2001 type rotating space stations

[Boris_Badenov]

4 seems like too few, would the connector tunnels be strained too much? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#993300"><span class="body"><font size="2" color="#3366ff"><div align="center">. </div><div align="center">Never roll in the mud with a pig. You'll both get dirty & the pig likes it.</div></font></span></font> </div>

 

[j05h]

Better Bigelow-type solution would be to build the centrifuge inside a single inflatable. It would require a centered axis and a larger module. The centrifuge could include 2 counterrotating decks, could be bicycle or electric powered. The unit would be designed so that crew could exercise in gravity (bike, weights, etc) and allow some off-duty time (sleeping, etc) in gravity.<br /><br />This allows the rest of the vessel to be designed for freefall operation. <br /><br />josh<br /><br />The ad <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div align="center"><em>We need a first generation of pioneers.</em><br /></div> </div>

 

[Boris_Badenov]

JOSH said<br />Better Bigelow-type solution would be to build the centrifuge inside a single inflatable. It would require a centered axis and a larger module. The centrifuge could include 2 counterrotating decks, could be bicycle or electric powered. The unit would be designed so that crew could exercise in gravity (bike, weights, etc) and allow some off-duty time (sleeping, etc) in gravity. <br /> I think the whole idea of using the BA330 is having something available right now, or more likely, in a few years. If we try to redesign the whole module, the complexity is increased, & the availability is put back by years. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#993300"><span class="body"><font size="2" color="#3366ff"><div align="center">. </div><div align="center">Never roll in the mud with a pig. You'll both get dirty & the pig likes it.</div></font></span></font> </div>

 

[j05h]

I'm mostly concerned with the stresses that applied rotation is going to put on Nautilus modules. Especially with very heavy water blankets for rad shielding. I was presenting the no-torque solution, so to speak.<br /><br />josh<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div align="center"><em>We need a first generation of pioneers.</em><br /></div> </div>

 

[Boris_Badenov]

That design sure would be great for a ship. With a big enough engine you could line up any number of them, & go cruising around the Solar System. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#993300"><span class="body"><font size="2" color="#3366ff"><div align="center">. </div><div align="center">Never roll in the mud with a pig. You'll both get dirty & the pig likes it.</div></font></span></font> </div>

 

[j05h]

> That design sure would be great for a ship. With a big enough engine you could line up any number of them, & go cruising around the Solar System.<br /><br />That seems to be the plan. <br /><br />My description above is easier to build using the older "TransHab" layout, but could be done with Bigelow's design, too. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div align="center"><em>We need a first generation of pioneers.</em><br /></div> </div>

 

[Boris_Badenov]

How about this;<br /><br />A Hypothetical Space Station<br />This space station would be a basic torus (donut) design (similar to a Stanford Torus). The interior diameter of the Torus area would be 34.5 meters (about 100 ft.) and a circumference of 1239 meters (about 0.7 miles) at the center. The overall Wheel diameter is 435 meters (~1300 ft.). Each Spoke will have interior dimensions of 138 meters long by 21 meters in diameter. The wheel would spin at a rate of 2 r.p.m. and would produce artificial gravity equivalent to from 63-95% of Earth in the Torus, depending on which level a person is on.<br />The interior of the Torus would be divided into 8 Levels (see figure 1, bottom), and each level would be divided into 16 Sections (see figure 1, top), for a total of 256 Sections. The majority of the Torus section of the station would be for habitation and support, while the Spokes and part of the Hub would be used for manufacturing. The Torus section could easily support a population of 1,200 people.<br /><br />Figure 1 (click to enlarge) - Space Torus Design<br /> <br />There are two other areas of the torus which are not designated as habitat areas, located above the top and below the bottom level. These are reserved for station systems (electrical, plumbing, life support, communications, etc.), scientific equipment, and agriculture/livestock areas. As much as possible, the station should be a completely self-sufficient ecosystem, relying as little as possible on supplies from Earth.<br />Space Station Hotel<br />One way to generate income for our space station (to purchase necessary supplies from Earth) is to have accommodations for space tourists. Assuming that Earth to space transportation drops to $2000. per kg., a 165 lb (75 kg.) person with 55 lbs. (25 kg.) of luggage could get to space for about $200,000. Add a month's stay at the space station hotel and the return flight for another $150,000, and one could spend a month in space for $350,000. This would still be out o <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#993300"><span class="body"><font size="2" color="#3366ff"><div align="center">. </div><div align="center">Never roll in the mud with a pig. You'll both get dirty & the pig likes it.</div></font></span></font> </div>

