Sundancer
Encyclopedia
Sundancer is the proposed third prototype space habitat
to be launched by Bigelow Aerospace
and the first human-rated expandable module based on TransHab
technology acquired from NASA
. It will be used to test and confirm systems used in the company's commercial space station efforts, and if successful, will form the first piece of the proposed commercial space station
.
While Sundancer had been under construction at the Bigelow plant in North Las Vegas
, Nevada
, the company announced in July 2011 that Sundancer had been removed from their station evolution path, and that the BA 330 would become the first production module.
Sundancer was intended for launch aboard the SpaceX
Falcon 9
rocket, but a launch date has been continually pushed back. In 2007, it was reported that Sundancer would be in orbit by 2010, with such a date confirmed by SpaceX. By March 2008 this launch slot had slipped to 2011, by 2010 had again slipped to 2014, and by July 2011 the Sundancer had been cancelled such that the BA 330 would become the first production module.
Sundancer was to spend its first six to nine months on-orbit in a checkout configuration to test systems, followed by manned shakedown missions when transport vehicles become available. If these manned missions prove successful, Bigelow plans to use Sundancer as the starting point of the first commercial space complex. The company intends to launch a combined propulsion bus and central node to dock with Sundancer, followed by two full-size BA 330 modules which would connect to the central node. This station would potentially be followed by several more similar stations. , it was estimated that a one-week trip to the complex would be priced at US$
7.9 million.
Sundancers propulsion system will initially be used to boost the module into a high orbit for long duration testing and will later lower it back into an orbit reachable by manned spacecraft. The module utilizes a redundant propulsion design for its attitude control
and de-orbit
systems, with each propulsion system featuring a different form of propellant. Aerojet
provided the hypergolic Aft Propulsion System (APS), with Andrews Space
building the APS electronic controllers. Dynetics, formerly Orion Propulsion, created the Forward Propulsion System (FPS), which uses hydrogen and oxygen by-products from the Sundancer life support system.
Bigelow Aerospace is also considering an option to include lights on the exterior of the spacecraft, potentially visible from Earth, which would be a furtherance of the projection system currently flying aboard Genesis II
. Robert Bigelow noted in an interview that "if you have some blue and green and amber-colored lighting going on, you would have something that really has a lot of blink to it."
has been contracted to provide a Falcon 9
vehicle for a launch in 2014. Bigelow has also entered discussion with Lockheed Martin
regarding the possible use of the Atlas V
as a launch vehicle for manned space capsules, which would be required to deliver crew, tourists and materiel
to the new habitat.
, no commercial spacecraft
exists to deliver humans into orbit, effectively leaving Sundancer as "a destination waiting for a means to get there". SpaceX is in the process of human-rating
the Falcon 9
vehicle and its Dragon
crew capsule for carrying privately-contracted and NASA passengers into earth orbit, and Boeing
is working with Bigelow Aerospace to develop the CST-100 crew capsule for NASA's Commercial Crew Development
(CCDev) program.
Space habitat
A space habitat is a space station intended as a permanent settlement rather than as a simple waystation or other specialized facility...
to be launched by Bigelow Aerospace
Bigelow Aerospace
Bigelow Aerospace is a North Las Vegas, Nevada space technology startup company that is pioneering work on expandable space station modules. Bigelow Aerospace was founded by Robert Bigelow in 1998...
and the first human-rated expandable module based on TransHab
Transhab
TransHab was a concept pursued by NASA to develop the technology for expandable habitats inflated by air in space. Specifically, TransHab was intended as a replacement for the already existing rigid International Space Station crew Habitation Module. When deflated, inflatable modules provide an...
technology acquired from NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
. It will be used to test and confirm systems used in the company's commercial space station efforts, and if successful, will form the first piece of the proposed commercial space station
Bigelow Commercial Space Station
The Bigelow Next-Generation Commercial Space Station is a private orbital space complex currently under development by Bigelow Aerospace. The space station will be constructed of both Sundancer and BA 330 expandable spacecraft modules as well as a central docking node, propulsion, solar arrays,...
.
While Sundancer had been under construction at the Bigelow plant in North Las Vegas
North Las Vegas, Nevada
North Las Vegas is a city in Clark County, Nevada, United States, located in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The city was incorporated on May 16, 1946.-Geography:...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, the company announced in July 2011 that Sundancer had been removed from their station evolution path, and that the BA 330 would become the first production module.
Spacecraft history and future
Upon its original announcement, Sundancer was intended to be the fourth module orbited by Bigelow Aerospace. In August 2007, however, it was announced that due to rising space launch costs and the level of success of the first two Bigelow modules launched, the third development module, Galaxy, would not be put into space and the Sundancer program would be accelerated. The life support and other advanced systems intended for space testing on Galaxy, and potentially the spacecraft itself, would still be built and used for ground testing.Sundancer was intended for launch aboard the SpaceX
SpaceX
Space Exploration Technologies Corporation, or more popularly and informally known as SpaceX, is an American space transport company that operates out of Hawthorne, California...
Falcon 9
Falcon 9
Falcon 9 is a rocket-powered spaceflight launch system designed and manufactured by SpaceX. Both stages of its two-stage-to-orbit vehicle use liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene propellants...
rocket, but a launch date has been continually pushed back. In 2007, it was reported that Sundancer would be in orbit by 2010, with such a date confirmed by SpaceX. By March 2008 this launch slot had slipped to 2011, by 2010 had again slipped to 2014, and by July 2011 the Sundancer had been cancelled such that the BA 330 would become the first production module.
