sphere advantages in space settlement. warning don't use any sites or google
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Introduction to Orbital Space Settlements
Recommended Reading
NASA Orbital Space Settlement Mirror Site
Lewis One Design (1991)
Kalpana One Design (2007)
Images: Kalpana One
Images: Torus designs
Images: Bernal Sphere designs
Images: O’Neill Cylinder designs
Color plates from Colonies in Space
Introduction to Orbital Space Settlements
Because we are planetary creatures, most people think of space settlements on Mars or perhaps Earth’s Moon. However, it turns out that life in orbit is very attractive. Instead of building a settlement on the outside of a planet, to live in orbit we must build giant spacecraft and live inside. In the 1970s Princeton physicist Gerard O’Neill and others showed that orbital space colonies were physically possible, attractive places to live, and may make economic sense. They found that orbit is a good place for an expanding, technological civilization.
An orbital space settlement is a giant spacecraft big enough to live in. Orbital settlements will travel endlessly through space while the folks inside work, play, socialize, raise families, etc. These spacecraft will be kilometers across, big enough to feel like you are ‘outside’ when you leave your house. The settlements will rotate so that you feel something very close to Earth normal gravity at the hull.
There are a number of reasons to believe that orbital living is the way to go.
Proximity to Earth. The first orbital settlements may well be built only a few hundred miles from Earth in ‘Low Earth Orbit’ (LEO). High LEO is far enough out that the settlement won’t crash into Earth but low enough for the Earth’s van Allen Belts to protect settlers from deadly solar storms. Travel back and forth to Earth should take only a few hours. Visits from relatives and friends will be common, and traveling to Earth for vacation or schooling should be easy. Perhaps more important, bringing supplies, materials, and specialized equipment from Earth to support construction will be relatively easy.
Continuous, ample, reliable solar energy. In a high enough orbit there is no night. Solar power is available 24/7 in most high orbits, although in high LEO there is some darkness during each orbit as a structure passes through the Earth’s shadow. Most satellites in Earth orbit use solar power today, deploying large solar cell arrays like wings stretching from the craft. The solar arrays for settlements must be huge in order to generate enough power. This power can be generated on separate solar power satellites and beamed to the settlement, much as power beamed from such satellites to Earth can play a major role in solving our energy problems.
Weightless construction. Zero-g construction means big settlements can be built with relative ease. On Earth, for example, you could not build a round structure that is several miles high because it would collapse under its own weight, but in zero-gravity it is entirely possible to build such large structures, and in orbit astronauts can move objects weighing many tons by hand. Space settlers will spend almost all of their time inside the settlement because it is impossible for an unprotected human to survive outside for more than a few seconds. In this situation, obviously, bigger settlements are better. Settlements can be made so large that, even though you are really inside, it feels like the out-of-doors.
Weightless recreation. Although space colonies will have 1g at the hull, in the center you will experience weightlessness. If you’ve ever jumped off a diving board, you’ve been weightless. It’s the feeling you have after jumping and before you hit the water. The difference in an orbital space settlement is that the feeling will last for as long as you like. If you’ve ever seen videos of astronauts playing in 0g, you know that weightlessness is fun. Acrobatics, sports and dance go to a new level when constraints of gravity are removed.
Recommended Reading
NASA Orbital Space Settlement Mirror Site
Lewis One Design (1991)
Kalpana One Design (2007)
Images: Kalpana One
Images: Torus designs
Images: Bernal Sphere designs
Images: O’Neill Cylinder designs
Color plates from Colonies in Space
Introduction to Orbital Space Settlements
Because we are planetary creatures, most people think of space settlements on Mars or perhaps Earth’s Moon. However, it turns out that life in orbit is very attractive. Instead of building a settlement on the outside of a planet, to live in orbit we must build giant spacecraft and live inside. In the 1970s Princeton physicist Gerard O’Neill and others showed that orbital space colonies were physically possible, attractive places to live, and may make economic sense. They found that orbit is a good place for an expanding, technological civilization.
An orbital space settlement is a giant spacecraft big enough to live in. Orbital settlements will travel endlessly through space while the folks inside work, play, socialize, raise families, etc. These spacecraft will be kilometers across, big enough to feel like you are ‘outside’ when you leave your house. The settlements will rotate so that you feel something very close to Earth normal gravity at the hull.
There are a number of reasons to believe that orbital living is the way to go.
Proximity to Earth. The first orbital settlements may well be built only a few hundred miles from Earth in ‘Low Earth Orbit’ (LEO). High LEO is far enough out that the settlement won’t crash into Earth but low enough for the Earth’s van Allen Belts to protect settlers from deadly solar storms. Travel back and forth to Earth should take only a few hours. Visits from relatives and friends will be common, and traveling to Earth for vacation or schooling should be easy. Perhaps more important, bringing supplies, materials, and specialized equipment from Earth to support construction will be relatively easy.
Continuous, ample, reliable solar energy. In a high enough orbit there is no night. Solar power is available 24/7 in most high orbits, although in high LEO there is some darkness during each orbit as a structure passes through the Earth’s shadow. Most satellites in Earth orbit use solar power today, deploying large solar cell arrays like wings stretching from the craft. The solar arrays for settlements must be huge in order to generate enough power. This power can be generated on separate solar power satellites and beamed to the settlement, much as power beamed from such satellites to Earth can play a major role in solving our energy problems.
Weightless construction. Zero-g construction means big settlements can be built with relative ease. On Earth, for example, you could not build a round structure that is several miles high because it would collapse under its own weight, but in zero-gravity it is entirely possible to build such large structures, and in orbit astronauts can move objects weighing many tons by hand. Space settlers will spend almost all of their time inside the settlement because it is impossible for an unprotected human to survive outside for more than a few seconds. In this situation, obviously, bigger settlements are better. Settlements can be made so large that, even though you are really inside, it feels like the out-of-doors.
Weightless recreation. Although space colonies will have 1g at the hull, in the center you will experience weightlessness. If you’ve ever jumped off a diving board, you’ve been weightless. It’s the feeling you have after jumping and before you hit the water. The difference in an orbital space settlement is that the feeling will last for as long as you like. If you’ve ever seen videos of astronauts playing in 0g, you know that weightlessness is fun. Acrobatics, sports and dance go to a new level when constraints of gravity are removed.
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arunsai098:
i said already don't use any other sites
I didn't
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