The 1-G Spaceship

[flaugher]

I'm starting this blog to (mostly) remind myself where I am with progress toward building a 1-G spaceship. I'm just beginning to learn how to use Anim8tor and not very good at it yet.

What I want to create is a saucer-type ship whose main engines and navigation systems are oriented straight UP rather than forward. The reason for his is that I believe this WILL be the way our next generation of spaceships operate, when we have achieved 1-G acceleration capability, which I think MAY happen in the not-too-distant future.

Basically, I think Hohlmann Transfers are for losers. The Hohlmann maneuver is fine for putting stuff into the geosync pattern, but a year and a half to Mars is not something that's ever going to inspire the masses or loosen up the politician's pocketbooks.

What I DO believe, however, is that two very important technologies are advancing nicely, and will eventually merge to give us the ability to travel STRAIGHT to our destinations by keeping our engines running for the entire trip and constantly accelerating at a rate of 9.8 meters/sec/sec. We will accelerate toward our destination for half the trip, then turn around at the midway point and decelerate at the same rate. This means we keep a 1-G environment going inside the craft. Occupants can sit at a table and eat with silverware, drink out of glasses, take showers, and flush the toilet. We avoid all the pitfalls of spending long periods in zero gravity.

Best of all, time is cut down severely. Mars becomes LESS THAN 3 DAYS AWAY using constant 1-G acceleration/deceleration. The moons of Jupiter and Saturn are perhaps one to two weeks away depending on the time of year.

This is the sort of thing that will really open up space travel ... for real!

The two technologies that are coming are:

Ion/beam propulsion. We have made a lot of progress in this area lately, being pressed forward by the satellite community who need a good method of ferrying expensive satellites, bringing broken ones in for repair, and other chores. And I think that the issue of space junk is about to heat up, and ion propulsion could play a big role in that.

Already we are looking at 1 to 1.2 meters/sec/sec acceleration rates for weeks on end. All we need to get to is 9.8 meters/sec/sec for human travellers to have a 1-G environment.

The second technology is that of energy storage and release; basically, batteries and supercapacitors. Battery tech didn't advance for quite some time until laptops, cell phones, and iPods came along. Now we have lithium ion and metal hydroxide in mass production, and many newer developments on the cad screen.

I especially have hope for supercapacitors, which are basically storage devices which do not produce their own electricity out of chemical reactions. They can be recharged easily, give you a lot of power when you need it, and can store a lot of charge when certain components are cooled to near absolute zero (which we have in space).

On the day when we can build a 1-G spacecraft, space travel will literally explode.



I'd like to build a whole system complete with depots, repair facilities, rescue stations, vacation spots, etc. built on the premise of a fleet of cheap, easy-to-operate, 1-G spacecraft.

:speakcool:

 

[flaugher]

Thinking tonight about what might happen first once 1-G travel is achieved. Columbus may have used government funds to discover America, but it was capitalism that settled the colonies.

Depending on how expensive things are initially, will probably start out with expensive sightseeing trips for the rich/famous, then some mix of private and govt funded explorers. Rough habitats will likely be next (like sod houses on the Plains), but if industry takes off that should quickly transition to complexes with amenities and eventually family living areas.

Thinking that initial habits and depots will be orbiting and revolving; gravity by centrifugal force like many Orbiter stations. Surface bases maybe, but not for permanent living unless gravity is ok. POSSIBLY look into wheels that sit on ground or buried in shallow pits for protection/stability. Have to be the right planet/moon though.

Probable commerce: Research, surveying and mapping, mining, possibly off-world heavy construction in low-G, and most certainly vacationing once costs come down.

Probable support: Depots, maintenance and repair, rescue stations, medical, communications and navigation aids, and eventually consumer goods for habitat occupants (orbital or surface based).

 

[flaugher]

Oh, a 14-year-old German boy was hit by a meteor today! Wow! Kinda makes a case for underground facilities on planets and moons without heavy atmosphere, especially out near the asteroid belt. Nothing like a good ton of rock over your head to deflect the occassional space gravel. :hmm:

 

[flaugher]

Probably most 1-G ships would be computer controlled, and eventually many cargo ships might be remote controlled. Not much to control anyway ... set the ship on course, make sure the turnaround happens, then make refinements for the approach.

Might see waystations established (like ARTCC's) to make sure no one collides (unlikely anyway) and that turnarounds happen properly ... advise rescue if a ship gets off course, etc.

Any ship that missed its turnaround would quickly get by the destination. Failsafes? Remote shutdown and/or braking procedures?

:hmm:

 

[flaugher]

I guess one issue people have regarding long trips (like Saturn) is the chance of striking something like a rock (small asteroid, whatever) enroute. Speed of a 1-G craft would be very high at midpoint.

I think the issue is one of "acceptable risk". We take acceptable risks every time we drive a car, ride a bike, or fly in an airplane. Arriving at Mars in under four days significantly lowers the cosmic ray and solar burst danger by lowering the total time spent in open space compared to 189 days for a Hohlmann transfer.

As for space rocks, perhaps some kind of warning system that can redirect the path in time. Optical system illuminated by lasers?