Spacehab Advances
Space Commerce; New Multipurpose Spacecraft in Development
(12 July 2005) Spacehab,
Incorporated, a leading provider of commercial space services, has initiated
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 Michael E. Bain, Spacehab Chief Operating Officer. "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. Utilising 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."
About Spacehab, Incorporated
Spacehab, Incorporated is a leading
provider of commercial and government space services with three primary
business units. The Flight Services business unit develops, owns, and operates
habitat and laboratory modules and cargo carriers aboard NASA's Space Shuttles
for Space Station resupply and research purposes. Spacehab's Astrotech
subsidiary provides payload processing support services for both commercial and
government customers at company-owned facilities in Florida and California. The
company's Government Services business unit supports NASA's Johnson Space
Center providing configuration management, product engineering, and support
services for both the Space Station and Space Shuttle programs. Additionally,
through The Space Store, Space Media provides space merchandise to the public
and space enthusiasts world-wide.
(source: Spacehab)