Turning an automobile around is a simple concept. asteroidIt has been a long time since the idea of turning a space habitat into a rotational one was first proposed. It’s still a concept that hasn’t been given much attention because it seems so far-fetched in terms of technology.
If you are retired and interested in space habitats, creating a detailed plan to turn an asteroid into a space habitat seems like an excellent use of your time.
David W. Jensen is a retired Rockwell Collins Technical Fellow. He recently released a report on the subject. He released an 65-page paperThis plan is easy to understand, inexpensive and practical. It can be used to convert an asteroid into an orbital habitat.
We can only touch on the highlights of the report, as it would take a long article to go into all the details. Dr. Jensen breaks the discussion into three main categories – asteroid selection, habitat style selection, and mission strategy to get there (i.e., what robots to use). Let’s look at each of these in turn.
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The selection process was focused on which asteroids would be the best candidates to become a rotating space environment. The asteroid’s composition, proximity to Earth, and “delta-V” (i.e. how much energy to reach) are all factors to be considered.
After a relatively in-depth selection process, Dr. Jensen decided on one in particular as a good candidate – Atira. The S-type asteroids are named after the asteroid. Atira comes in at about a 4.8 km diameter and even has its own moon – a 1 km diameter asteroid that orbits it closely.
The nearest asteroid is about 80 times further away. Moon. Still, it is in the “Goldilocks” zone of our solar system. This would help stabilize internal temperatures of the habitat.
What kind of habitat is it? Dr. Jensen looked at four common types – the “dumbbell,” sphere, cylinder, and torus. One of the most critical considerations is gravity – or “artificial gravity”- caused by centripetal force. Dr. Jensen mentions that living in low gravity for extended periods of time can have detrimental effects. This is why artificial gravity must be used.
To get centripetal forces, the station must rotate. Atira is already rotating, but creating a space environment would require spinning the asteroid up to a speed that would accurately replicate the gravity of Earth.
Dr. Jensen considers many other aspects when choosing a particular type of station. He looks at the forces created by the material (he suggests that anhydrous-glass could be used as a structural element), and how much material is needed on the outside shell to provide protection against radiation and micrometeorites.
He suggests that, as a last resort, the structure be built with multiple floors, which would dramatically increase the overall living space in the habitat.
He finally settled on the torus as his ideal habitat and began to calculate the mass of the station, the size of the columns that would support the interior wall, and the best way to distribute the floor space. How would you build this massive structure?
Dr. Jensen has the answer: self-replicating robotics. The third section of this report details a plan for using spider robots, and a self-replicating base station. He says that only the most sophisticated technical components should be sent from Earth. Materials from the asteroid can then be used to build the rest, including solar panels and rock grinders.
When you read the claims they seem to be almost unreal.
First, let’s look at the overall weight – Dr. Jensen suggests you could send a “seed” capsule that contains four spider robots, the base station, and enough advanced electronics to build 3000 more spider robots for only around 8.6 metric tons – that’s well less than the capacity of even a modern day Falcon Heavy. Once it reaches the asteroid, it won’t need any further input from the Earth – in theory, at least.
Then, let’s get to some even more impressive numbers – the cost and time. With admittedly “back-of-the-envelope” calculations, Dr. Jensen estimates that the program would cost only $4.1 billion. This is a lot less than the $93 Billion NASA intends to spend on the Apollo Program. The result would be an artificial habitat in space that will provide 1 billion square meters that did not exist before. That’s a total cost of $4.10 per square meter to build land – in space.
Possibly even more impressive is the timeline – Dr. Jensen estimates that the entire construction project could be done in as little as 12 years. It will take longer, however, to fill the habitat up with air and water as well as start regulating the temperature. It is a reasonable timeline for a project of this magnitude.
These costs and timelines are also well within the personal wealth levels of billionaires that have already shown an interest in space exploration – here’s looking at you, Jeff, and Elon.
If Dr. Jensen’s ideas, which on the surface seem feasible, can be made even more technically advanced, perhaps the next billionaire space race will be who can build the first artificial gravity habitat in space. This would be an amazing sight.
This article was first published by Universe Today. You can read the Original Article.
