Project "Starlab" space station

[K_Jameson]

So now it's a multi-module assembly, but still not as complex as "Gaia."

It is a station with a different direction. Let's say a single-module with optional expansions. With a strong reuse of existing hardware (rocket stages).

The core remains Starlab, the main station. That could be used alone or in addition with secondary modules, at choice of the orbinaut. I don't expect to produce many others different modules besides the ones presented here. Perhaps no other. Because I don't want to remake a real multi-module station in the way of Gaia, ISS or Mirai. Also, the large volume of every module allows to gain a great amount of habitable space without the need of dozens of them.

also, Deep Space 2... +7

Obviously. :thumbup:

 

[K_Jameson]

I have a question.
As you may know, my original intention was to place the station in a coplanar orbit to the ISS (with some difference in altitude). I wonder if this placement can involve some risks for both the stations, because any eventual debris originated by one station will remain in the orbital path of the other for all the time. This fear makes any sense?

 

[boogabooga]

Why not let the user choose what plane they want to put the space station in?

 

[K_Jameson]

This is obvious. No obligation to do anything. The users will have full ability to choose the preferred orbit.
But, like Antares that comes with some predetermined missions, I want to do the same with Starlab. At least I want establish a realistic orbit in which place it.

 

[Interceptor]

Hey Andrew,I know you guys over at FOI hade made a couple of updates to the Eridanus spaceplane including a refitted nose cap,so it won't block the RCS,and an extended arm for the RMS,any chance of releasing these with the starlab?it would be a shame to see those very useful updates go to waiste.Thanks

 

[Kyle]

I have a question.
As you may know, my original intention was to place the station in a coplanar orbit to the ISS (with some difference in altitude). I wonder if this placement can involve some risks for both the stations, because any eventual debris originated by one station will remain in the orbital path of the other for all the time. This fear makes any sense?

Salyut 7 and Mir did this. The last Salyut crew even transferred to Mir.

 

[ISProgram]

Well there might be a debris concern, but normally debris jettisoned from the ISS is placed in a retrograde orbit so it won't reencounter; this would't be an issue.

Abnormal debris events which shed from the higher station will be a threat to the lower one, but not vice versa. Any debris which might threaten the lower station could easily be handled with via a Pre-Determined Avoidance Maneuver (PDAM).

 

[K_Jameson]

Thanks.
Maybe, after all, another orbiter can be recommended...

 

[Lmoy]

Well there might be a debris concern, but normally debris jettisoned from the ISS is placed in a retrograde orbit so it won't reencounter; this would't be an issue.

I'm not very familiar with ISS operations; how does one put debris in a retrograde orbit? Wouldn't that require firing it out the back at over 15 km/s relative to the station? What would be the point of that versus just firing it out fast enough to cause it to reenter?

 

[boogabooga]

I think he meant a lower orbit- caused by launching the debris retrograde.

 

[K_Jameson]

Today, launch test of the Challenger expansion module with the Jarvis E rocket. Because of the radiator/sun shade/micrometeoroid shield that surrounds the module, its width slightly exceeds the maximum allowed by the standard fairing of the Jarvis E launcher. The larger alternative, the 10-meters optional fairing of the Jarvis M, is too large for the E version, and more important, involves an unacceptable weight penality, so I was forced to produce a custom fairing only for this payload.
The weight of the Challenger is very close to the maximum limit of the Jarvis E payload (and I don't want to move to the Jarvis H, that is a little overkill for this payload). For allowing some margin, I was forced to slightly reduce the weight of the module, hypothesizing that some equipments will be installed in subsequent logistic missions. Also, i've cut the fuel complement from 7,000 to 5,000 kg. I've modified my view for the launch procedure: because Challenger lacks orbital maneuvring engines, important orbital adjustments only with the small RCS are painfully slow. So, I've thinked to let the coarse corrections at the Jarvis E third stage, and only the fine-tuning and all the final ride at the module itself.

Later today or tomorrow, some screenshots.

---------- Post added at 09:27 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:11 PM ----------

As promised, some screenshots. Launch, first stage ascent, first staging, second stage action, second staging and third stage ignition, orbital insertion.
I've highlighted the "off-standard" nature of the new fairing painting it of black instead white.

 

[fred18]

Make the tests with ms2015

 

[K_Jameson]

Obviously I will do it!
I've used the good old multistage version because I have more familiarity with it...

 

[fred18]

Obviously I will do it!
I've used the good old multistage version because I have more familiarity with it...

If i made correctly the first step of my job you should not see any difference between them

 

[K_Jameson]

Yesterday, I've tried some drawings of a "concept 3" "concept 4" Starchaser laboratory, the last main component that I want include in the package or in a subsequent expansion. This time, a custom-built module rather than conversion of an existing stage, or a conversion of a smaller stage that can be inserted in the Eridanus cargo bay (for example a Neptune-1 upper stage), that in this case I want use for the delivery of the module.

The Eridanus bay is much smaller than the Shuttle's one (and the payload capability is limited at some 14,000 kg), and I want to ship the entire Starchaser laboratory in one piece, so the resultant module would be far smaller than the others: about half of the length of the Kibo facility that I've take as reference. The total pressurized volume should be around 70 cubic metres (compare it with the 250 cubic metres of the Challenger module and the 700 cubic metres of the Starlab core station) and the real free space only about 25/30 cubic metres because of the various racks installed.
A little cramped?

