ZIP DUDE: 2 × BA330 Mars-g station (2014)

Design summary

  • Concept. 2 BA330s at 0.38 g (~68 m radius per SpinCalc), later at 110 m radius with a 120 m connector ZIP DUDE, 2015-03-01.
  • Costing ($1.5B): BA330s with floors $400M; connector with flywheel and thrusters $500M; 3 FH $375M; other $225M ZIP DUDE, 2015-03-09.
  • Docking. Computer-controlled vehicles can match 2 rpm, as with Salyut 7's "docking with a non-cooperative object" ZIP DUDE, 2015-03-02.

Critiques raised

  • mikelepage: 2 × BA330 would cost ~$0.5B at 2015 prices, and ~$0.25B by 2025 as FH drops below $30M mikelepage, 2015-03-02.

Open questions

  • (Historic) Bigelow's demise ended the BA330 option.

Sources

Forum posts

  • ZIP DUDE, 2015-03-01 (reply #458): 2 × BA330. Post.
  • mikelepage, 2015-03-02 (reply #464): Cheaper estimate. Post.
  • ZIP DUDE, 2015-03-02 (reply #465): Docking precedent. Post.
  • ZIP DUDE, 2015-03-09 (reply #495): $1.5B breakdown. Post.