Comments on: Divining clues about Bigelow’s plans http://www.personalspaceflight.info/2006/05/18/divining-clues-about-bigelows-plans/ Space tourism, public space travel, and the beginnings of a new industry Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:14:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Jeff Foust http://www.personalspaceflight.info/2006/05/18/divining-clues-about-bigelows-plans/comment-page-1/#comment-1019 Jeff Foust Fri, 19 May 2006 16:50:22 +0000 http://www.personalspaceflight.info/2006/05/18/divining-clues-about-bigelows-plans/#comment-1019 Sam: It's true that polar ground stations, like those in Alaska and northern Scandanavia, are commonly used for polar-orbiting remote sensing and telecom satellites. And there would be some benefit to have a tourist platform in a polar orbit, since visitors would thus be able to see all of the planet once a day (twice counting nighttime), rather than a narrower band available in lower-inclination orbits. However, there's the challenge of launching into polar orbit. Bigelow's decision may instead reflect the availability of commercial ground station locations, and the fact that at least his initial demonstration payloads will be launched from Baikonur and thus into 51+-degree orbits. Sam: It’s true that polar ground stations, like those in Alaska and northern Scandanavia, are commonly used for polar-orbiting remote sensing and telecom satellites. And there would be some benefit to have a tourist platform in a polar orbit, since visitors would thus be able to see all of the planet once a day (twice counting nighttime), rather than a narrower band available in lower-inclination orbits. However, there’s the challenge of launching into polar orbit.

Bigelow’s decision may instead reflect the availability of commercial ground station locations, and the fact that at least his initial demonstration payloads will be launched from Baikonur and thus into 51+-degree orbits.

]]> By: Sam Dinkin http://www.personalspaceflight.info/2006/05/18/divining-clues-about-bigelows-plans/comment-page-1/#comment-889 Sam Dinkin Thu, 18 May 2006 19:42:51 +0000 http://www.personalspaceflight.info/2006/05/18/divining-clues-about-bigelows-plans/#comment-889 Does Alaska mean he's launching in polar orbit? Does Alaska mean he’s launching in polar orbit?

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