Sizes and Distances Cosmology Asteroid Mining
Sizes and Distances Cosmology Asteroid Mining
This space station would be a basic torus (donut) design (similar to a Stanford Torus). The interior diameter of the Torus area would be 34.5 meters (about 100 ft.) and a circumference of 1239 meters (about 0.7 miles) at the center. The overall Wheel diameter is 435 meters (~1300 ft.). Each Spoke will have interior dimensions of 138 meters long by 21 meters in diameter. The wheel would spin at a rate of 2 r.p.m. and would produce artificial gravity equivalent to from 63-95% of Earth in the Torus, depending on which level a person is on.
The interior of the Torus would be divided into 8 Levels (see figure 1, bottom), and each level would be divided into 16 Sections (see figure 1, top), for a total of 256 Sections. The majority of the Torus section of the station would be for habitation and support, while the Spokes and part of the Hub would be used for manufacturing. The Torus section could easily support a population of 1,200 people.
Figure 1 (click to enlarge) - Space Torus Design
There are two other areas of the torus which are not designated as habitat areas, located above the top and below the bottom level. These are reserved for station systems (electrical, plumbing, life support, communications, etc.), scientific equipment, and agriculture/livestock areas. As much as possible, the station should be a completely self-sufficient ecosystem, relying as little as possible on supplies from Earth.
One way to generate income for our space station (to purchase necessary supplies from Earth) is to have accommodations for space tourists. Assuming that Earth to space transportation drops to $2000. per kg., a 165 lb (75 kg.) person with 55 lbs. (25 kg.) of luggage could get to space for about $200,000. Add a month's stay at the space station hotel and the return flight for another $150,000, and one could spend a month in space for $350,000. This would still be out of reach for the average person, but there should be enough interest (say 1200 people per year initially) to justify the project. Those wishing to stay for longer than a month would get a discount rate of $75,000 per month.
At 1200 people per year (100 per month), gross income for the hotel would be $240 million per year. 40% of this ($96 million/year) would go to the mining company to help pay for construction of the station (rent). The balance ($144 million/year) would go to the hotel chain.
The hotel portion of the torus would be located on the two center levels (Levels 4 and 5). A total of 128 luxury suites will be available (64 on each level), each with an area of about 250 square meters (2,250+ sq. ft.). Each suite would have 4 bedrooms, 2-1/2 baths, living room, dining room, kitchen, office, and more (see figure 2). At over 2,250 sq. ft. each, these suites are actually like full size homes. It seems only fair that if one is to pay over a quarter million dollars for a trip, no matter how exotic the location, one should expect the most luxurious accommodations possible.
Figure 2 (click to enlarge) - Hotel Suites
Another 128 spaces will also be on these levels (64 per level), each about 200 sq. meters (~1800 sq. ft.), housing everything found in a typical large shopping mall, including gourmet restaurants, night clubs, theater, health club, day care, beauty salon, supermarket, cleaners, etc.
All the support staff for the hotel and the above mentioned support facilities, as well as the other staff on the station, would be housed in quarters on Levels 6 and 7. Of course, these facilities would be smaller, but still spacious. Two to four bedroom units would be available, depending on family size. The smallest unit should be about 80 sq. m. (700 sq. ft.).
Figure 3 (click to enlarge) - Smallest Living Quarters
Levels 1 and 8 will be reserved for Research and Development, as well as some light manufacturing. Level 1 was chosen because it has gravity closest to Earth-normal. Level 8 was chosen because it has the least amount of gravity in the torus. Each environment is suitable for different types of work. Space not used in these areas by the mining company will be leased at a rate of $1200 per sq. m. per year. If 50% of the total area (19,584 sq. m.) is available for lease, maximum lease income would equal $23,500,800. per year.
The Spoke and Hub areas of the torus offer an ideal location for near-zero gravity (NZG) manufacturing facilities. In the enclosed environment of a space station one can utilize the advantages of NZG while having many options available concerning atmosphere, lighting, temperature, etc. This, along with cheap solar power and relatively inexpensive asteroid materials to work with, makes for very desireable manufacturing space.
As can be seen in figure 4 below, there is 36,288 sq. m. of manufacturing space available in the spokes. As with the R&D areas, if 50% is leased out at $1200 per sq. m. per year, this would represent $21,772,800 in potential annual income.
The Hub (see figure 1) should provide an additional 10,000 sq. m. of leaseable space, providing additional potential income of $12,000,000. per year.
Figure 4 (click to enlarge) - Spokes
Levels 2 and 3 would be reserved for station-support functions, such as hydroponic gardens and related farm activities, air and water filtration/purification, light manufacturing and engineering facilities specifically for developing and producing items needed on the station, and storage facilities of all types (warehouses).
The Space Station conceived above need not be just science fiction. All of the technologies needed to bring such a project to life are currently available. And the resources needed to produce it are readily available on nearby asteroids.
The success of SpaceShipOne (and the subsequent winning of the Ansari X-Prize on October 4, 2004 by a small team at Scaled Composites with a miniscule (by NASA standards) budget has given new hope and life to the idea of private enterprise and ordinary people venturing into space. They have proven that government agencies like NASA need not be the only ones to break the bonds of Earth's atmosphere. As has been proven time and time again, the entrepreneurial spirit has always found a way to get things done better, cheaper, and more successfully. Although we will always be in debt to the pioneering works of the Russian and American space programs, it is time for the private sector to make space an achievable destination for anyone wishing to go. Space is the next logical destination for humans to explore and utilize. In the opening words of Gene Roddenberry's TV series Star Trek, space truly is the final frontier. Let's go and see what God's universe has waiting for us!
National Space Society - The National Space Society's vision is people living and working in thriving communities beyond the Earth. NSS members promote change in social, technical, economic, and political conditions to advance the day when people will live and work in space.
The Space Frontier Foundation is a media and policy organization composed of space activists, scientists and engineers, media and political professionals, entrepreneurs, and citizens from all backgrounds and all nations. We are transforming space from a government-owned bureaucratic program into a dynamic and inclusive frontier open to people. We are determined to convert the image held by many young people that the future will be worse than the present, and we reject the idea that the world's greatest moments are in its past.
Space Foundation - The Space Foundation is the leading non-profit organization advancing the exploration, development and use of space and space education for the benefit of all humankind. To vigorously advance and support civil, commercial and national security space endeavors and educational excellence.
The Planetary Society - The largest nonprofit, nongovernmental space advocacy group on Earth.
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