Kalpana One, Kalpana 2 and Al Globus's "Easier Way"
Summary of what the thread established
- Kalpana One (2007). A 250 m radius cylinder. Rim solar cells were insufficient, so primary power was microwave-beamed from a companion station. 4.5–10 t/m² of shielding for an Earth-like dose Shevek23, 2019-10-25; Shevek23, 2019-10-25.
- Globus's stability rule (2007 revised): length along the spin axis < 1.3 × radius. Kalpana 2 (LEO) violates its own rule lamontagne, 2026-09-18. Flat endcaps destabilize to ~0.85 diameter Shevek23, 2019-10-25.
- Paul451: that is long-axis instability, which needs a flexible medium, not intermediate-axis instability Paul451, 2026-09-18.
- Small Kalpana / Kalpana 2 ("Space settlement, an easier way"): 56 m radius, 4 rpm, 8000 t all from Earth, up to 500 people at 40 m² each, minimal LEO shielding lamontagne, 2019-09-13.
- lamontagne's renders: docking via an upper circular truss that de-spins on wheels (no rotating seal); more space hotel than colony lamontagne, 2019-09-14; lamontagne, 2019-09-15.
- Coastal Ron: goal ≤3 rpm Coastal Ron, 2019-09-13.
- Globus radiation work. An equatorial LEO 1 g station needs little shielding daveklingler, 2015-02-23; mikelepage, 2018-11-01; dose tables mikelepage, 2022-11-29; ELEO is realistic and L5 unrealistic LMT, 2024-03-16.
- Book: Marotta & Globus 2018, The High Frontier: An Easier Way Habitant, 2025-10-17. Globus's 2017 Space Review revisit lamontagne, 2019-10-25.
- lamontagne noted Al Globus's poor health in 2026; Twark_Main sent get-well wishes lamontagne, 2026-09-19; Twark_Main, 2026-09-20.
Open questions
- Is Kalpana 2's length within safe stability margins?
Related pages
Sources
Forum posts
- daveklingler, 2015-02-23 (reply #388, 1 like): Globus 2014 (1 like). Post.
- mikelepage, 2018-11-01 (reply #1251, 2 likes): ELEO dose. Post. Attachments: NASA Debris Orbit decay figure 1995.png.
- lamontagne, 2019-09-13 (reply #1668, 1 like): Small Kalpana. Post. Attachments: Kalplana_Scene 1.jpg.
- Coastal Ron, 2019-09-13 (reply #1669): ≤3 rpm. Post.
- lamontagne, 2019-09-14 (reply #1670, 2 likes): Renders. Post. Attachments: Kalplana_Scene 1b.jpg, Kalplana_Scene 1c.jpg.
- lamontagne, 2019-09-15 (reply #1676): Detail. Post.
- Shevek23, 2019-10-25 (reply #1679): Kalpana One analysis. Post.
- lamontagne, 2019-10-25 (reply #1686): Space Review 2017. Post.
- Shevek23, 2019-10-25 (reply #1687): K1 vs K2. Post.
- mikelepage, 2022-11-29 (reply #2495): Dose tables (4 likes). Post.
- LMT, 2024-03-16 (reply #4566): NSS Easier Way. Post. Attachments: The High Frontier - An Easier Way.png.
- Habitant, 2025-10-17 (reply #5010): Book. Post.
- lamontagne, 2026-09-18 (reply #5131): 1.3 × radius rule (2 likes). Post.
- Paul451, 2026-09-18 (reply #5145): Long-axis instability. Post.
- lamontagne, 2026-09-19 (reply #5159, 2 likes): Globus health. Post. Attachments: 2007KalpanaOne (1).pdf.
- Twark_Main, 2026-09-20 (reply #5160, 1 like): Get well wishes. Post.
External references
- Globus, A. et al. (2007). Kalpana One (space.nss.org/media/Kalpana-One-2007.pdf).
- Globus, A. "Space Settlement: An Easier Way" (space.alglobus.net/papers/Easy.pdf).