Space Rock Hotel: Asteroids as Objet D'art

[Patron Zero]

Just starting to ponder the possibilities of using large asteroids as 'permanent' facilities in orbital or deep space locations.

And speaking of more than just an outwardly appearing lumpy 'potato' having just the essentials to support an observation platform or beacon-relay station.

What I'm picturing is more involved and extensively more aesthetic in appearance, simply said such could be considered a work of sculpture on a very large scale.

Imagine if you will, a well-established entrepreneur opening a flagship hotel in orbit above a primary world, said hotel unique in the sense that such appears to 'chiseled' to resemble a recognizable object.

High above a popular water-world might be three 'stone' sea-horses set at 120-degree alignments, forever standing in a 'welcoming' pose to the planet's visitors. Said trio composing a five-star hotel and casino, perhaps also offering tours or charted hunts to the depths of the oceans below.

Not a well developed example but close-enough to present the idea of like facilities, specifically those operated as retail-commercial venues.

 

[wbyrd]

Just starting to ponder the possibilities of using large asteroids as 'permanent' facilities in orbital or deep space locations.

And speaking of more than just an outwardly appearing lumpy 'potato' having just the essentials to support an observation platform or beacon-relay station.

What I'm picturing is more involved and extensively more aesthetic in appearance, simply said such could be considered a work of sculpture on a very large scale.

Imagine if you will, a well-established entrepreneur opening a flagship hotel in orbit above a primary world, said hotel unique in the sense that such appears to 'chiseled' to resemble a recognizable object.

High above a popular water-world might be three 'stone' sea-horses set at 120-degree alignments, forever standing in a 'welcoming' pose to the planet's visitors. Said trio composing a five-star hotel and casino, perhaps also offering tours or charted hunts to the depths of the oceans below.

Not a well developed example but close-enough to present the idea of like facilities, specifically those operated as retail-commercial venues.

It would be possible, expensive as all hell but possible. It' d have to be HUGE to be seen from the ground, more like sculpting a small moon than a rock...That's not a moon!....But putting them at strategic places so people approaching the world would get a good view would be feasible.

The only problem would be finding a 300,000,000 Dton rock that's solid enough to be sculpted.or you could find multiple smaller rocks the proper type shape them and then fuse them together.

 

[Scratches]

I like this idea but the cost would be phenomenal, likely outweighing any benefits a megacorp might get out of such a project. I think a government would need to sponsor this with a motive exceeding the basic one of financial gain. Perhaps government types A,C,D,E,F would be most probable.

From a practical standpoint building on top of a smaller base rock or two and then covering the superstructure in rocky material might be more cost effective and allow the usage of the rock's interior as both building materials and coating. Done properly it'd look just like a solid rock sculpture.

 

[rancke]

I like this idea but the cost would be phenomenal, likely outweighing any benefits a megacorp might get out of such a project. I think a government would need to sponsor this with a motive exceeding the basic one of financial gain. Perhaps government types A,C,D,E,F would be most probable.

Where did the requirement that the structure be visible from the ground come from? Something like that would truly be a massive project. But something the size of a Las Vegas casino and hotel would be quite possible. And you wouldn't require a megacorporation either. Mega-corporations are powerful because they cover many thousands of systems, but a local company could easily be more powerful in a signgle system.


Hans

 

[aramis]

The problem I see is that anything not big enough to be self rounding is likely to also be a "gravel-pile" ...

 

[kilemall]

I already have a few of these around (but then again in IMTU chunking around Big Rocks is no big deal).

Most of them however are not planetary, but in Oort Clouds- specifically Faust Vegas and the Ice Palace, carved out of huge chunks of ice not rock, and the former being the most well-known fuel stop/indulgence pit known to humanity.

Which got me thinking just now, carving out a hotel on a chunk destined to become a comet, the attraction being to have an experience at a venue that is going to destroyed, and thus an exclusive novelty.

 

[kilemall]

Oh, I should also mention that in my case such a facility on Earth or other high solar power locations would likely use chunks of rock from leftover extraction processes and melt it down in a solar foundry, then pour it into forms that way, rather then space Mt. Rushmore the hotel.

 

[Patron Zero]

Assembling the finished 'sculpture' from several component pieces does make more sense and would prevent less of a logistical nightmare during construction.

Placing such an object in orbit is conspicuous consumption at it's greatest which a well-established hotel chain would do, even if such placed them in the red, just for the notoriety.

A truly eccentric individual with near-limitless assets would strive for his-her high-orbit domicile to be hewed from a single piece of rock, such later to become their mausoleum and headstone.

 

[boomslang]

Oh, I should also mention that in my case such a facility on Earth or other high solar power locations would likely use chunks of rock from leftover extraction processes and melt it down in a solar foundry, then pour it into forms that way, rather then space Mt. Rushmore the hotel.

There are some interesting possibilities, even at modest (interstellar-level) TLs.

To whit:

1. Sew together several large sheets of thin polymer into a big balloon, shaped to suit the finished design.

2. Wrap the rubble-pile asteroid in question.

3. Pump in enough water and cement. (Regolith from your average rockball moon or dwarf planet can be a good source for cement.)

4. Put a repulsor in the middle of the pile and gently push it out into the balloon-shape.

5. Let it set and cure for a while.

6. Unwrap, move in, and apply finishing touches.

Non-trivial civil engineering, but comparatively low-energy and therefore cheap.

 

[Scratches]

I saw a documentary where it's believed some asteroids in the belt are actually sneaky comets, so there's your water. Said rubble pile would need to be cemented before attempting to move it into orbit otherwise it'd be like firing a shotgun at the planet.

Even so, there's going to need to be a lot of thrust involved. That sneaky comet is also going to be essential for providing fuel for most power solutions.

If I lived on the planet I'd probably book some off-world vacation for when the Rock Hotel was being moved into orbit. Just in case.