Paul451: barbell / "tumbling pigeon" roadmap (2014–2018)

Paul451's step-by-step path from animal experiments to human-scale stations, built on the principle "one mission, one step; do not multiply unknowns".

Design summary

  • Barbell (2014). A BA-330 (~13 m) hangs directly off a docking node, with the upper stage as counter-mass and no cables. Radius ~14 m: lunar g at 3 rpm, Mars g at 4.5 rpm, 1 g at 8 rpm Paul451, 2015-03-02.
  • Option: a single BA-330 with an internal 6 m counter-rotating centrifuge.
  • Avoid constantly moving parts: "no such thing as a simple electric motor in space".
  • A ten-step program costs no more than a single leap Paul451, 2015-03-10.
  • Roadmap (2015) Paul451, 2015-11-08:
  • 2–4 week animal experiments on DragonLab left attached to the F9 second stage (~25 m): lunar g at 3.5 rpm, Mars g at 5+, 1 g at <9 rpm; ~$100M per launch.
  • A 12-month multigenerational animal flight.
  • Human spaceflight: one BA-330 plus a node on a second-stage counterweight.
  • Two BA-330s with 15–20 m inflated neck tunnels: ~60 m long, ~30 m radius, 1 g at 5.5 rpm.
  • Outcome scenarios: if small g solves the problem, it becomes standard for all spaceflight; if near-1 g is needed, Mars colonization is out.
  • "Tumbling pigeon": BA-330 + node + upper stage spinning end over end, radius 14–15 m, ~25 t Paul451, 2016-01-13; Paul451, 2016-01-13.
  • 2018 update: a DragonLab baton → BA-330 on an FH stage → second hab → arms only if needed. "If humans require full 1 g at very low rpm, might as well end the manned program" Paul451, 2018-07-15.
  • Smallest steps first. Spin the whole Dragon (2.5 rpm → 1/100 g, 8 rpm → 1/10 g) Paul451, 2015-09-01. Fly an F9 stage + Dragon baton Paul451, 2015-10-04.
  • Stability rule. Hang arrays in the rotation plane at 90° to the modules (frisbee-stable) Paul451, 2019-01-07.

Critiques raised

Open questions

  • Which step would reveal whether partial g is enough?

Sources

Forum posts

  • Paul451, 2015-03-02 (reply #468): Barbell. Post.
  • Paul451, 2015-03-10 (reply #497): Ten-step program. Post.
  • Paul451, 2015-09-01 (reply #579): Smallest steps. Post.
  • Paul451, 2015-10-04 (reply #664, 2 likes): F9 stage + Dragon (2 likes). Post.
  • Paul451, 2015-11-08 (reply #739): Roadmap (key). Post.
  • Paul451, 2016-01-13 (reply #806): Tumbling pigeon. Post.
  • Paul451, 2016-01-13 (reply #819): ~25 t. Post.
  • Coastal Ron, 2018-07-14 (reply #929): Inflatables not structural. Post.
  • Paul451, 2018-07-15 (reply #935): 2018 roadmap. Post.
  • Paul451, 2019-01-07 (reply #1261): Arrays in plane. Post.