Bigelow Pitches Orion-like Concept to Blue-Ribbon Panel | SpaceNews.com

By Amy Klamper, Space News, Posted 10/06/09

Link: http://www.spacenews.com/venture_space/bigelow-pitches-orion-like-concept-blu...

Seizing the opportunity to promote the private sector’s role in NASA’s post-space shuttle future, an official from Bigelow Aerospace privately briefed a White House-charted panel in July on a stripped down version of the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle ("Orion Lite") that could be ready as soon as 2013 to start carrying passengers to and from low Earth orbit (LEO). Bigelow has been quietly working with Lockheed Martin, one of the two partners in the United Launch Alliance that is building the Orion CEV on contract for NASA,   The ULA also has been studying the ability to mate the Orion Lite with their Atlas 5 launcher.  Bigelow hopes that the Orion Lite capsule would also be compatible with the SpaceX Falcon 9 launcher since his Sundancer expandable habitat system will require regular transport of crew and cargo to and from its location in LEO.  To manage risks, Bigelow want to ensure that there is more than one option to do that on a regular (30 day?) schedule.