Sundancer was to spend its first six to nine months on-orbit in a checkout configuration to test systems, followed by manned shakedown missions when transport vehicles become available. If these manned missions prove successful, Bigelow plans to use Sundancer as the starting point of the first commercial space complex. The company intends to launch a combined propulsion bus and central node to dock with Sundancer, followed by two full-size BA 330 modules which would connect to the central node. This station would potentially be followed by several more similar stations. , it was estimated that a one-week trip to the complex would be priced at US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
7.9 million.
Systems and configuration
Sundancer will be equipped with full life support systems, attitude control, orbital maneuvering systems, and will be capable of reboost and deorbit burns. Like the Genesis pathfinders, Sundancer will launch with its outer surface compacted around its central core, with air expanding it to its full size after entering orbit. After expansion, the module will measure 8.7 metres (28.5 ft) in length and 6.3 metres (20.7 ft) in diameter, with 180 cubic metres (6,357 cu ft) of habitable interior volume. Unlike previous Bigelow craft, it will feature three observation windows, and will be equipped with a Soyuz-type docking system on one end of the craft and a NASA-developed International Low Impact Docking System on the other.Sundancers propulsion system will initially be used to boost the module into a high orbit for long duration testing and will later lower it back into an orbit reachable by manned spacecraft. The module utilizes a redundant propulsion design for its attitude control
Attitude control system
In spaceflight, the attitude control system or attitude determination and control system of a spacecraft consists of equipment to measure, report and change the orientation of the vehicle.- Components :...
and de-orbit
Orbital maneuver
In spaceflight, an orbital maneuver is the use of propulsion systems to change the orbit of a spacecraft.For spacecraft far from Earth—for example those in orbits around the Sun—an orbital maneuver is called a deep-space maneuver .-delta-v:...
systems, with each propulsion system featuring a different form of propellant. Aerojet
Aerojet
Aerojet is an American rocket and missile propulsion manufacturer based primarily in Rancho Cordova, California with divisions in Redmond, Washington, Orange, Gainesville and Camden, Arkansas. Aerojet is owned by GenCorp. They are the only US propulsion company that provides both solid rocket...
provided the hypergolic Aft Propulsion System (APS), with Andrews Space
Andrews Space
Andrews Space is a small aerospace company based in Seattle, Washington, founded in 1999 to develop space systems. Andrews provides aerospace services for commercial, civil, and military clients.-Current projects:...
building the APS electronic controllers. Dynetics, formerly Orion Propulsion, created the Forward Propulsion System (FPS), which uses hydrogen and oxygen by-products from the Sundancer life support system.
Bigelow Aerospace is also considering an option to include lights on the exterior of the spacecraft, potentially visible from Earth, which would be a furtherance of the projection system currently flying aboard Genesis II
Genesis II
Genesis II is a 1973 American TV film created and produced by Gene Roddenberry and directed by John Llewellyn Moxey.It opens with the line, "My name is Dylan Hunt...
. Robert Bigelow noted in an interview that "if you have some blue and green and amber-colored lighting going on, you would have something that really has a lot of blink to it."
Launch vehicle
Due to the added size and mass of Sundancer over previous modules, the craft will require a medium lift launch vehicle to take it into orbit. SpaceXSpaceX
Space Exploration Technologies Corporation, or more popularly and informally known as SpaceX, is an American space transport company that operates out of Hawthorne, California...
has been contracted to provide a Falcon 9
Falcon 9
Falcon 9 is a rocket-powered spaceflight launch system designed and manufactured by SpaceX. Both stages of its two-stage-to-orbit vehicle use liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene propellants...
vehicle for a launch in 2014. Bigelow has also entered discussion with Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin is an American global aerospace, defense, security, and advanced technology company with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, in the Washington Metropolitan Area....
regarding the possible use of the Atlas V
Atlas V
Atlas V is an active expendable launch system in the Atlas rocket family. Atlas V was formerly operated by Lockheed Martin, and is now operated by the Lockheed Martin-Boeing joint venture United Launch Alliance...
as a launch vehicle for manned space capsules, which would be required to deliver crew, tourists and materiel
Materiel
Materiel is a term used in English to refer to the equipment and supplies in military and commercial supply chain management....
to the new habitat.
, no commercial spacecraft
Private spaceflight
Private spaceflight is flight above Earth altitude conducted by and paid for by an entity other than a government. In the early decades of the Space Age, the government space agencies of the Soviet Union and United States pioneered space technology augmented by collaboration with affiliated design...
exists to deliver humans into orbit, effectively leaving Sundancer as "a destination waiting for a means to get there". SpaceX is in the process of human-rating
Human-rating certification
Human-rated or man-rated are terms used to describe the certification of a spacecraft, launch vehicleor airplaneas worthy of transporting humans. NASA and the U.S. GAO now uses "Human-rating" when describing requirements for these systems...
the Falcon 9
Falcon 9
Falcon 9 is a rocket-powered spaceflight launch system designed and manufactured by SpaceX. Both stages of its two-stage-to-orbit vehicle use liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene propellants...
vehicle and its Dragon
Dragon (spacecraft)
The Dragon is a reusable spacecraft developed by SpaceX, a private space transportation company based in Hawthorne, California. During its unmanned maiden flight in December 2010, it became the first commercially-built and -operated spacecraft to ever be successfully recovered from orbit.The Dragon...
crew capsule for carrying privately-contracted and NASA passengers into earth orbit, and Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
is working with Bigelow Aerospace to develop the CST-100 crew capsule for NASA's Commercial Crew Development
Commercial Crew Development
Commercial Crew Development is a multiphase space technology development program, funded by the U.S. government, and administered by NASA. The program is intended to stimulate development of privately operated crew vehicles to low Earth orbit. It is run by the Commercial Crew and Cargo Program...
(CCDev) program.