A new partnership between leaders in the commercial space race seeks to develop a space station that can be leased for private research, allowing national space agencies, companies, and universities access to a "microgravity" environment. The companies involved will be SpaceX and Bigelow Aerospace, both run by visionaries who draw their inspiration from personal goals that are so far advanced that they sound right out of science fiction movies.
SpaceX will make history this week when it becomes the first company to dock a privately developed spacecraft with the International Space Station (ISS). However, the ISS is not open to the public. This is where Bigelow Aerospace steps in. They have developed the BA 330 habitat, an inflatable space station that runs on solar and battery power. The concept for the unit stems from a NASA project that was canceled. Bigelow Aerospace picked it up and has launched two successful prototypes to demonstrate the feasibility of the technology.
This would be the real dawning of private space tourism. To read more, click here.