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> Wait, do people actually think Dyson swarms are a thing? Yes, absolutely. The main reason is that building orbitals is largely an engineering problem. You ne
by cletus 5y ago
> Wait, do people actually think Dyson swarms are a thing?
Yes, absolutely. The main reason is that building orbitals is largely an engineering problem. You need a material no stronger than stainless steel. If graphite is feasible, it allows you to build bigger orbitals but it's not necessary.
Compare this to a lot of other proposed megastructures like space elevators, which would take a material to build that doesn't currently exist.
Also, to be clear, we're talking about Dyson _Swarms_. This is the original design idea that was called Dyson Spheres but that name is often not used because people mistakenly think we're talking about a rigid shell that encompasses a star. That is not and never was the intent. It's also impossible for many reasons.
A Dyson swarm is simply a collection of orbitals. The great thing about it is you can also build it incrementally.
Note that since these are spinning orbitals they have (spin) gravity and atmospheres.
Energy is absolutely a factor here.
- UI_at_80x24 5y ago>Also, to be clear, we're talking about Dyson _Swarms_. This is the original design idea that was called Dyson Spheres but that name is often not used because people mistakenly think we're talking about a rigid shell that encompasses a star. That is not and never was the intent. It's also impossible for many reasons. Thank-you for clearing this up for me. I made a post after you, but you addressed the issues that I discarded. I now know more then I did. Thanks!
- LatteLazy 5y agoHow do such small objects maintain their atmospheres? Also, to remain in a stable orbit, wouldn't the spin force have to match the gravity of the star? So there would be no effective force left to provide gravity would there? (Similar to how people on the ISS are weightless despite still being within earth's gravity well).
- pixl97 5y agoThe vast majority of devices in a theoretical dyson sphere are energy collectors. These would be mostly flat with no atmosphere or gravity. Much larger 'space stations' could be built throughout the swarm that would have induced gravity or internal atmosphere.
- ben_w 5y agoThe problem with spin-gravity and stable orbit is specifically an issue for Niven Rings rather than all possible space habitats.
- jerf 5y agoIn fact, you can say with a straight face that we've already started to build our own Dyson swarm. We have things in orbit around our sun. All we have to do is just keep going!
- pakapaka 5y agoA rigid dyson sphere is also easily possible for a civilization that is mining their entire solar system.
- jodrellblank 5y ago> "other proposed megastructures like space elevators, which would take a material to build that doesn't currently exist." If I remember, Isaac Arthur on YouTube[1] explained that space elevators would not need exotic material, they could be built out of steel or stone if you had enough of it - you'd end up with an inverted pyramid of steel chain so wide at the base that the forces were distributed enought that nowhere was stressed past the breaking point of steel. Not very practical today, but if humans never do develop Ringworld Scrith, not ruled out entirely. [1] https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=isaac+arthur+space+elevators https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=isaac+arthur+sp...