Bigelow to Bolden on Commerical Crew and Cargo

Robert Bigelow pretty much summed it up.

"the decisions you make in the near future will determine if commercial crew transportation becomes yet another domestic industry whose jobs and capabilities are permanently shipped overseas."

Wish someone would make the decision pretty soon.

Does anyone know if there is any truth to the rumor that Mike Griffin threatened Lockheed not to build a manned Atlas V? I've always wondered why after Bigelow announced September 21st, 2006, they where entering into an agreement with Lockheed to pursue the potential of launching passengers on human-qualified Atlas V rockets that we never heard a word about it again until the Augustine Commission.
http://bigelowaerospace.com/news/?BA_And_Lockheed_Martin

Gah! This commentary is only for paid subscribers...

For what its worth, Sandia Labs and the Space Dynamics Laboratory funded Utah State MAE Department to do an independent assessment of EELV/Orion mission options. The paper was published at "Space 2009". Link to the Oral Presentation is at ...

http://www.neng.usu.edu/classes/mae/6530/Interim_Access_to_ISS_EELV.pdf

To our surprise, most, if not all, of Bigelow's claims were verified.

Well heck, if you cannot trust a eccentric billionaire with absolutely no experience developing a spacecraft on a schedule, who can you trust? Didn't Bob say on his website a while back (say 2005-6) that he was going to have a space station on orbit open for business in 2010?

Hmm, I wonder if he is willing to provide data that would support his assertion that he could actually meet NASA's requirements for COTS capability D and do it in four years. Because heck I haven't got to prove anything I can build a COTS capability for -$3 Bllion dollars and have it done last year and it will do at least Warp 9.5.

I guess no one ever shared the assertion that "fantastic claims demand fantastic proof" with Mr Bigelow.

But you can gain insight into his previous schedule fantasies.

Bigelow to have facility of Orbit ready for Business in 2010. (clickity pop)

Cool, thanks for reposting.

I'm surprised Bigelow considers this would advance his cause, given the price of the ticket there, this would be even more expensive than buying rides from the Russians, at >200 M$ a pop for 4 people...

A.

Yeah, and as far as predictions go, Mike "the smartest man in the room with akazillion degrees-Griffin predicted during his Senate confirmation in 2005 that he had a plan to shrink the gap. You know, the gap that DOUBLED in length under his watch. Such predictions are always moving targets, so Bigelow shouldn't be singled out for the same criticism that can be applied to those with more experience and assets.
And as far as Bigelow's space program goes, for the relatively tiny amounts of funding that a manned COTS would need, why the heck not give 'em a chance?

@Jack O'Neil

I don't think even the Enterprise got over warp 9. However it did do some time traveling. Correct me if I'm wrong.

@Wacko Jacko Neilo: You assume schedule/scope/cost changes are a function of good/bad decision making. Sometimes external providers need an optimistic view (or kick in the seat of their pants) to get moving. Sometimes external providers let you down and the schedule shifts.