A Step Toward Space Hotels

The Genesis II inflatable test module, second in a series designed to lead to privately-owned, orbiting hotels, is in space and doing well following a June 29 launch on a Russian Dnepr rocket. Bigelow Aerospace reported the 4.5-m module had successfully deployed, with its solar cells providing power and its internal atmosphere withing breathable limits. Bigelow is thinking big, planning to have a space station/hotel in operation by 2015 at a total program cost of $500M.