Genesis II delayed 60 days

[docm]

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/content/?cid=4996<br /><br /><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>The launch of Bigelow Aerospace's Genesis II has suffered a delay of at least 60 days, according to a statement released by its founder, Robert Bigelow.<br /><br />The hit to the schedule of the second revolutionary spacecraft, which is an upgraded version of Genesis I - which was successfully launched via a Russian RS-20 Voyevoda (SS-18 Satan) intercontinental ballistic missile last year.<br /><br />Genesis II was initially set to launch late 2006, but the latest delay is out of their hands, as Bigelow's launch provider required the extra time to complete a review of the Dnepr launch vehicle that will carry the spacecraft into orbit.<br /><br />'Unfortunately, we have recently received notification from our launch provider, ISC Kosmotras, that the launch of Genesis II will be delayed by at least 60 days. I know, we are disappointed too,' said Bigelow.<br /><br />'During a launch that occurred directly after the successful deployment of Genesis I, Kosmotras experienced its first failure in late July of last year. Since that time, Kosmotras engineers, as well as their Ukrainian partners at SDO Yuzhnoye, have conducted a thorough analysis of the Dnepr launch vehicle. <br /><br />'The Kosmotras/Yuzhnoye team have successfully identified, evaluated and resolved the problem that caused the failure. Kosmotras has assured Bigelow Aerospace that the Dnepr will soon be prepared to safely and successfully return to flight.'<br /> /><p><hr /></p></p></blockquote> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[no_way]

Wouldnt it be nice if instead of one, you had ten launch providers willing to take the contract if one messes up ?<br />launch vehicle monocultures suck.

 

[holmec]

Yeah...but I bet that will be coming sometime in the future.<br /><br />Are there standards set for launcher and payload interface (for lack of a better word)?<br /><br />If there is not there ought to be, and probably will be in the future. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#0000ff"><em>"SCE to AUX" - John Aaron, curiosity pays off</em></font></p> </div>

 

[rocketman5000]

that would be a good project for one of the New Space companies to take up. If several of the startups banded together in such a fashion it might help the group as a whole better challege for market share. If one of their launch systems expirenced a failure and needed extensive testing and design work before a new launch I would feel much more secure knowing I could take my satelitte to another provider and still get it launched on time.

 

[docm]

May be that this could push Bigelow and LM even closer together? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[rybanis]

Preferably one that functions correctly! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>