make no profit at that price. They would put tourists to work, filming, helping with tasks. Want to coordinate with Space Adventures and others to put together packages.

Have “only been a spaceflight company for one week.” “This is our first rodeo.”

Can’t believe that they’re doing this, and how well it’s going. Expecting Murphy to show up any minutes. Would not have been financially possible without Russian help. Don’t know what future is, not taking anything for granted, looking over their shoulders, feeling “hot breath of challenge.” Don’t take this likely.

Expects competition, but have a lead, and hope to keep moving quickly to maintain it. Have to make quick decisions. Plenty of things to worry about, but are optimists, so they don’t hesitate when decisions have to be made.

Just asked how much more time he had. “All you need, Bob.” (Rick Tumlinson)

[Note: I see that Clark Lindsey has a description of yesterday’s Bigelow facilities tour.]

They’ve taken about 500 photos of Genesis 1 up to this point in time.

They’re showing a video now, mostly press clips. I’m shutting down temporarily, so I can go tour the Bigelow faclity.

[Update]

I may regret this, but the tour was going to last several hours, and I didn’t want to miss that much of the conference.

Clark Lindsey has a summary of Bigelow’s talk.

[Update]

Alan Boyle also has a Bigelow tour report.

I made it up from LA in three and a half hours flat. It’s a lot easier to do when you leave at 4 AM. I’m sitting in the conference room at the Flamingo, waiting for the keynote speech by Bob Bigelow. Let’s see if he makes some news.

…but hopefully not a dollar short.

I have some ruminations on yesterday’s (actually, still today’s in Mountain, Pacific and Central time) anniversaries.

Any readers I have who are interested in working on the CEV program (despite any disparaging remarks I may have made about it) have an opportunity now, if you have the right experience and skill set. The company with which I’m consulting, ARES Corporation, is hiring, for both southern California and Houston.

If you go there as a result of this post, please let them know, so we know how effective it is, relative to other ad media.

I won’t be getting to the conference until tomorrow, but Clark Lindsey has several posts up already with what’s been going on, here, here, here, and here.

And Jeff Foust has interviewed Bob Bigelow, who will be keynoting tomorrow morning.

One thought on Clark’s report:

Tumlinson: The whole Exploration architecture is going to fail because it is financially and politically unsustainable.

He’s right.

Those are the number of years ago, respectively, that Viking 1 landed on Mars, and Apollo XI landed on the moon. I’ll have more thoughts up later, either here or elsewhere. But if you haven’t made plans for dinner tonight to commemorate it, there’s still time.

[Update on holy night]

Alan Boyle, who I expect to see in Las Vegas tomorrow, has a lot of related thoughts and links.

Howard Dratch has some thoughts on the value of failure for the commercial launch industry. This was resonant with me:

The photographer who shoots and sees that the story he/she wanted to tell was lost, the moment missed, the avenue of seeing not taken, and uses the failure to become Gary Winogrand, Lee Friedlander, or Robert Frank has used failure as a step toward the stars. The question is if there is creativity to see the possibilities of the failure and the guts to put it behind. The new space entrepreneurs may have it, probably have it. The government agencies are a question. Will NASA learn from its mistakes and tragedies as quickly and as well?

It’s apparent to me that NASA has taken lessons from its failures (and from its successes as well, such as Apollo), but strategically, it’s learned the wrong ones.

I’ve had an essay on this subject bubbling around in my brain for a while now that I’ll have to unburden myself of soon.