BA's Plan

Bigelow Aerospace is working to develop inflatable structures that can be launched on expendable rockets like the Atlas 5 or SpaceX's Falcon 9. Once in orbit, the structures will expand into modules capable of supporting experiments or manufacturing processes or people. Two small prototypes have been performing well in orbit.

BA plans to be able to offer human-rated modules by 2015, but that year is partly dependent on the availability of launchers. The company has so far decided to stay out of the launch business, which leaves its success partly dependent on others. BA is currently seeking clients to lease the modules it can provide, and sees potential clients everywhere, from governments to corporations with various businesses to scientific researchers.

BA is also looking beyond low Earth orbit. A space station at the Lagrange 1 point-- that point between Earth and Moon where the gravitational tugs of the two worlds cancel each other out-- would tend to stay there indefinitely. That makes L-1 extremely valuable "real estate." Even farther out, BA is looking at a possible mobile lunar base that uses its expandable module technology. That base, with a total living area comparable to ISS, could potentially be hopped over the lunar surface using small rockets.