Space Habs

--- On Sat, 7/11/09, Dan Wylie-Sears wrote:

"Spinning is the best guaranteed solution, but I don't think we really
know whether a better option will be developed. Spinning to close to a
full gee requires structural strength, which requires mass; and mass
used for radiation shielding has to be supported if it spins with the
habitat. "

What if the radiation shielding only turned really, really slowly?

I was thinking about how to extrude beams in space. Magnetic extrusion might work and the resulting steel could be made magnetic. The habitat could have its exterior coated with magnetic "studs" with the same polarity facing outwards. The radiation shielding, of much greater mass could have its structure studded on the inside with the opposite polarity. A ring motor could start up the whole rotation between the two elements. The hab could be kept centered relative to the radiation shielding with a combitation of these weak magenetic forces and with more powerful fixed magnets or electromagnets at the ends. The inner hab would rotate much faster than the more massive outer shielding. The hab could be brought up to speed without propellant.

If the above is ok, how about this: Couldn't the "ring motor" mechanism be designed to also transfer power from external solar arrays (outside radiation shielding) to the hab? That way a special designed type of ring motor would be used for both tranfering mechanical forces and also for transfering electrical power into the hab as well.