 

[Boris_Badenov]

I forgot this one <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#993300"><span class="body"><font size="2" color="#3366ff"><div align="center">. </div><div align="center">Never roll in the mud with a pig. You'll both get dirty & the pig likes it.</div></font></span></font> </div>

 

[Boris_Badenov]

And this one <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#993300"><span class="body"><font size="2" color="#3366ff"><div align="center">. </div><div align="center">Never roll in the mud with a pig. You'll both get dirty & the pig likes it.</div></font></span></font> </div>

 

[Boris_Badenov]

And finally <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#993300"><span class="body"><font size="2" color="#3366ff"><div align="center">. </div><div align="center">Never roll in the mud with a pig. You'll both get dirty & the pig likes it.</div></font></span></font> </div>

 

[edeewildwild]

Obviously, reality is going to be quite a bit different than the dreamers anticipated.<br /><br />I do find the 2001 space station beautiful!<br /><br />I hope beauty can be worked into practical design.

 

[bamabuc]

Is it possible, yes. Is it worth the costs, no.

 

[Boris_Badenov]

"Is it possible, yes. Is it worth the costs, no."<br /><br /> For how long will it be not worth the cost? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#993300"><span class="body"><font size="2" color="#3366ff"><div align="center">. </div><div align="center">Never roll in the mud with a pig. You'll both get dirty & the pig likes it.</div></font></span></font> </div>

 

[qso1]

bamabuc:<br />Is it possible, yes. Is it worth the costs, no.<br /><br />Me:<br />If private enterprise can eventually develop such a station, it will probably be worth the cost of whoever wants to utilize it and maybe, just maybe, by the time P.E. can develop such a station. Assuming it can, the cost equation will be quite different. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>

 

[bamabuc]

The only question is when private enterprise will be able to do this. Right now the only rotating station that might be feasible is Space Island Group's ET station. While an ET based station might be possible, a 2001 type wheel would be much harder to construct because you need launch vehicles to carry the station components. With an ET station, the launch vehicle is the station component. When I said it wasnt worth the costs, I was talking about a 2001 type station, not all rotating stations.

 

[Boris_Badenov]

The only Station Modules we should ever launch should be prefabs like BA330 modules. We only will be in a position to build rotating wheel type stations when we can utilize materials in space; i.e. asteroid metals. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#993300"><span class="body"><font size="2" color="#3366ff"><div align="center">. </div><div align="center">Never roll in the mud with a pig. You'll both get dirty & the pig likes it.</div></font></span></font> </div>

 

[Boris_Badenov]

Check this out.<br /><br />http://www.l5news.org/stanfordtorus.htm<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#993300"><span class="body"><font size="2" color="#3366ff"><div align="center">. </div><div align="center">Never roll in the mud with a pig. You'll both get dirty & the pig likes it.</div></font></span></font> </div>

 

[nexium]

With presently available materials, the sphere or yilinder needs to be at least one meter thick to avoid failure due to 3 psi atmosphreric pressure. Perhaps 4 meters thick, if we have a 10 psi atmosphere. Windows 4 meters thick lose most of the light that passes though them, unless the glass ingredients are of very high purity.<br />Perhaps some plants can thrive at one psi, but not humans. The torus design allows somewhat thinner materials. If we get cheap CNT = carbon nano tubes with good specs, the strength of materials problems will be much reduced. Neil