"Here's a big idea..." Space Budget Suites: paid over PayPal!
Dec 13, 2004 18: 01 EST
Previously published Oct 28, 2004 17: 28 EST
They were scheduled for a launch later this month but it's another no go for the private space sector. These guys are working on a 2 stage rocket that will undercut payload prices by two thirds when all glitches are worked out.
Budget Suites
The really interesting part is that an upgraded version of the rocket (Falcon V) will be the carrying vehicle for the prototype inflatable space hotel of Robert Bigelow, owner of Las Vegas-based Budget Suites of America Hotel Chain. That's right, he's expanding to Space!
Affordable space stations
"Our goal is to create a new cost paradigm for space station construction. We intend to so reduce costs of station habitable structure as to make the difference between space stations being only government available or having space stations affordable for general business ownership."
The Falcon sits in Santa Barbara, California
Money has changed hands and now it's all up to the SpaceX Falcon launch. SpaceX CEO is Pay-Pal founder Elon Musk. He says about the latest development:
The Falcon I actual flight vehicle is now on the SpaceX launch pad at Vandenberg Air Force Base (near Santa Barbara, California). "This is a huge milestone for our company and is the result of a monumental effort by everyone here."
Launch window is mid to late January
The remaining milestones are (not necessarily in this order):
1. Complete the formal flight qualification program for the engines.
2. Receive range safety approval to launch.
3. Do a full vehicle hold down firing on the launch pad as a final verification.
4. Integrate the TacSat-1 satellite.
5. Launch to a 500km orbit
At this point, it looks like the first available launch window that works for both SpaceX and Vandenberg is mid to late January.
Falcon 5 will be faster
So what about the expected launch next year of the orbital space hotel?
"I expect the Falcon V development to be considerably faster and easier than the Falcon I development, because it uses most of the same components. Unlike Falcon I, where we had to develop two complete engines from scratch, Falcon V in its initial version requires only minor adjustments to the existing Merlin engine.
The avionics are the same as Falcon I and the airframe architecture on Falcon V is just a wide body version of Falcon I. Also, most of our launch site infrastructure and the environmental permits already accommodate both vehicles," says Elon.
The 33-year-old South African Elon Musk earned multi-millions from the sale of Web-software maker Zip2 to Compaq in 1999 and of PayPal to eBay last year.
Image compiled by ExWeb of SpaceX CEO/PayPal founder Elon Musk, the Falcon 1 rocket and Las Vegas Budget Suites sign.
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