Inflatable space station touted in Canada
A Las Vegas company that's been developing an inflatable space station is trying to entice Canadian astronauts to hop aboard.
Bigelow Aerospace says it's working on a commercial space complex that will have the strength of a Kevlar bulletproof vest.
A company representative was in Ottawa last weekend, delivering a keynote speech and lobbying officials at the annual summit of the Canadian Space Society.
Mike Gold, a Bigelow director, called it his first attempt to reach out to the Canadian government and the space industry. He argued that the facility will offer countries a cheaper way into space within five years.
In an email Tuesday, the CSA's director of space exploration, Gilles Leclerc, said that the agency is not involved, "in any way," in the Bigelow project.
But Gold expresses optimism.
"I don't know how much I can say, but let me say if there wasn't the interest in Canada, I wouldn't be here," he said.
"We're certainly talking to some Canadian officials and we're excited where this can take us."
The Canadian Space Agency sent several delegates to the Ottawa summit, including a senior research scientist and one of its policy advisers responsible for liaising with government officials at Industry Canada.
A Las Vegas company that's been developing an inflatable space station is trying to entice Canadian astronauts to hop aboard.
Bigelow Aerospace says it's working on a commercial space complex that will have the strength of a Kevlar bulletproof vest.
A company representative was in Ottawa last weekend, delivering a keynote speech and lobbying officials at the annual summit of the Canadian Space Society.
Mike Gold, a Bigelow director, called it his first attempt to reach out to the Canadian government and the space industry. He argued that the facility will offer countries a cheaper way into space within five years.
In an email Tuesday, the CSA's director of space exploration, Gilles Leclerc, said that the agency is not involved, "in any way," in the Bigelow project.
But Gold expresses optimism.
"I don't know how much I can say, but let me say if there wasn't the interest in Canada, I wouldn't be here," he said.
"We're certainly talking to some Canadian officials and we're excited where this can take us."
The Canadian Space Agency sent several delegates to the Ottawa summit, including a senior research scientist and one of its policy advisers responsible for liaising with government officials at Industry Canada.
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