4 ms·
Two habitats with an engine in the middle spinning around like a top could provide gravity, and absorb the engine impulse. Under no acceleration the three bodie
by Cerium 11y ago
Two habitats with an engine in the middle spinning around like a top could provide gravity, and absorb the engine impulse. Under no acceleration the three bodies would be co planar, and under acceleration would deform into a cone shape.
- LeifCarrotson 11y agoThat's a smart design! If you spin up to 0.5g and accelerate at 0.5g (which, while not enough for takeoff, is plenty for interplanetary travel) the tether angle would be 45 degrees, more than enough to get out of the exhaust plume. Another free benefit would be that on a change of acceleration, angular momentum would be conserved. Rotation would increase or decrease to keep the acceleration felt by the occupants approximately constant!