Space Habs

--- On Tue, 7/21/09, Combs, Mike wrote:
"The High Frontier" left me with the impression that the power needs were surprisingly modest. I think it was there I read that the motor to spin up even an Island 3 habitat would only be about the size of a car engine.

That makes sense, but is still really impressive considering the huge masses involved. It is also encouraging to know that simple mechanical designs could be used for habs of this scale. That means not only low mass from earth, but also, not a huge barrier to space fabrication. (Once we figure out how to do mineral processing out there.)

> "What about the thought that a modified ring motor could be used for power transfer?"

Don't really have any thoughts to contribute because I don't think I'd ever considered this to be a large problem.

I think slip-ring conductors might have been the assumption.

Ihave the impression that required a physical point of contact.In avacuumisn't there more friction?The only thing motivating the original thought was avoiding mechanisms that required surface contact as that wouldreduce maintenance.

Of course, just getting the first structure upthere and rotating isthe main thing. Initially the simplestdevice for thefunction is the best. Over time extremely low maintenance designs will get built.