Bigelow Aerospace lays off all employees: Report

By Mike Wall
published

The coronavirus pandemic played a role.

The inflation of the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module, a prototype space habitat, is shown in this series of images taken by a NASA camera on the International Space Station during expansion operations on May 28, 2016.
The inflation of the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module, a prototype space habitat, is shown in this series of images taken by a NASA camera on the International Space Station during expansion operations on May 28, 2016. (Image credit: NASA TV)

A company that builds expandable space habitats has laid off its entire workforce, according to media reports.

Nevada-based Bigelow Aerospace, which has long aimed to set up outposts in Earth orbit and on the moon, let 20 employees go last week and then laid off all 68 of its remaining workers on Monday (March 23), SpaceNews reported.

Sources told SpaceNews' Jeff Foust that the moves were caused by a "perfect storm of problems," including the coronavirus pandemic. (On March 20, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak ordered all "nonessential" businesses in the state to close, in an attempt to slow the virus's spread.)

Related: Inflatable space stations of Bigelow Aerospace (infographic)

A Bigelow Aerospace spokesperson confirmed the layoffs to Foust but told him the company planned to hire workers back after things returned to normal. But other sources felt the layoffs were likely to be permanent, Foust wrote.

Bigelow Aerospace has been developing NASA-derived expandable-habitat technology for two decades. The company builds modules that launch in a compact configuration but inflate dramatically off Earth, providing more usable internal volume than traditional aluminum habitats.

Bigelow has launched three experimental habitats to date. The Genesis I and Genesis II uncrewed test modules reached Earth orbit in 2006 and 2007, respectively, and the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) flew to the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX Dragon cargo capsule in 2016. BEAM remains attached to the orbiting lab and serves as a storage compartment. 

The company is also developing a huge module called the B330, which would offer 330 cubic meters (12,000 cubic feet) of habitable volume. The B330 is the envisioned backbone of Bigelow Aerospace outposts in Earth orbit, lunar orbit and the surface of the moon, which would be visited by paying customers for a variety of purposes, from scientific research to tourism.

Mike Wall is the author of "Out There" (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by Karl Tate), a book about the search for alien life. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Facebook. 

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Mike Wall
Mike Wall
Senior Space Writer

Michael Wall is a Senior Space Writer with Space.com and joined the team in 2010. He primarily covers exoplanets, spaceflight and military space, but has been known to dabble in the space art beat. His book about the search for alien life, "Out There," was published on Nov. 13, 2018. Before becoming a science writer, Michael worked as a herpetologist and wildlife biologist. He has a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Sydney, Australia, a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. To find out what his latest project is, you can follow Michael on Twitter.

6 Comments Comment from the forums
  • JPL-ACE
    Admin said:
    Nevada-based Bigelow Aerospace, which has long aimed to set up outposts in Earth orbit and on the moon, let 20 employees go last week and then laid off all 68 of its remaining workers on Monday (March 23).

    Bigelow Aerospace lays off all employees: Report : Read more
    This is really sad. I hope someone buys the patents and keeps it going.
    Reply
  • Admiral Lagrange
    Loosing Bigelow Aerospace would be a huge loss. The BA330 is a proven concept. It's just ahead of it's time. Preserving it should be a priority. Once we have expandable structures off Earth it would have many uses. If I had the money, I'd buy it. Unfortunately, my biggest concern right now is just living long enough to see humans living off Earth.
    Reply
  • OV-103 rider
    Anyone know the latest regarding Bigelow?
    Shame the Transhab concept is being pursued.
    Reply
  • sam85geo
    Wouldn't those Bigelow expandable habitats be appropriate for temporary government/charity housing based of the homeless here on Earth? There may be a more lucrative market than what Bigelow's business model envisioned.
    Reply
  • OV-103 rider
    Pretty expensive for Earth applications.
    However, I don't know why other technology isn't being pursued here. For example, the Shuttle external tank foam kept liquid hydrogen and oxygen cold in the Florida climate. Might be great for insulating homes.
    Reply
  • Wolfshadw
    sam85geo said:
    Wouldn't those Bigelow expandable habitats be appropriate for temporary government/charity housing based of the homeless here on Earth? There may be a more lucrative market than what Bigelow's business model envisioned.
    I wouldn't think so. These are essentially tents for off-world environments.

    -Wolf sends
    Reply