The Netherlands Space Office ( NSO ) is the space agency of the Netherlands .
58-478: Bigelow Aerospace was an American space design and manufacturing company which closed its doors in 2020. It was an aeronautics and outer space technology company which manufactured and developed expandable space station modules. Bigelow Aerospace was founded by Robert Bigelow in 1998, and was based in North Las Vegas, Nevada . It was funded in large part by the profit Bigelow gained through his ownership of
116-705: A Dnepr booster from Dombarovsky Cosmodrome in Orenburg Oblast , Russia . The launch was conducted by Bigelow and ISC Kosmotras . Despite ground-side difficulties during launch, the spacecraft performed as expected upon reaching orbit, inflating, deploying solar arrays and starting internal systems. The mission is planned to last for five years and include extensive observation of the craft's performance including testing packing/deployment procedures and resistance to radiation and space debris, among other space hazards and conditions. Mike Gold, corporate counsel for Bigelow Aerospace, stated in relation to this mission and
174-549: A 3-day stay in this spatial hotel was estimated at 5 million dollars. In April 2016, Bigelow's BEAM module was launched to the International Space Station on the eighth SpaceX cargo resupply mission . In March 2020, Bigelow Aerospace laid off all 88 members of staff and halted operations after over 20 years of business, in a move that was partially caused by the coronavirus pandemic . In March 2021, he sued NASA for US$ 1.05 million, alleging he
232-419: A central docking node , propulsion , solar arrays , and attached crew capsules . Initial launch of space station components was planned for 2014, with portions of the station available for leased use as early as 2015. Bigelow has publicly shown space station design configurations with up to nine B330 modules containing 100,000 cu ft (2,800 m) of habitable space. Bigelow began to publicly refer to
290-577: A contract with NASA . The contract was to supply an expandable habitat module for the International Space Station (ISS). This module is known as the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM). The BEAM was successfully launched and attached to the ISS in 2016. In March 2021, Bigelow Aerospace filed a lawsuit against NASA. Bigelow Aerospace claimed that NASA owed the company $ 1.05 million. The lawsuit alleged that NASA had not paid
348-452: A family of uncrewed and crewed expandable spacecraft in a variety of sizes. Bigelow invested US$ 75 million in proprietary extensions to the NASA technology by mid-2006, and US$ 180 million into the technology by 2010. By 2010, Robert Bigelow had invested US$ 180 million in the company, which by 2013 had grown to US$ 250 million of his personal fortune. Bigelow stated on multiple occasions that he
406-563: A few weeks ago. I made a promise to give him $ 20 million more, that will be to the super PAC….” Netherlands Space Office Three Dutch government ministries — the Ministry of Economic Affairs ; the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science ; and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management — along with the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO), an independent administrative body under
464-436: A large production facility in North Las Vegas, Nevada to produce the space modules. The 181,000 sq ft (16,800 m) facility will include three production lines for three distinct spacecraft, doubling the amount of floor space at Bigelow, and transitioning the focus from research and development , with an existing workforce of 115, to production . Bigelow expected to hire approximately 1,200 new employees to staff
522-522: A number of occasions that he was prepared to fund Bigelow Aerospace with about US$ 500 million through 2015 in order to achieve launch of full-scale hardware. In March 2020, the company laid off all 88 of its employees due to the COVID-19 pandemic . As of January 2024 the company remains dormant and is currently considered defunct. Bigelow originally licensed the multi-layer, expandable space module technology from NASA in 2000 after Congress canceled
580-571: A part of this effort, as well as potential customers", was delivered by Bigelow to NASA in May 2013. On 12 July 2006, and 28 June 2007, Bigelow launched the Genesis I and II modules, respectively. In mid-2008, Bigelow Aerospace completed the Galaxy module but did not launch it due to rising launch costs and the ability to substantially validate the new Galaxy technologies terrestrially , particularly after
