Project "Starlab" space station

[Nicholander]

Interesting, this tug idea! Also, I'm sorry if you've been asked this an ∞ amount of times, but are you going to continue work on the 3 other FOI probes you have planned?

 

[K_Jameson]

are you going to continue work on the 3 other FOI probes you have planned?

Definitely yes. Now I haven't time for take care of these other project - I have barely time for some fun with the Starlab addon - but is my firm intention to finish and release all the FOI space probes.

---------- Post added 09-06-15 at 11:01 AM ---------- Previous post was 09-05-15 at 02:47 PM ----------

The complete station with all the four main modules would look like this:





Note: The exposed facility and the canadarm of the Starchaser laboratory are not installed and the solar arrays of this module are not operative and then closed.
All the windows and portholes of the Starchaser and Greenhouse modules are not yet operative and then closed.

 

[K_Jameson]

I think that a good move would be to swap the Greenhouse and the Starchaser module. In this way, Eridanus could dock directly next to the Starchaser and install/replenish easily the exposed facility. The only requisite is to change the orientation of the side docking port of the Starlab core.

Also, could be appropriate to move the solar panels from the Starchaser to the Greenhouse module, in order to mantain it in the "sunlight" side of the station. After all, this isn't a great issue, so I've decided to let the solar panels on the Starchaser laboratory, that arguably has greater power consumption than the Greenhouse.

 

[K_Jameson]

In the last days I was discussing on the Italian forum about the possibility of adding a fifth segment at the station, a small module to be added at the lateral port of the Starlab core (the "Eridanus port"). The module would have a couple of additional ports, mounted laterally, that will allow the spaceplane to install its custom logistic modules for resupply. At least one of these additional ports will have a Russian docking mechanism, allowing the Orbinauts to visit the station with Soyuz or Progress spacecrafts.

I'm absolutely not sure about this module, and is unlikely that you will see it in the first release of the addon.

 

[K_Jameson]

Some small updates. Soon some shots.
I'm about to freeze the design of the two laboratories. In the last days I've tried different internal arrangements, but at last I stayed with the original "corridor" sistemation with equipments at the two sides and free "floor" and "ceiling" that gives a more spacious appearance.
I've removed all the windows from the Starchaser module (except for the front porthole), because are unnecessary for such a facility. Conversely, I've retained all the windows in the Greenhouse, that is also meant as an observation and "relax" area.
Finally, I've removed the Enterprise-D desktop model, that was a too obvious Star Trek reference, unrelated with the station and maybe unwelcome for those that aren't fans of the series. I've replaced it with a more subtle citation that I leave you to find ;-)
The Gaia station desktop model remains.

 

[K_Jameson]

This is nice: a comparison between the stock ISS and the full Starlab station (all modules attached).



Assuming that the stock ISS is depicted at the right scale, the most obvious thing is the big difference in size between the two stations.
Remember that we have about 915 cubic metres of pressurized volume on ISS and 1356 cubic metres on the full Starlab, and nonetheless the overall appearance of our station is much more compact, partly because of the advantage in the module's cross-section, that on Starlab ranges from 5.6 to 8.4 meters, to compare with the mere 4.2-4.4 meters of ISS.

Where ISS is really in big advantage is on the solar panels area, that overall is about four times Starlab. Surely in the future a big improvement could be to add a new and very large solar array to give at Starlab a power output comparable with the other station, also considering that the expected crew is six in both cases.

 

[K_Jameson]

Enlarging the horizons...



As stated multiple times, Starlab, the core module, is a "prototype" for a BLEO outpost and/or for an habitation module for a manned Earth-Mars trip.
Here, the stack with the station, an Antares capsule that provide the crew, and a two-stage propulsion system.
The propulsion module is another derivation from the Quasar 452 upper stage, the same rocket stage that was modified into the Starlab station. The modifications involves: the removal of one J-2X engine; an improved insulation for prolonged orbital operations; independent solar arrays; a new set of RCS for translation maneuvres; navigation and docking radar; docking ring at front and at back for stacking. The propellant capability is the same of the Quasar upper stage: 205,000 kg of LOX/LH2.
This stack can put Starlab+Antares in lunar orbit. Not 100% sure for Mars; further calculations are needed. More propulsion modules can be stacked if needed; each module require a Quasar 452 for launch.

