Good Morning All,
 

Yaba Daba Do!  It's Friday!
 

Here is today's Severe Weather Outlook from the National Weather Service:
...NO SVR TSTM AREAS FORECAST...
 
 

News and Comments....
 

SpaceX and Bigelow Aerospace Join Forces to Offer Crewed Missions to Private
Space Stations
 

Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) and Bigelow Aerospace (BA) have
agreed to conduct a joint marketing effort focused on international
customers. The two companies will offer rides on SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft,
using the Falcon launch vehicle to carry passengers to Bigelow habitats
orbiting the earth.
 

According to Bigelow Aerospace's President and Founder, Robert T. Bigelow,
"We're very excited to be working with our colleagues at SpaceX to present
the unique services that our two companies can offer to international
clientele. We're eager to join them overseas to discuss the substantial
benefits that BA 330 leasing can offer in combination with SpaceX
transportation capabilities".
 

The BA 330 is a habitat that will provide roughly 330 cubic meters of usable
volume and can support a crew of up to six. Bigelow Aerospace plans to
connect two or more BA 330s in orbit to provide national space agencies,
companies, and universities with unparalleled access to the microgravity
environment.
 

"SpaceX and BA have a lot in common. Both companies were founded to help
create a new era in space enterprise," said SpaceX President Gwynne
Shotwell. "Together we will provide unique opportunities to entities --
whether nations or corporations -- wishing to have crewed access to the
space environment for extended periods. I'm looking forward to working with
Bigelow Aerospace and engaging with international customers," Shotwell
explained.
 

SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft will be capable of carrying seven passengers to
orbit. With the company's Falcon family of rockets, SpaceX is working to
create the world's safest human spaceflight system.
 

The companies will kick off their marketing effort in Asia. Representatives
from Bigelow and SpaceX will meet with officials in Japan shortly after the
next launch of the Falcon 9 and Dragon spacecraft.
 
 

Closing Thoughts...
 

In a completely rational society, the best of us would be teachers and the
rest of us would have to settle for something less, because passing
civilization along from one generation to the next ought to be the highest
honor and the highest responsibility anyone could have. -Lee Iacocca,
automobile executive (b. 1924)
 
 

That's it for today, have a good weekend, and be careful out there,
 

Roger

Copyright 2012 by Roger M. Tener, with individual rights reverting back to
contributors after this one time use.  All opinions and versions of events
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