638-428: A role in the creation of a new economy – a space economy , including proposals far more complex than mere space tourism : research , manufacturing , medicine and agriculture . The agreement calls for Bigelow to liaise between NASA and the private sector to see how the U.S. government and industry could help each other". The first deliverable on that contract, a "report which identifies companies that want to be
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#1732775726500696-461: A suite of additional sensors and avionics that are not present in Genesis I. The orbital life is estimated to be 12 years, with a gradually decaying orbit resulting in re-entry into Earth's atmosphere and burn-up expected. As of December 2020, the vehicle remains in orbit. Bigelow Aerospace ran a Fly Your Stuff program for the Genesis II launch. The cost to launch pictures or small items
754-570: Is a full-scale production module weighing approximately 50,000 lb (23,000 kg), with dimensions of approximately 45 ft (14 m) in length and 22 ft (6.7 m) in diameter when expanded. Previous names for the B330 were the BA 330 and the Nautilus. Bigelow has partnered with United Launch Alliance with the goal of launching a B330 module to orbit in 2021, potentially as an addition to
812-519: Is apparently going to occur years after the first B330 could be ready. ... For both business and technical reasons, we cannot deploy a B330 without a means of transporting crew to and from our station, and the adjustment to our employment levels was necessary to reflect this reality". The Bigelow Next-Generation Commercial Space Station is a private orbital space complex currently under development by Bigelow. The space station will include both Sundancer and B330 expandable spacecraft modules and
870-504: The space tourism destination and space hotel monikers were frequently used by many media outlets following the 2006/2007 launches of Genesis I and Genesis II . Robert Bigelow has been explicit that he is aiming to do business in space in a new way, with "low cost and rapid turnaround, contrary to traditional NASA ISS and Space Shuttle operations and bureaucracy". In October 2010, Bigelow announced that it had agreements with six sovereign nations to utilize on-orbit facilities of
928-696: The Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program , a government study which operated from 2007 to 2012 tasked with the study of UFOs . According to the New York Times , Bigelow said he was “absolutely convinced” that extraterrestrial life exists and that extraterrestrials have visited Earth. In June 2020, Bigelow founded the Bigelow Institute for Consciousness Studies (BICS) to support investigations into life after death. In January 2021,
986-705: The Atlas V -401 launch vehicle. No launch took place in 2015, although in April 2016 Bigelow Aerospace remained on SpaceX's list of future launch customers. On 8 April 2016, the SpaceX CRS-8 mission launched BEAM to the ISS; on 11 April 2016, Bigelow and United Launch Alliance announced that an Atlas V-552 rocket had been booked for a flight in 2020 to deliver a B330 habitat to low-Earth orbit. Note: Current as of July 2021. Dates of upcoming launches are proposed and are subject to change. On 12 July 2006, Genesis I launched on
1044-490: The International Space Station (ISS) TransHab project following delays and budget constraints in the late 1990s. Bigelow has three Space Act agreements whereby Bigelow Aerospace is the sole commercializer of several of NASA's key expandable module technologies. Bigelow continued to develop the technology for a decade, redesigning the module fabric layers – including adding proprietary extensions of Vectran shield fabric, "a double-strength variant of Kevlar" – and developing
1102-469: The International Space Station . The two companies have also proposed launching a B330 to low lunar orbit in 2022 to serve as a lunar depot. The first B330 launch was originally planned to be launched aboard an Atlas V launch vehicle, but ULA stated in October 2017 that its in-development Vulcan Centaur launch vehicle was the only launch vehicle available with the performance and fairing capacity to carry
1160-610: The Skywalker to be moved into interplanetary or lunar trajectories. Robert Bigelow Robert Thomas Bigelow (born May 12, 1944) is an American businessman. He owns Budget Suites of America and is the founder of Bigelow Aerospace . Bigelow has provided financial support for investigations of UFOs and parapsychological topics, including the continuation of consciousness after death . Bigelow grew up in Las Vegas , Nevada , attended Highland Elementary School, and
