Bigelow Space Modules: Sky High Plans Face Transportation Concerns

Two privately-built prototype modules are circuiting the Earth – prelude technology to seed space with far larger orbital housing that support human occupants.

This has been a very thoughtful, systematic development of the technology and capability of extending the reach and presence of “private” space (i.e. non-governmental space development).

It’s high time!

Meanwhile, Bigelow is far from the only one to have irons in the fire:

Carnegie Mellon Sets Sights on Google’s Lunar X Prize

William “Red” Whittaker and the wizards at Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Institute in Pittsburgh, hope to use their expertise to snag $20 million in the Google Lunar X Prize.

Carnegie Mellon is one of seven teams so far to have sent in a letter of intent and a $1,000 deposit to compete for the $20 million grand prize, according to Brett Alexander, the X Prize Foundation’s executive director of space prizes and the Wirefly X Prize Cup.

The private space moon race has started.