Whole Different Approach

--- In spacesettlers, "Combs, Mike" wrote:

> The most difficult job for the hull of the space habitat is to
> contain the 7 or 8 lbs/square inch pressure of the air inside.
> Since we know little about the structure of asteroids, we have no
> way of knowing if the average asteroid would not blow out under
> such stress in its interior. If the "flying rubble pile" theory
> is correct, it most certainly would.

Melting the whole thing down, a la Miranda & family,would solve
that. Another advantage is that you don't need an asteroid 500
metres in diameter, just one that would be that big after being
puffed up. And if puffing it up all at once doesn't work, perhaps
introducing the steam more gadually, through a pipe, would. You
know, more like a glass blower! ^_^

> Myself, I would feel much safer inside a hull of processed
> materials.

Me too. I might consider Cole processing enough... after its been
done a few dozen times.

> I sometimes hear people say we must burrow into asteroids for
> radiation protection. But one only needs about 6 feet of soil to
> accomplish that.
> Anything beyond that is overkill,

Like the idea that we have to build radio telescopes on the Lunar
farside to block out radio signals from Earth (and declare much of
space a radio-silence zone). A free-floating radio telescope has so
many advantages over a Lunar one, and if a millimetre of aluminum
will do the job just as well, why insist on using 2,000 miles of
Lunar rock?

> Think of Island One as only coming along well into the era in
> which we are using space resources to build several SPS per year.
> Gerard O'Neill certainly thought of it in that way. The workforce
> can live inside something as spartan as refurbished Space Shuttle
> ETs until we get to a level where the processed materials and
> labor needed for Island One only represent a modest fraction of
> the total enterprise.

Also, don't forget the space hotels. These will get larger and
larger, and the workers may well live in itty-bitty rooms there,
instead of the traditional construction shack (or at least may take
an occasional week-end there). These will give us experience with
rotating structures and the like.

> Regards,
>
> Mike Combs

Xenophile (who can hardly wait)