1218-674: The United Arab Emirates became the seventh nation to have signed on. In 2011, Bigelow employed an in-house team of model makers , coming from the film and architecture industries, to make detailed models of their space habitats and space stations. Scale models were sent to "potential customers, including governments and corporations, as a reminder of the possibilities". Reportedly due to delays in launch capability to transport humans to low Earth orbit, Bigelow dramatically reduced staff in late September 2011, because crew transportation would not become available until "years after
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#17327757265001276-399: The commercial space station : UK Astronomy Technology Centre ( United Kingdom ), Netherlands Space Office ( Netherlands ), Defence South Australia ( Australia ), Singapore Government Technology Development Agency ( Singapore ), Japan Manned Space Systems Corporation, chairman is a previous director of JAXA ( Japan ) and Swedish National Space Board (Sweden). In February 2011, Dubai of
1334-542: The "First Base" concept. First Base is a 330 m (12,000 cu ft) lunar station module that can accommodate four people; it features four airlocks and two warehouses with solar arrays on top. As a result of delays in launch capability to transport humans to the Bigelow habitats, Bigelow "laid off some 40 of its 90 employees" in late September 2011. Bigelow had expected human launch capability by 2014 or 2015 but "the prospect of domestic crew transportation of any kind
1392-448: The B330, previously its largest at 330 m (12,000 cu ft) habitat volume. Contingent on NASA going forward with a super heavy lifter , the proposed concept would include "expandable habitats offering 2,100 cubic meters [74,000 cubic feet] of volume – nearly twice the capacity available on the International Space Station ", and another providing 3,240 m (114,000 cu ft). In 2010, Bigelow Aerospace began building
1450-455: The BEAM module's structural integrity, leak rate, radiation dosage and temperature changes over a two-year-long mission. At the end of BEAM's mission, the module was planned to be removed from the ISS and burn up during reentry . In October 2017, it was announced that the module would stay attached to the ISS for at least three more years, with options for two further one-year extensions. The B330
1508-513: The Bigelow Aerospace website shows several pricing schemes including US$ 51.25 million for 60 days on a B330 space station. That price covers everything including transport, training, and consumables. For US$ 25 million Bigelow Aerospace customers can lease a third of a B330 habitat, roughly 110 cubic meters, for a period of 60 days. In 2010, Bigelow proposed conceptual designs for expandable habitats that would be substantially larger than
1566-786: The Bigelow skin. Operations director Mike Gold commented that Bigelow modules also wouldn't suffer from the same local shattering problems likely with metallic modules. This could provide as much as 24 hours to remedy punctures in comparison to the more serious results of standard ISS skin micrometeoroid damage. Expected uses for Bigelow Aerospace's expandable modules include microgravity research and development and space manufacturing. Other potential uses include variable – gravity research – for gravity gradients above microgravity including Moon (0.16 g) and Mars (0.38 g) gravity research; space tourism – such as modules for orbital hotels; and space transportation – such as components in spaceships for Moon or Mars crewed missions. As of October 2015
1624-672: The ISS for safety, life support, radiation shielding, thermal control and communications verification testing for the next three years", and in December 2012, signed a US$ 17.8 million contract with Bigelow to develop the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM), then projected to fly in 2015. The module was berthed to the International Space Station on 16 April 2016, and was inflated on 28 May 2016. As of June 2022 it remains at
1682-459: The Sundancer and instead focus their efforts on the B330. In December 2012, Bigelow began development work on the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) under a US$ 17.8 million NASA contract. After a number of delays, BEAM was transported to ISS arriving on 10 April 2016, inside the unpressurized cargo trunk of a SpaceX Dragon during the SpaceX CRS-8 cargo mission. The mission tested
