asteroid habitats

--- In spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com, "victoriatangoman"
wrote:

> You're vaporizing all of that metal in the interior of
> the asteroid. There is no convection current to swoop that residual
> heat out the open endcap. All of that heat has to radiate away,
> through the the rock or eventually through the endcap is the
> temperature differentials equalize. That's going to cause some
issues
> for you.

Oops.

> Secondly, because you're operating in space, depending on how
quickly
> the heat is radiated away, your boundary walls may flash quench.
> Crystallization takes time. If the cooling occurs too rapidly the
> atoms of the metal walls won't be able to align.

I believe the idea is that the whole asteroid skin would become
molten and then solidify almost immediately. Don't ask me why. So
crystallization would not occur.

> Speaking generally now, I've come across these plans before and
I've
> never understood their appeal. Why are you drawn to it? I

I saw a cutaway illustration of an asteroid city in an old book from
the 1950s or 1960s. The concept stuck with me and I just assumed
the idea was feasible if somewhat daunting. This was before I heard
of the O'Neil designs.

Anyway, you've given me a lot to think about! And thanks for the
sites info.

If I do decide to stick with the asteroid-city concept I certainly
have a lot of questions to answer. :)