Minovitch 1991 (JBIS): automatically built 2001-type stations
Summary of what the thread established
- The design. 100 m diameter 2001-type stations for ≥150 crew, built by automatic machines wrapping thin aluminium layers around an inflated Kevlar torus. Two central columns of 100 × 10 m, 3 spokes of 100 × 4 m. ~10 HLLV (100 t) launches; ~$400B for an Earth station + Mars station + cycler PMN1, 2015-10-08; PMN1, 2022-12-15.
- Walls: 4 cm Al (10 g/cm²) PMN1, 2022-12-20.
Critiques raised
- Twark_Main: the torus r/R = 0.02 is very inefficient. The torus holds 8000 m³ while the central columns hold 63,000 m³, making it "a baton with a great marketing department" Twark_Main, 2022-12-17.
Open questions
- Could automated wrapping of metal layers over inflated tori be revived with modern robotics?
Related pages
Sources
Forum posts
- PMN1, 2015-10-08 (reply #682): Minovitch JBIS 1991. Post.
- PMN1, 2022-12-15 (reply #2655): Repeat. Post.
- Twark_Main, 2022-12-17 (reply #2660): Baton with marketing department. Post. Attachments: torus_volume_to_area_vs_barbell_by_radius_fraction.jpg.
- PMN1, 2022-12-20 (reply #2683): 4 cm Al walls. Post.
External references
- Minovitch, M. (1991). JBIS, December 1991.