1740-471: The agreed-upon amount had caused significant financial strain. This was especially the case as the company was already facing challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a broader downturn in the space industry. NASA contested Bigelow Aerospace's claims. The agency said it had already paid the company for the completed work under the contract. Bigelow Aerospace had not met the criteria for additional payments, according to NASA. NASA argued that they had fulfilled
1798-715: The auspices of the Dutch-government Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, signed an agreement in October 2008 for the establishment of the NSO. It was established as of 1 July 2009 following the merger of the space activities of the Netherlands Agency for Aerospace Programmes (in Dutch language , Nederlands Instituut voor Vliegtuigontwikkeling en Ruimtevaart ( NIVR )), which was then disestablished, and several other institutes ( KNMI , SRON). NSO
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1856-810: The boom years immediately before the 2008 crash ". In 2013, Bigelow reflected on this: "People just really wanted to throw money away, so that was lucky." Bigelow owns Budget Suites of America , an extended-stay apartment chain founded in 1987. It caters to budget travelers needing to stay for an extended period. Its rooms are primarily suites featuring a full kitchen. Budget Suites owns three hotels in Phoenix, Arizona ; five in Las Vegas, Nevada ; ten in Dallas, Texas ; and one in San Antonio, Texas . In 1999, Bigelow founded Bigelow Aerospace . Bigelow had indicated he planned to spend up to US$ 500 million to develop
1914-492: The commercial space station: United Kingdom , Netherlands , Australia , Singapore , Japan and Sweden . By February 2011, this number had risen to seven. An earlier space station, CSS Skywalker ( Commercial Space Station Skywalker ), was Bigelow's 2005 concept for the first space hotel. The Skywalker was to be composed of multiple Nautilus habitat modules , which would be expanded and connected upon reaching orbit. An MDPM (Multi-Directional Propulsion Module) would allow
1972-455: The company announced the formation of a new subsidiary, Bigelow Space Operations, to handle operational aspects of marketing and operating space stations in low Earth orbit. In March 2020, the company laid off all of its employees, 88 in total. In December 2021, Bigelow transferred ownership of BEAM to NASA's Johnson Space Center. Bigelow Aerospace is known for its innovative work on inflatable space habitats . Bigelow Aerospace entered into
2030-564: The contract terms on their side. The remaining funds were not owed to the company, NASA stated. Bigelow Aerospace anticipates that its inflatable modules will be more durable than rigid modules. This is partially due to the company's use of several layers of Vectran , a material twice as strong as Kevlar , and also because, in theory, flexible walls should be able to sustain micrometeoroid impacts better than rigid walls. In ground-based testing, micrometeoroids capable of puncturing standard ISS module materials penetrated only about halfway through
2088-461: The first commercial space station with a goal of the station costing 33% of the US$ 1.5 billion that NASA expended on a single Space Shuttle mission. Bigelow Aerospace has launched two experimental space modules, Genesis I in 2006 and Genesis II in 2007, and had planned for full-scale space habitats to be used as orbital hotels, research labs and factories. In 2013, Bigelow indicated that
2146-480: The first B330 could be ready", laying off 40 of their 90 employees. In late March 2012 Bigelow began increasing staff levels once again. By April 2013, Bigelow said that they would have B330 modules ready to go to space by the time that commercial passenger spacecraft were available to ferry their customers to the dual–BA330 Alpha space station – expected in 2017 – and that Bigelow was ready to enter into contracts with customers. Further staff reductions occurred at
2204-432: The full amount stipulated in the contract. The contract was related to work Bigelow Aerospace had completed. The dispute centered around NASA's refusal to pay Bigelow Aerospace for its contributions to the BEAM project. Bigelow Aerospace contended that it had met all the required milestones and deliverables under the contract. However, NASA had not fulfilled its payment obligations. The company argued that NASA's failure to pay
2262-403: The hotel chain, Budget Suites of America . The company built two unmanned free-flying prototypes that flew in 2006 and 2007 and a module attached to the International Space Station. Bigelow Aerospace announced in 2010 that they intended to create a modular set of space habitats for creating or expanding space stations. By 2013, Bigelow had invested US$ 250 million in the company. Bigelow stated on
