Bob Bigelow doesn’t suffer the fools who have been stupidly criticizing commercial space gladly:
We are becoming a member of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation at this time to join with like-minded organizations, who want to see America be able to compete again in the global space launch marketplace, and push back against the pernicious misconceptions that are being perpetuated to harm the Administration’s commercial crew initiative.”
“Specifically, I’m appalled by the condemnation of commercial crew as being somehow less safe than government programs, and the refrain that commercial companies need to prove they can deliver cargo before they deliver crew. In regard to the latter, a leading contender for commercial missions, the Atlas V, has had 21 consecutive successful launches. This rocket is arguably the most reliable domestic launch system in existence today. It strains the bounds of credulity to claim that any new rocket would be able to trump the safety of a system that has an extensive record of flawless operations.”
“Moreover,” Bigelow added, “we’re extremely pleased to be part of the Boeing team constructing the CST-100 capsule under the auspices of NASA’s own Commercial Crew Development program. Boeing’s unparalleled heritage and experience, combined with Bigelow Aerospace’s entrepreneurial spirit and desire to keep costs low, represents the best of both established and new space companies. The product of this relationship, the CST-100 capsule, will represent the safest, most reliable, and most cost-effective spacecraft ever to fly. Again, I don’t understand the critics who say ‘commercial’ entities can’t safely build a capsule. Why is it that Boeing, the company that constructed the ISS itself, can’t safely build a capsule that would go to their own space station? These are the sorts of questions and issues that we will be posing in Washington as a member of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation.”
“Pernicious misconception” is actually kind of a nice phrase for it. I’d like to see more details on the “CST 100” capsule. I wonder what the TLA is? Crewed Space Transportation? And what happened to 1-99? 😉
> — Why is it that Boeing, the company that constructed the
> ISS itself, can’t safely build a capsule that would go to
> their own space station?
The logic of that statment might explian why aponents of commercial crew always discus it in terma of SpaceX or Orbital.
😉
When Bigelow was looking at the Orion lite, his requirement was that is be capable of launching on both the Atlas V and Falcon 9. I wonder if her kept that requirement for the CST-100. If so, it would give it great flexibility.
Alan Lindenmoyer’s recent commercial crew presentation stated that it would indeed be compatible with both EELVs and Falcon 9.
He sure doesn’t mince his words. If anything, Bigelow was even more blunt than Musk, though without singling out individuals. Maybe Dana Rohrabacher should ask him to testify before the relevant congressional committees. Then again, someone might ask him about UFOs…
FWIW I believe there are aliens somewhere. So many stars, it would be strange if there weren’t. Some should be more advanced than we are, statistics being how they are. I also believe there is a nonzero possibility some visited Earth in the past. This could account for much mythology. However if they did visit, it seems they found Earth non interesting for some reason. Otherwise they would have been stuck around. Perhaps we are indeed galactically uninteresting, or perhaps it is just too plain expensive to travel around. Whatever.
I agree that it would be awkward to put an UFO believer in front of a bunch of politicians. He would be used as laughing stock by them. Then they would go back to church so they can pray to God. Hah.
Many of those putting out such outlandish criticisms of commercial space seem to believe that only a massively funded government agency can create a “real” space program. This is doubly true if that program creates a lot of jobs in their district.
We’re on the cust of a major breakthrough in space. The mammals are emerging while the dinosaurs watch the comet coming in.
Godzilla, belief in God and belief in the possibility of intelligent life elsewhere in the universe are not incompatible. Not to this Christian.
The mammals are emerging while the dinosaurs watch the comet coming in.
Some dinosaurs even fancy themselves nimble mammals. It will be interesting to see if the comet cares.
Cecil. I know, I am Christian and believe there is intelligent life elsewhere as well. It just bugs me that some people dismiss UFO believers as crackpots when they have their own belief in extra-terrestrial beings: except they never think of it that way.
Guys, we have enough religious wars between the Obamaplanites and the Griffinistas. Christian versus ufoian is pushing it.
😉