space station design

[bushwhacker]

First off i have no idea how to present this.

I have a design for a space station with artificial gravity using nothing more than current technology. Ie Bigelow Habs, gearing and electric motors.

First Launch a central hub, with latching hubs. these are geared and motorized as it will be needed as more modual are added later. These are not docking ports. Just simple connection latches for cables.

Second launch: 2 b330's, you have to have 2 to start the rotation or its out of balance. You attach these to the hub on opposit sides of the hub. and you reel out 100 meters of cable using thrusters or springs till they are tight. I know this is feasible as i've seen this same idea using 2 orion capsules. I'm simply replaceing them with Bigelow Habs.

Now you fire syncronized thrusters on the aft end of the Habs to bring the rotation to any gravity you want .

To add a modual, you simply stop the rotation move the 2 moduals to 2 points of an equilateral triangle, thats where the gearing and motors come in. Attach your next Hab reel it out and start your thrusters to bring it back up to speed.

Balancing the center of mass(people moving between habs is simply a matter of adjusting cable length).

I belive you coud add 12 or so habs to each hub in any number over 2 ( the balance problem ) and have any gravity you needed depending on rotational speed.

Ok thats my idea and i know it isnt all that well fleshed out. but i toss it out for your comments
bushwhacker

 

[mental_avenger]

First, this thread is the wrong forum for the subject. The Moderators should move it soon to Space Science & Astronomy.

Second, the tether idea has been around for a long time, but it is simply an impractical way to make a space station. Starting and stopping a setup like that or changing the rotational speed is not only risky but uses up extra energy. And that does not even address the impracticality of the isolation between the various units.

The only really practical large space station is Station V from 2001: A Space Odyssey.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEo9ZzT5Hos[/youtube]

 

[a_lost_packet_]

First off i have no idea how to present this.

Why not draw it?

I have a design for a space station with artificial gravity using nothing more than current technology. Ie Bigelow Habs, gearing and electric motors.

First Launch a central hub, with latching hubs. these are geared and motorized as it will be needed as more modual are added later. These are not docking ports. Just simple connection latches for cables...

The principle is like a "hammer" design or a rotating counterweight design. This idea has been kicked around for awhile, particularly with investigating manned missions to Mars or even longer flights. But, those simply involved a habitation module and a counterweight module containing supplies, fuel or whatever.

Attaching additional modules would be problematic and, certainly, not something done as routine. There's stability issues as well. Without a rigid body support system, more than one module set could cause significant problems.

 

[bushwhacker]

Alp, i was actually surprised to see this moved to a respectable forum.
Im trying to write this out as we speak to make it a bit more clear. I can visualize the design but having no artistic skills well its a bit rough.

 

[thnkrx]

The thought I had on this decades ago was to take the top stage of at least eight Saturn V or Titan IIIB rockets, convert them into habitable modules, and shoot them into orbit, along with a like number of 'connector' units with angled access hatches. Each module would connect at either end to a connector unit. Once they're all connected, rotate ever so slowly. Might also want to add a hub unit. For more space, send up double the number of habitable modules, joining them in pairs - each module would connect with another module and a connector unit. Not sure what sort of rocket you'd use for this sort of thing these days.