Who knew the future would look like this? Forget the Enterprise's sleek lines, forget Serenity's pirate ship style, forget X-wings and Death Stars and Borg Cubes. Forget dignity and grace as we go boldly.
quote:The water-melon shaped craft could form the basis of a future space hotel.
quote:Eventually, the company hopes to build a full-scale space hotel, dubbed Nautilus, which will link a series of modules together like a string of sausages.
"Uh, captain? I think the aliens are laughing at us."
EDIT: I should add (due to some of the comments below), that I think this is Absolutely Awesome, and although a little silly when you first think about the Coolest Idea Ever.
I just wanted to be lighthearted about it in the face of all the downer threads.
[ July 14, 2006, 05:16 PM: Message edited by: Teshi ]
Posted by TheGrimace (Member # 9178) on :
Silly as it sounds the concept is fairly sound, and already in use in smaller forms.
1. The size of objects to be lifted to orbit is a big concern for larger space projects (such as large-scale mars missions and/or lunar habitats) you can't get too wide or else you can't fit on the rocket, and induce a lot of drag, and you can't be too long or else assembling the thing (as well as stability on the launch site) becomes too difficult.
2. The structure of orbital components is largely based around the loads seen during launch (when you're floating in zero g your habitat or whatever can largely be supported through just pressurizing it) so if you have a module that doesn't need to be inflated during launch, you can cut down on the structure mass a great deal.
it may be silly and look funny, but if it works it works.
Posted by Jay (Member # 5786) on :
Where do you put the laser beams?
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
Maybe the aliens have inflatable ships too.
For all we know, we're finally in style. Posted by The Pixiest (Member # 1863) on :
That is SO cool!
I wonder how they handle hull breaches though.
BTW, does anyone else thing the colour choices made them look like Earth Alliance ships from Babylon 5?
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
Just because it's inflatable doesn't mean that a small hole would cause a catastrophic failure. I imagine that they'd deal with small hull breaches just like they would with rigid hull space ships -- patch it ASAP.
For large hull breaches, I still think they'd handle it just like they would in rigid hull space ships -- die.
Posted by TheGrimace (Member # 9178) on :
definately pix... man, now I want to watch that show again...
as for hull breaches it would depend on the nature of the craft. i.e. if you can get at the inside of the skin you can just slap a patch on there, maybe adhere it down and positive pressure should do the rest. other than that there would I'm sure be compartmentalization systems (i.e. titanic, but hopefully better than that =p)
I'm not saying the technology is flawless, but it certainly has its positive aspects.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
quote:BTW, does anyone else thing the colour choices made them look like Earth Alliance ships from Babylon 5?
It sure does.
Posted by ricree101 (Member # 7749) on :
Did anyone else think that their competition was a little unrealistic?
quote: As a result, Mr Bigelow is offering a $50m prize to anyone that can demonstrate a craft capable of carrying five people to a height of 400km (250 miles) before 2010.
If they'd made it 2015 or 2020 I might believe that they were serious, but I just don't think that within four years we will be able have the type of spacecraft that they are looking for.
Posted by Juxtapose (Member # 8837) on :
I have to wonder how one would go about folding material 16 inches thick.
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
I thought we had self-healing hulls now.
Anyway, this is VERY cool. I'm ready. Sign me up.
Posted by Glenn Arnold (Member # 3192) on :
I have to say something here.
I invented this thing. I did. Back around ten years ago I thought up the idea of inflatable space real estate in order to create a large enough habitat to allow astronauts to go to Mars without going stir crazy.
Also, an inflatable module ought to handle impacts better than a rigid one, since it would deform and rebound due to gas pressure.
And finally, you might be able to make the thing revolve fast enough to simulate gravity a la 2001: A Space Odyssey, since the diameter can be larger than the diameter of a rocket, and you can build it large without making it hodgepodge modular shaped like MIR and the ISS, so it wouldn't have to be structurally strong enough to withstand centripetal forces.
[ July 14, 2006, 11:05 PM: Message edited by: Glenn Arnold ]
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
I bet Virgin Atlantic will have a five passenger vehicle ready by 2010, but I don't know if it will be able to actually get to the station and dock with it the same way a shuttlecraft can now.
I think they'd be better off doing a direct partnership with someone rather than offering a prize like the Ansari X Prize was. This is a bit more complex, and with a MUCH more specific goal than the X Prize was. But hey, you never know. Maybe someone will invest millions in the hopes of getting something going in the next four years....when I imagine the prize will be renewed.
![[Smile]](smile.gif)