2320-482: The initial configuration – two Sundancer modules and one B330 module – of the first Bigelow station as "Space Complex Alpha" in October 2010. A second orbital station, Space Complex Bravo , was scheduled to begin launches in 2016. Launches will not commence until there are commercial crew transportation systems operational, which will be 2017 or later. Bigelow announced in October 2010 that it has agreements with six sovereign nations to utilize on-orbit facilities of
2378-922: The institute put up an award of US$ 1 million asking for essays arguing for existence of a life after death. The institute awarded the first-place $ 500,000 prize to Jeffrey Mishlove, the second-place prize to Pim van Lommel , and the third-place prize to Leo Ruickbie . On February 4, 1965, he married Diane Mona Grammy (April 9, 1947 – February 19, 2020) of Camden, New Jersey. They had two children together, Robert Michael "Bobby" Bigelow, and Rod Lee Bigelow. In 1992, Rod Lee Bigelow died by suicide, aged 24. In 2011, Robert Bigelow's grandson, Rod Lee Bigelow II, died by suicide, having suffered from drug addiction. Diane Bigelow died on February 19, 2020, of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Bigelow has made political donations to conservative Republican candidates. In July 2022, he donated $ 10 million to Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis , which
Bigelow Aerospace - Misplaced Pages Continue
2436-477: The internal cameras. The third planned Bigelow launch, Sundancer , was to be equipped with full life-support systems , attitude control , orbital maneuvering systems, and would have been capable of reboost and deorbit burns. Like the Genesis pathfinders, Sundancer 's outer surface would have been compacted around its central core, with air expanding it to its full size after entering orbit. After expansion,
2494-570: The military. The institute was disbanded in 2004. In 1996, Bigelow purchased Skinwalker Ranch , a 512-acre (205 ha) cattle ranch located in Utah that is the site of purported paranormal phenomena, such as inter-dimensional shape-shifters , for $ 200,000. In 2016, Bigelow sold the ranch to Brandon Fugal for $ 4 million. In December 2017, Bigelow was reported by the New York Times to have urged Senator Harry Reid to initiate what became
2552-445: The module would have measured 8.7 m (29 ft) in length and 6.3 m (21 ft) in diameter, with 180 m (6,400 cu ft) of interior volume. Unlike previous Bigelow craft, it was planned to have three observation windows. As of September 2009, SpaceX had been contracted to provide a Falcon 9 vehicle for launch of a Bigelow payload in 2011. In July 2011, Bigelow announced that they will cease development on
2610-520: The module. The BA 2100, or Olympus module, is a concept module that would require a heavy-lift launcher and would place in orbit the complete infrastructure of a 2,100 m (74,000 cu ft) habitat , over six times as large as the B330. As of October 2021, estimates put the vehicle mass between 90 and 120 metric tonnes, with a diameter of approximately 12 m (39 ft). The concept model shows 7 m (23 ft) docking ports at both ends. In June 2019, Bigelow Aerospace introduced
2668-682: The next, "Our motto at Bigelow Aerospace is 'fly early and often'. Regardless of the results of Genesis 1 , we will launch a follow-up mission rapidly". As of December 2020, the vehicle remains in orbit. On 28 June 2007, Genesis II launched on another Dnepr (a converted SS-18 ICBM) from Dombarovsky Cosmodrome in Orenburg Oblast , Russia . Launched at 08:02 PDT, Genesis II was inserted into orbit at 08:16 PDT at an inclination of 64.0°. Although Genesis I and Genesis II are identical in size and similar in appearance there are several notable differences. Firstly, Genesis I contains 13 video cameras whereas Genesis II contains 22. Secondly, Genesis II includes
2726-469: The plant, with production commencing in early 2012. In 2013, during execution of the contract to build the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module for the International Space Station , Robert Bigelow indicated that his company manufactures about 50% of product content in-house, while subcontracting out the remainder. In March 2013, Bigelow signed an agreement with NASA to act as "the central link between NASA and dozens of private companies that want to play
2784-405: The reason he went into the commercial real estate business was to obtain the requisite resources to be able to fund a team developing space destinations. In October 2017, Bigelow announced that he planned to put an inflatable "space hotel" into orbit by 2022. The plan was part of a partnership with United Launch Alliance , and the project was estimated to cost US$ 2.3 billion in total. The cost of
