An inflatable spacecraft designed to be a precursor to a future space hotel launched from a site in Yasny, Russia, on Wednesday.
The Genesis I spacecraft lifted off on a Dnepr rocket at 1453 GMT. "Right on schedule," says Eric Haakonstad, programme manager at Bigelow Aerospace, which built and owns the spacecraft. "We're very pleased with the launch."
Mission controllers do not yet know whether the spacecraft reached its proper orbit. They will find out at 0000 GMT on Thursday, when the spacecraft is expected to pass over the company's communications and mission control centre in Las Vegas, Nevada, US.
Genesis I is intended to be placed into an orbit 550 kilometres above Earth, with a 64° inclination to the equator.
"It should be going through an automatic sequence of events," Haakonstad told New Scientist. One of those events is inflation with compressed air, which should be completed within a few hours of launch, he says.
The spacecraft should also begin automatically taking pictures and video with its 13 cameras. The cameras will try to image the Earth as well as the spacecraft and its contents – including photos, cards and toys – sent up by employees.
It is expected to remain in orbit for two to five years, gradually falling in altitude as friction with the atmosphere causes it to lose momentum. Eventually it will burn up in the atmosphere.
The spacecraft is the first in a series of test craft designed to prove the feasibility of inflatable space stations – which could be used as space hotels. Genesis I is 3 metres across at its widest, one-third the length of a future habitable space station envisioned by the company.
The company hopes to launch a similar spacecraft called Genesis II later in 2006. They plan to send a total of six to 10 inflatable test craft into orbit, culminating with the launch of the space station as early as 2012.
"It's multiple years out before we get to the point where tourism becomes a reality," Haakonstad says.
He notes that a launch vehicle suitable for carrying people to a Bigelow space station still needs to be developed: "What we're hoping is that this sparks the industry and says: 'It's time to get going guys.'"
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18:00 07 October 2008
17:56 07 October 2008
