July 27, 2006 7:00 AM PDT
There appears to be a growing demand for space launch sites. Las Vegas-based Bigelow Aerospace, a private company looking to build a commercial complex in space by 2015, was forced to turn to Russia to send its first satellite into orbit atop a converted ICBM Dnepr rocket. Their flight was a success but a Dnepr rocket loaded with 18 satellites crashed on takeoff Wednesday.
Bigelow Aerospace founder Robert Bigelow says his company's biggest hurdle will be to find enough rocket launches to run his proposed space hotel which could be a reality in just nine years.
Photo by ISC Kosmotras