 

[K_Jameson]

Despite my pessimistic statement, I was able to perform some other work in these days. Here, Starchaser laboratory study model... 5.

This is far more promising than the previous idea (that I have not shown).
The Starlab raison d'etre is to provide an outpost created with less and larger elements than a classic modular station (ISS or Mirai style), and to obtain them from existing hardware in order to keep down the hypotetical costs and construction times, so I wanted to return at my previous roots and to search another rocket stage to convert.

My choice fell on the Neptune-1B cryogenic second stage. A reasonably sized stage that can provide a spatious orbital facility, altough smaller than the big Challenger expansion module.

So I took the stage, thrown away the LOX tank an kept the LH2 tank, filling it with all the necessary equipments. At front, the Vittorio's mini Canadarm and the exposed facility with the related airlock for samples and a porthole.

Laterally, I've opened some other windows. At back, the connection port and a small service module that I've equipped with some deployable solar panels.
The total pressurized volume is almost exactly 150 cubic metres. As usual, the real free space is much smaller because of the various racks installed, let's say one half of this.

Some images.

Overview:



The internals through the windows:


The small airlock and the porthole. The exposed facility is not complete.


Cutaway. All the consolles are identical with the exception of the last at right, that I've equipped with a small joystick for the canadarm control.


Hypothesis of the station assembled with the various modules. The Deep Space 2 additional shelter module is not shown because is in doubt.
Blue: the Starlab core station. Green: Challenger MPEM (MultiPurpose Expansion Module). Red: Starchaser laboratory.


Unlike the previous modules, Starchaser hasn't autonomous flight capability and because of its 5.6 meters width and some 20 tons weight, don't fit anymore in the Eridanus cargo bay. So I have to study a way to reach the space station.

 

[IronRain]

Unlike the previous modules, Starchaser hasn't autonomous flight capability and because of its 5.6 meters width and some 20 tons weight, don't fit anymore in the Eridanus cargo bay. So I have to study a way to reach the space station.

What about the maneuvering thrusters on the first Gaia module? Those were designed just for this job IIRC?

 

[K_Jameson]

This can be an idea, although a permanent RCS system would be more practical at this point. In alternative, i'm thinking at an Eridanus or Antares crew that could dock at the module and take it to the Starlab.

This image came to my mind:

Such a mission can be interesting for the orbinaut because offers a different flight profile.

 

[K_Jameson]

Following the Pipcard's efforts on the hydroponic module for the Mirai station, i've realized that such a facility would be ideal even for our station.

Starlab is primarily a testbed for deep space habitats - the core itself is a prototype for an Earth-Mars hab or for a lunar orbital outpost. In consequence, a primary field of research aboard the station is the biology and phisiology of the space travel in LEO and BLEO environments. The Starchaser module will add a specialized laboratory for material research. A logical follow-up is a facility for research in food supply for prolonged missions in deep space.

The study model n. 5 of Starchaser, based on the Neptune-1B second stage LH2 tank, is a simple and versatile design that can be adapted very easily for other uses and thus can provide this "greenhouse" module.

Here, an hypothesis for the complete station with the two new modules in red and orange. With only four modules we will have a total pressurized volume of about 1250 cubic metres - six times my apartment ;-)

 

[K_Jameson]

I think that the above configuration could be considered the definitive baseline layout of the full station. The full weight is about 265 tons.
The additional shelter is abandoned for now, but could be an additional block for those that want to use it. Soon, some screenshots of the Greenhouse module.

The main concern is how to ship the two latter modules at the station. The addition of a full RCS system for rototraslation (currently not present in the meshes), to be used in combination with the launcher's last stage for the rough orbital maneuvres, can be the simplest way, with the various additional equipments of the Starchaser laboratory that can be delivered aboard Eridanus in a separate mission. The addition of such a system would increase the mass of each module of some tons.

Another system would be the separate launch of an Antares or even a Verrazzano in the "space tug" configuration (no cargo, full complement of propellants), for a docking with the module and shipping at the station. So far, so good, but my concern is the ability of the spacecrafts to perform the fine translation maneuvres required for the docking with a large off-center mass docked at the nose. The station hasn't for now a resident canadarm for berthing and docking the modules, making the process problematic. A separate Eridanus launch for shipping a canadarm to the station would be required, but this will raise the requirements to at least four total launches for only two modules (the modules, the tug and the canadarm), that is unacceptable, altough we can directly use Eridanus as tug, not counting that a resident canadarm would be surely useful.

A cool method would be to launch all with Eridanus, installing the module in the never-used-before nosecone of the Quasar 220 launcher, that is designed from the beginning for payloads too large for the spaceplane's bay. In orbit, after the separation from the launcher, Eridanus will dock at the module and will take it to the station. Once in proximity of the station, Eridanus will use its canadarm to berth and install the module at the right place. In the same mission, the spaceplane will transport additional equipments in the bay as the resident canadarm for the core station and the various additional equipments for the Starchaser laboratory. The only problem here is the weight.

A final thought is to use the same space tug once designed for the Gaia project ("Ercole"), or the removable RCS system designed by Fausto.

Other suggestions?