Inflatable stations.....

>y'all may have seen this......
>
>http://www.space.com/news/businessmonday_040524.html

I've been interested to follow Bigelow's progress. By being the first in
the market with a privately-built hab, he could change future space
settlement plans dramatically, if his early work succeeds.

I'd like to ask some of you engineering and MBA types to consider some
applications of structures made from strings of Bigelow habs. Say, for
example, a solar power satellite company assigns you to figure out how many
inflatable habs it would take to put together a crew quarters for on-orbit
SPS assembly and maintenance. How would they be arranged for different crew
size and workspace assumptions? How small a torus is practical, and how
many Bigelow habs would be necessary to build it?

Or say that Marriott Corp. hires you to plan the first orbital hotel, and
asks for cost/guest assuming 3-day stays, so they can calculate a
competitive tour package price. What are the economies of scale? What's
the minimum size necessary to rotate the hotel for artificial gravity, and
can the Bigelow habs handle the stresses of rotation? What would be the
limitations on employees' stays in space, since transporting employees
to/from raises the cost per launch?

Any takers?

BradW