Gene Meyers could enter history as the man who started the Space Ages first recycling program. Or he could go down as just another visionary with a great idea that went nowhere.

His vision focuses on the space shuttle -- not on the familiar winged orbiter -- rather, on its expendable, external liquid-fuel tank. Meyers believes the huge containers could be converted into zero-gravity manufacturing and research centers in space once theyre done boosting the shuttle into orbit.

At present, the tanks are jettisoned minutes after launch to burn up in the atmosphere roughly 100 of them since the shuttle program began. In Meyers view, these canisters could be lashed together like a huge space raft. They could then become habitable modules of a bargain basement space station.

"The tanks have this huge volume, pressure tested to three Earth atmospheres, with nearly 80,000 cubic feet (2,265 cubic meters) of inside space," Meyers said. "We could lease this out to satellite-repair companies, and a wide range of zero-gravity manufacturers."

Okay, working conditions might be a little rough-and-ready, and the facilities might not have windows with views of Earth, but then lots of suburban industrial parks on Earth are little more than walls and a floor.

For his part, Meyers believes reusing shuttle tanks solves two problems at once: overcoming the huge costs of getting things off Earth, and the scarcity of human-habitable square footage in orbit. The beauty of his plan is that the more active NASA is, the more he benefits since NASA would serve as both supplier and deliveryman of the tanks. More shuttle flights, more tanks -- and new modules for a makeshift private space station operated by Meyers private space company Space Island Group.

Some independent analysts are cautiously captivated.

"Its a very interesting idea," said Paul Nisbet, an aerospace analyst and principle of JSA Research, Inc. in Newport, Rhode Island. "To me, it certainly makes as much sense as the International Space Station itself."

However, Nisbit believes Space Island will have a hard road to travel in convincing a conservative NASA and its contractors to alter long-held habits. As such, Nisbit thinks Meyers biggest obstacle will be political, not technological.

"If you break down NASAs figures for leasing out parts of the International Space Station, it comes out to something like $1,200 per cubic foot per day," Meyers said. "We think we can offer facilities for roughly $20 per cubic foot per day." Whats more, Meyers believes the shuttles external tanks are just too valuable a resource to dump in the ocean.

"Roughly 66,000 pounds (30,000 kilograms) of aluminum go into each shuttle tank thats the equivalent of roughly 2 million soft-drink cans," Meyers said.

And since roughly 100 shuttle flights have been made since the start of the program, thats a lot of waste. The tanks are filled only with oxygen and hydrogen to power the shuttle's main engines, so not much is needed to convert them to human use after a shuttle launch.

"Its not like youd be living in a converted gas tank, breathing fumes all the time," said Meyers, answering a common question posed by laymen.

Nisbit noted that while Meyers has a great idea it does appear to hold some potential conflicts with NASAs own plans for a space station. Nisbit also pointed out that manufacturing and research demand for facilities in space remains an untested market. Its unclear whether companies ultimately will stump up the money for zero-gravity facilities.

"At this point, the demand is just assumed to be there, but nothings proven," Nisbit said. But then, if you dont build it, how can they come?

In recent weeks, Meyers has been in contact with top-level California state officials, and some state pension funds, with the hope of gaining additional funding for his plan which could one day include development of a second-generation of space shuttles to service the modules.

Over time, Meyers believes ever larger clusters of shuttle tanks can be lashed together in orbit, with as many as 14 joined in a ring formation possible by 2007. At that time, the station might be big enough to take on space tourists -- like you and me.