Space Stations

[seppun1]

I really didn't know where I should post this. I am new to the board. I have always liked the 2300 universe, having purchased both the old GDW's box sets for 2300 and Twilight 2000. I had also seen the incredible artwork for the Starships on the Etranger page. It got me thinking:

What do the Space Stations in 2300 (and 2320 of course) look like? We know they are there and people work from them. We might have examples like Gateway and the L-5 from the Challenge articles, what about the smaller stations. What about the Factories, the Interface stations, the Defense stations? Heck, about the Solar Stations and Shipyards too? The more common orbital facilities that is out on the colonies?

I was just curious and wanted to hear everyones thoughts. Thanks!

 

[aramis]

Some look like the ISS. A few look like oversized versions of Mir or Skylab. Some are three cylinders along a pole; the whole thing spins around the center, producing a light but useful spin grav. A few have 3, 4, 6 or more spokes with pods on the ends, slowly spinning.

Some are huge cylinders, spinning on their own axis; a few are double cylinders with connectors at one or both ends...

A few are full rings around a center.

 

[JustinInOz]

A publication

G'Day,

You may want to track down a publication called "Space Settlements A Design Study" NASA SP-413 . It was published in 1977. I got a second hand one on amazon for 5 bucks plus postage.

The whole thing can be found on line at NASA. The only problem with this, is that it is a collection of web pages. I much prefer the real thing to hold in my hot little hands.

I won't rabbit on too much about it, but it is the real deal. A how to for what we thought was possble in 1975.

Quote:
"Permanent communities can be built and inhabited off the Earth. The following chapters present a detailed description of a system for the colonization of space. It is not the best system that can be devised; nor is it complete. Not all the important questions about how and why to colonize space have been posed. Of those that have, not all have been answered satisfactorily. Nevertheless, the 10-week summer study is the most thorough and comprehensive one made to date. On its basis space colonization appears to be technically feasible, while the obstacles to further expansion of human frontiers in this way are principally philosophical, political, and social rather than technological."

and:
"The focus of the system is a space habitat where 10,000 people work, raise families, and live out normal human lives."

 

[seppun1]

Thank you for responding. Justin, what you are describing sounds more like what L-5 and Gateway would be. The old O'Neill cylinders and Torus Stations. I can see the interface stations being the rotating wheels. What about about the orbital factories? I can see them being massive structures.

 

[epicenter00]

My view is that that the two Core systems, especially Sol, are absolutely infested with space stations. These stations are probably made to meet whatever needs arise. Stations probably tend to cluster together and solid space station "cores" tend to accretion modules over time for the same reason that people tend to settle together in cities: You can centralize certain kinds of services for efficiency (like food growing, entertainment, life support, and having just one point to deliver supplies), people tend to like to be together in large groups, and so on.

A variety of stations in 2300 would probably look like the rotating donut model, others would be large cylinders. Automated factories that are built to take advantage of micro-g and are visited only to pick up finished products, drop off raw materials, and do maintenance would have no rotating parts, for instance.

Most stations probably hang out in orbit of habitable planets unless there's some good reason for them not to be. Most stations in the Life Zone of a system would extensively utilize solar power as opposed to fusion or fission.

 

[raccoon]

G'Day,

You may want to track down a publication called "Space Settlements A Design Study" NASA SP-413 . ."

http://www.outofthecradle.net/archives/1977/01/nasa-sp-413-space-settlements-a-design-study/

is available as a free pdf download

 

[raccoon]

G'Day,

You may want to track down a publication called "Space Settlements A Design Study" NASA SP-413 . ."

http://www.outofthecradle.net/archives/1977/01/nasa-sp-413-space-settlements-a-design-study/

is available as a free pdf download

See also Andy Slacks articles for 2300ad as he had a colony article that is easier to read than the Nasa stuff

http://andyslack.wordpress.com/