Fri, Jul 15, 2005
New Multipurpose Spacecraft in Development
SPACEHAB says it's started development of a fully commercial
roundtrip delivery service to low earth orbit and beyond. This
initiative is a natural next step for SPACEHAB which has been a
pioneer in space commerce for more than twenty years.
As an example, NASA is scheduled to launch the first
commercially developed and deployable component of the
International Space Station onboard Space Shuttle Discovery -
SPACEHAB's Integrated Cargo Carrier. Known on the STS-114 mission
as the External Stowage Platform 2, this pallet will be attached to
the orbiting station where it will serve as a permanent spares
warehouse. This accomplishment set the stage for SPACEHAB to unveil
the company's new capability for conducting business in space -- a
modular multipurpose spacecraft system dubbed Apex.
Currently, the only method for transporting cargo and
experiments to and from space are on government-owned spacecraft
such as the space shuttle. The Apex system offers a means for
accessing the unique environment of space through a private
enterprise, further opening the door to a broader market.
"Not only is Apex a viable option for commercially re-supplying
the International Space Station," said SPACEHAB Chief Operating
Officer Michael E. Bain. "It is also a flexible system that can act
as an in-space resource module providing power, data, and thermal
support or serve as an unmanned orbiting laboratory that brings
experiment results safely back to earth." With Apex, customer
requirements will drive the development of system capabilities,
ensuring that there is a specific demand for a particular service
before the appropriate vehicle configuration is built.
Apex's patent pending design uses a uniquely modular,
reconfigurable, largely reusable architecture. This architecture
takes advantage of mature technologies and proven systems, making
its service affordable for the user. Utilizing the company's
extensive experience in transporting goods to space, Apex will, in
large part, serve a customer base that SPACEHAB is very familiar
with, including NASA, the Department of Defense, and the research
community. Bain added, "Simply stated, the primary customer
benefits of the Apex system are greater accessibility to space and
increased capability in orbit, all at a reduced price."
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