why outer space?

--- In spacesettlers@y..., Al Globus wrote:
> Unfortunately, I think rotating cylinders want to precess until they
> rotate end-over-end (assuming equal mass distribution, any real
> physicist out there, please check). Stability is important, so I
think
> we'd better stick with Tori.

This is not a problem since a cylinder would need an active method of
point towards the sun. O'neil solved the problem by coupling to
cylinders together on spinning clockwise, the other counterclockwise.
The net spin of the system is zero.

In reality slight precessions will happen, and there will have to be
small rockets on the cylinders to correct for it.

Bill

>
> "Combs, Mike" wrote:
>
> > From: phoebos@w... [mailto:phoebos@w...]
> >
> > I personally would find it depressing to go outside and not
> > be able to
> > see a natural sky in my back yard. Personal preference, of
> > course.
> >
> > I could see your point in a Bernal Sphere, or in a Stanford Torus.
> > But in an O'Neill Cylinder, there would be 4 miles of atmosphere
> > between you and the far side of the cylinder; this would result in
a
> > distinctly blue "sky". There would be natural cloudbanks between
you
> > and the far side.Personally, I think I would choose to view it as
a
> > "sky", just one with additional land beyond it.
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Mike Combs
> >
Service.
>
> --
> Al Globus
> aglobus@m..., (650) 604-4404
> http://www.nas.nasa.gov/~globus/home.html
>
> The dinosaurs weren't spacefaring. We are. I don't think that's an
> accident.
> Maybe we are life's taxi to the stars.
>
> I think we should:
>
> 1. Devote half of NASA's budget ($7 billion) to reaching NASA's 2020
> goal of
> reducing launch costs to Low-Earth-Orbit to $220/kg with a 0.01%
failure
> rate.
> This should enable space tourism. The resulting orbital hotels will
need
> to
> develop efficient orbital life support and other necessary
technologies.
>
> 2. Build orbital space colonies. The materials in the largest
asteroid
> are
> sufficient for orbital colonies with a combined surface area about
500
> times
> greater than Earth's. Eros alone could make over ten thousand space
> colonies,
> each with about about 10 square kilometers of 1g living area.
>
> 3. After a few generations of orbital living, people won't need
their
> colony
> to be near Sol. Then small groups of colonies with populations in
the
> tens-of-thousands can set out on multi-decade journeys to nearby
stars.