 

[ISProgram]

This project just gets cooler and cooler! I really wanna see those propulsion elements in the release.

 

[K_Jameson]

Is my intention to put them already in the first release ;-)

Surely a lighter station, like the [ame="http://orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=5523"]Malerba station[/ame], would be far more practical to put in the BLEO. Maybe a future derivation of starlab will retain the water-based shelter but will couple it with a far lighter structure (maybe inflatable) and without hardware unnecessary for the trip, as the IR telescope.

 

[K_Jameson]

Work on several fronts: yesterday, some fun with the Exposed Facility, that will be sent aboard Eridanus and attached at the dedicated slot on the Starchaser laboratory. Unlike the Kibo's one, my version will include directly the canadarm, that will be pretty long: about fourteen meters at full extension (no fine arm is expected). This lenght because is necessary to reach (with some margin) the proximity of the Starlab lateral docking port, reserved for Eridanus and other logistic spacecrafts with capability of unpressurized cargo.

Vittorio (the abitual designer of our canadarms) will forgive me, but I wanted to draw it directly, this time...

Meanwhile, the work proceed behind the scenes on other areas: while for the tug (necessary to ship the two laboratories at the station) I haven't yet decided between the conservative solution or the big "Kulch's style" tug, another gadget has my attention in these days: a new cargo spacecraft that will introduce capabilities as cargo return and unpressurized payloads. Only an idea for now; in the last sketches, the spacecraft (smaller than Verrazzano) is a biconic capsule, fully reusable and without service module . I'm not sure if I will be able to put it in the package or in a subsequent update, but I'm playing with this idea.

 

[K_Jameson]

The near-complete Exposed Facility with the built-in Canadarm. The red and blue markings on the Canadarm are glowing at night; can be useful for understand the orientation of the arm. The arm is pretty long for the facility; the reason for that length is explained in the previous posts.



The exposed facility fits well in the Eridanus cargo bay.


A closer look at the Quasar-derived BLEO cryogenic propulsion module.

 

[Nicholander]

Could the BLEO propulsion module be used for other purposes? Say, you wanted to send a probe somewhere, like the outer solar system, but you had to do it really fast for some reason. Could you attach the probe to the top of one of those stages and would it work?

 

[ISProgram]

Wouldn't a regular Quasar upper stage be better for that? The BLEO cryogen stage seems to have a lot more extra mass.

 

[K_Jameson]

The weight figure is not yet well established. Actually, we have a big advantage because of the removal of one J-2X engine, that saves about 2.4 tons, but with all the additional equipments, the overall weight is not expected to be lower than the regular Quasar 452 upper stage.

Could the BLEO propulsion module be used for other purposes? Say, you wanted to send a probe somewhere, like the outer solar system, but you had to do it really fast for some reason. Could you attach the probe to the top of one of those stages and would it work?

You want to launch your probe, then the propulsion module, dock it at the probe (but the docking ring is sized for Starlab!) and then perform the escape burn? This can give some advantage, but is a complicate and expensive plan for an unmanned mission...

If you want to launch very small payloads, the dry weight of your final stage is the ruler: you will be surprised to find that, for a tiny New Horizons-class probe, you can obtain a similar escape velocity with a Jarvis rather than with the colossal Quasar 452. In fact, until a payload of 5,000 kg, Jarvis M has a slight advantage on delta V for BLEO missions. Obviously, for heavier payloads, the things changes radically... Quasar is developed for really heavy payloads, not counting that in a real world could be really too expensive for launching a New Horizons 2 space probe. You want launch it really fast? Put a solid kick-stage on top of a Jarvis E. You can obtain more and with less complication ;-)

---------- Post added at 01:34 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:18 AM ----------

The red and blue markings on the Canadarm are glowing at night; can be useful for understand the orientation of the arm.

This is what I meant (my poor english don't allow me to explain better):

Wrong:


Wrong:


Right:


Useful when you want to fold the arm after use.

