Kalpana one

From: spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Ian Woollard

> Hmm. Interesting point. Instead of using spherical
> endcaps which don't have very usable surfaces,

So I take it you would disagree with the points I made on 04-19? What
shortcomings do you see?

> you could theoretically consider having conical endcaps.
> Cone shapes are reasonably easy pressure vessels to manufacture.

Although cones would not have even distribution of the pressure load.

> Cone shapes also give you a way to evacuate in an emergency.

Hey, that was a point I should have made in favor of spherical end-caps
vs. flat. I remember Gerard O'Neill commenting to somebody that he
didn't really care all that much for the Stanford Torus design. When
pressed, one criticism he offered was that in an emergency requiring
evacuation, you would be dependent on elevators to get you up to the
spin axis. He was much more comfortable with designs which allowed
residents to get up to the spin axis on their own power.

Regards,

Mike Combs