Comments on: Axiom hires European company to help build private ISS module https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/axiom-hires-european-company-to-help-build-private-iss-module/ Fri, 26 Jun 2020 04:59:22 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: pzatchok https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/axiom-hires-european-company-to-help-build-private-iss-module/#comment-1083388 Fri, 26 Jun 2020 04:59:22 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=66803#comment-1083388 Bigelow has a patent on how they fold the sides in to compress and fit the module into a smaller space.

]]> By: Robert Zimmerman https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/axiom-hires-european-company-to-help-build-private-iss-module/#comment-1083387 Fri, 26 Jun 2020 04:24:33 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=66803#comment-1083387 In reply to A. Nonymous.

There is no patent on inflatable space modules. It is in the public domain. The concept was first developed by NASA, and as standard policy all such concepts are released for all to use.

]]> By: A. Nonymous https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/axiom-hires-european-company-to-help-build-private-iss-module/#comment-1083386 Fri, 26 Jun 2020 04:09:20 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=66803#comment-1083386 Who holds the patents on inflatables? Were they sold, or licensed exclusively? When do they expire?

Of course, the big advantage of inflatables is to provide more living space for less launcher mass/volume. Will Starship make this issue moot?

]]> By: David https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/axiom-hires-european-company-to-help-build-private-iss-module/#comment-1083374 Fri, 26 Jun 2020 00:41:25 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=66803#comment-1083374 Bigelow laid off the entirety of their payroll not long ago. But they still have projects that were in progress that they haven’t sent any kind of notice out that “no, we’re not going to deliver this” on. So while the company is not officially dead, it seems fair to say that the body is lying on the floor not breathing and there aren’t any doctors doing anything about it.

]]> By: Robert Zimmerman https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/axiom-hires-european-company-to-help-build-private-iss-module/#comment-1083366 Thu, 25 Jun 2020 21:47:51 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=66803#comment-1083366 In reply to Matthew Straney.

Matthew Straney: You are thinking of Bigelow, which has successfully launched two inflatable test modules as well as a working test module, dubbed BEAM, to ISS.

I’m not sure what the status of Bigelow is right now. It seems others, such as Axiom, have overtaken them.

]]> By: Matthew Straney https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/axiom-hires-european-company-to-help-build-private-iss-module/#comment-1083364 Thu, 25 Jun 2020 21:41:12 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=66803#comment-1083364 The inflatable habitat company I forget which. I liked that idea because I thought it could provide the cheapest real estate in low earth orbit the quickest.

Robert you wrote awhile ago the starship prototypes better stop blowing up or it’ll look bad. As a product people are going to have alot of bad memories of it blowing up as a product and theres a subliminal mindset that may lead them to think starships are nothing balloons ready to burst they’re that near the brink of perishing. A new metal that only leaks would be great though not sure if can ever be guaranteed by design. They’ve got plenty of lift capacity would adding more mass in the design ensure greater stability

]]> By: geoffc https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/axiom-hires-european-company-to-help-build-private-iss-module/#comment-1083358 Thu, 25 Jun 2020 18:22:21 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=66803#comment-1083358 The MPLM’s and I THINK most of the strcuture of the ISS modules on the US side were made by Thales-Alenia as well.

Ok, looked it up. Node 1 – Unity – Boeing
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unity_(ISS_module)

Node 2 – Harmony – Thales alenia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmony_(ISS_module)

Node 3 – Tranquility – Thales Alenia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tranquility_(ISS_module)

US Lab – Destiny – Boeing
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Destiny_(ISS_module)

So mixed bag.

MPLM is also Thales Alenia (berthed at node 3 forward i think)

Cupula – Thales Alenia.

But functionally a distinction without a difference really.

]]> By: Robert Zimmerman https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/axiom-hires-european-company-to-help-build-private-iss-module/#comment-1083353 Thu, 25 Jun 2020 16:17:00 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=66803#comment-1083353 In reply to Doug Booker.

Doug Booker: Duh, you are right. I had forgotten that Orbital Sciences had farmed out its work to other subcontractors, many in Europe.

]]> By: Doug Booker https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/axiom-hires-european-company-to-help-build-private-iss-module/#comment-1083351 Thu, 25 Jun 2020 16:04:36 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=66803#comment-1083351 Uh, the Cygnus portion that transports cargo is made by Thales-Alenia. So why buy it from NG instead of the source?

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