 

[K_Jameson]

The work has slowed down in these days; meanwhile I want to summarize the modules produced until now.

Starlab
-----------
- Core station.
- Self-sustained and full capable of orbital solo operations, including auto-reboost maneuvres.
- Capable of BLEO operations (with an additional propulsion module).
- Facilities: Main workshop; crew quarters with meeting room, gym, restroom; logistic/storage area; shelter/sleep module; 2x observation modules; EVA airlock; samples airlock; unpressurized science module with a 1.3 meters IR telescope, a visible light camera, a microwave radiometer, a solar occultation Fourier transform spectrometer.
- Docking ports: 3.
- Solar panels: two-sided, total 648 square meters.
- Pressurized volume: 755 cubic metres.
- Free volume: about 380 cubic metres.
- Onboard propellant: 25,000 kg (N2O4/MMH)
- Anti radiation shelter: 50,000 kg (H2O)
- Derived from: Quasar 452 upper stage.
- Launcher: Quasar 452.
- Total in-orbit weight: 178,633 kg.

Challenger
----------------
- Multipurpose expansion module.
- Self-sustained and capable of orbital solo operations.
- Facilities: Main workshop; logistic/storage area.
- Docking ports: 4.
- Solar panels: two-sided for 266 square meters; single-sided for 22 square meters; total 288 square meters.
- Pressurized volume: 313 cubic metres.
- Free volume: about 140 cubic metres.
- Onboard propellant: 5,000 kg (N2O4/MMH)
- Derived from: HES-5 rocket stage (Jarvis M upper stage).
- Launcher: Jarvis E.
- Total in-orbit weight: 50,434 kg.

Starchaser
----------------
- Scientific laboratory.
- Partially self-sustained; not capable of orbital solo operations.
- Facilities: Main workshop; samples airlock; exposed facility with canadarm (to be launched separately).
- Docking ports: 1.
- Solar panels: two-sided, 88 square meters.
- Pressurized volume: 144 cubic metres.
- Free volume: about 82 cubic metres.
- Onboard propellant: no.
- Derived from: Neptune-1B upper stage (LH2 tank only).
- Launcher: Jarvis L (Quasar 220/Eridanus for the exposed facility).
- Total in-orbit weight: 17,641 kg (About 24,000 kg with the exposed facility).

Greenhouse
------------------
- Hydroponic facility.
- Not self-sustained; not capable of solo operations.
- Facilities: hydroponics; Earth observation area.
- Docking ports: 1.
- Solar panels: no.
- Pressurized volume: 144 cubic metres.
- Free volume: about 76 cubic metres.
- Onboard propellant: no.
- Derived from: Neptune-1B upper stage (LH2 tank only).
- Launcher: Jarvis L.
- Total in-orbit weight: 15,992 kg.

BLEO Propulsion Module
-------------------------------------
- Propulsion module.
- Docking rings: 2.
- Onboard propellant: 205,000 kg (LOX/LH2)
- Main engine: one J-2X
- Derived from: Quasar 452 upper stage.
- Launcher: Quasar 452.
- Total in-orbit weight: TBD

 

[K_Jameson]

A fresh new image of the full station with the newly installed Exposed Facility. Oh, various things aren't yet functional, as the Starchaser's laboratory solar arrays, the Canadarm, all the animations of the Starchaser and Greenhouse modules and the grapple points (we have a total of seventeen grapple points on the station, eight of which on the Exposed Facility; the connection between it and the Starchaser laboratory is performed via docking point).
Next weekend I will concentrate on these "practical" aspects.

 

[Nicholander]

Any updates?

 

[K_Jameson]

I'm on the middle of a relocation and other *real life* issues and my titular PC is not available. I'm writing from my laptop that is less comfortable to use.
Consequently, Starlab is suspended for now; as soon as possible i'll try to resume the work.

 

[Nicholander]

Hate to ask again, but have you done any more progress? I really like the idea of this, and I'd hate to have it die, especially when It's so close to completion.

 

[K_Jameson]

Maybe in the next days I will be able (with caution) to resume some work on my station.
I never abandoned Starlab...