2842-495: The spacecraft's internal lights activated, was posted on 2 July 2007. Articles from the Fly Your Stuff program are also visible in this image. Test items, supplied by Bigelow Aerospace employees, were sent into orbit on Genesis I. No new images of items floating inside Genesis I have been released since shortly after the launch and initial activation of the spacecraft due to problems with a computer which controls several of
2900-524: The start of 2016, estimated by industry sources to be between 30 and 50 people of 150 employed at the time of the layoffs. This came after the company advertised more than 100 jobs in 2015 at both its North Las Vegas headquarters and its newly established propulsion department in Huntsville, Alabama . As part of its reduction in workforce, the company closed the Huntsville facility. In February 2018,
2958-468: The station. Since early on, Bigelow had been intent on "pursuing markets for a variety of users including biotech and pharmaceutical companies and university research, entertainment applications and government military and civil users". The business model includes "'leasing out' small space stations or habitats made of one or more [B330] inflatable modules to different research communities or corporations". Despite these broad plans for space commercialization,
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#17327757265003016-406: The successful two Genesis launches in 2006 and 2007. It was tested on the ground at its North Las Vegas facility instead. As of 2014, Bigelow had reserved a 2015 launch on SpaceX 's Falcon 9 rocket, but did not announce the payload. The Falcon 9 would have been capable of launching a Sundancer module, but not a B330 module. Bigelow also talked with Lockheed Martin regarding potential launches on
3074-424: Was around US$ 300. Bigelow photographed each item with internal cameras as the items floated inside the craft, displaying them on the company website. The first image of the interior of Genesis II appeared on the company's website on 29 June 2007. Some of the pictures and other items placed aboard Genesis II as part of the Fly Your Stuff program are clearly visible. Another interior image, apparently taken with more of
3132-717: Was established by the Dutch government to advise on the Netherlands Space Policy and to develop and administer the country's space programme. NSO represents The Netherlands to international space organisations, including the multi-country-member European Space Agency (ESA); the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). NSO
3190-828: Was first exposed to science through a number of the nuclear weapons tests conducted at the Nevada National Security Site , about 70 miles (100 km) northwest of the city. He enrolled in the University of Nevada, Reno , in 1962 to study banking and real estate, and he graduated from Arizona State University in 1967. From the late 1960s through the 1990s, Bigelow developed commercial real estate hotels, motels and apartments. In his real estate career, Bigelow built approximately 15,000 units and purchased another 8,000. For most of his career, "he held on to almost everything he bought, but ... eventually unload[ed] much of his housing stock in
3248-479: Was not paid according to contract for product testing and development. In 1995, Bigelow founded the National Institute for Discovery Science to fund the research and study of various fringe sciences and paranormal topics, most notably ufology . The organization researched cattle mutilation and black triangle reports, ultimately attributing the latter to secretive advanced aircraft operated by
3306-423: Was prepared to fund Bigelow Aerospace with up to about US$ 500 million through 2015 in order to achieve launch of full-scale hardware. In early 2010, NASA came full circle to once again investigate "making inflatable space-station modules to make roomier, lighter, cheaper-to-launch spacecraft" by announcing plans in its budget proposal released 22 February 2010. NASA considered connecting a Bigelow expandable craft to
3364-428: Was the single biggest donation of his re-election bid. Bigelow has contributed over $ 25 million to groups and causes supporting Joe Lombardo's candidacy for governor of Nevada. Campaign finance experts believe this may be the most a single donor has spent on a statewide race in modern history. In January 2024 he stated in an interview that he had donated to Donald Trump , "I gave him $ 1 million towards his legal fees
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