4 ms·
This is a deep topic that depends on how future spaceships are designed. That in turn depends on technology. For example, if propulsion and fuel are cheap (eg
by jmyeet 4y ago
This is a deep topic that depends on how future spaceships are designed. That in turn depends on technology.
For example, if propulsion and fuel are cheap (eg fusion) you may accelerate constantly, flip around and then decelerate constantly. Do this at 1G and you will avoid problems of prolonged zero-G. If fuel is a significant part of your mass (as it is with all current rockets) then doing that will be prohibitively expensive if not impossible. That means either zero-G or spin gravity. Spin gravity necessitates a certain minimum diameter. The travel time will be much longer so you then have different psychology to deal with.
The size of the engine in each case may dictate a certain ship size. This entails different dynamics based on group size.
- ncmncm 4y agoIf you need spin gravity, you put a pair of cans at the ends of a cable. Or truss if you are being extravagant. Boosting at 1G the whole way would take a hell of a lot of fuel just for reaction mass, even with fusion. Producing enough 3He to do that with a crewed spacecraft would take a long, long time. Typically, you have to make 3H, tritium, and wait for that to decay at a half-life of 12 years.
- sjducb 4y agoThe old two spinning cans on a cable idea. When you drill into it you find that the stabilisation required for the cable is much heavier and more complex then a long rigid pole.
- ncmncm 4y agoExtravagant truss it is, then. That is, presuming stabilization is needed. Is this about keeping your solar panels pointed at the sun?
- kbelder 4y agoIf we could travel to Mars continuously thrusting at 1g the entire way, we would basically have solved most of our major problems. That would get us to Mars in days, would allow asteroid mining, would allow colonies all over the solar system with frequent restocking of supplies, O'Neil colonies, and so on. It'd be The Expanse. Unfortunately, cheap and continuous thrust like that doesn't look like it'll be available anytime soon. It would be a total gamechanger, though.