Space colonization strategies.

[Rebiu]

Compare and Contrast

 

Surface colonies

Underground colonies

Orbital colonies

Lighter than air colonies

Surface crawler colonies

 

I suggest that using these strategies any body in the solar system can be colonized.

[Queso]

show me :)

[Jay-qu]

so long and thanks for all the fish spaces.msn.com/hypo-space/

42

:)

[CraigD]

Compare and Contrast

 

Surface colonies

…

I suggest that using these strategies any body in the solar system can be colonized.

Though I agree that nearly any body in the solar system can be colonized, I doubt that anyone would want to colonize many of them.

 

Just as on Earth, to be attractive to colonization, an extraterrestrial body must have something of value to offer its colonists. Most bodies in the solar system are small and far from the sun – hundreds of thousands of Kuiper objects and asteroids, vs. the 9 (or 10 or 11, depending on how you’re counting them) planets and their moons - offering little such value, so are, I think, unlikely candidates for colonization (although they may be attractive as source of raw material).

 

I expect that exploitable energy will be the main asset that attracts colonization of extraterrestrial bodies, and that the greatest available sources of exploitable energy in the solar system will be the orbital motion of gas giant moons and solar radiation - see ”Sheer human fecundity” and ”Relevance of space elevators in a 1,000,000 times more energy rich civilization” in 5550.

[Rebiu]

Though I agree that nearly any body in the solar system can be colonized, I doubt that anyone would want to colonize many of them.

 

Just as on Earth, to be attractive to colonization, an extraterrestrial body must have something of value to offer its colonists. Most bodies in the solar system are small and far from the sun – hundreds of thousands of Kuiper objects and asteroids, vs. the 9 (or 10 or 11, depending on how you’re counting them) planets and their moons - offering little such value, so are, I think, unlikely candidates for colonization (although they may be attractive as source of raw material).

 

I expect that exploitable energy will be the main asset that attracts colonization of extraterrestrial bodies, and that the greatest available sources of exploitable energy in the solar system will be the orbital motion of gas giant moons and solar radiation - see ”Sheer human fecundity” and ”Relevance of space elevators in a 1,000,000 times more energy rich civilization” in 5550.

The solar system is unexplored and technologies are currently based on terrestrially available resource. As the factors change so will the motivation to colonize.

[Adrian Cobon]

Mercury, heavy metallic core and so close to the sun solar energy most efficent.

 

Venus? Probable too difficult to terraform and what is the point of mineral exploitation if the surface is hades incarnate?

 

Earth, Nope, too many people!

 

Mars, This is probably going to be the most easily terraformed planet, so this is a surefire bet. The silicon can be broken into smaller elements, I believe?

 

Europa? Doesn't this body have ice? Wouldn't this be the best spot for a colony of reclusive people who cannot stand Inner System hustle and bustle?

[anglepose]

What is the point??

why send humans when you can send robots

and whats the point of sending robots

[Eclogite]

What is the point??

Reason 1: To avoid having all humanity's eggs in one basket.

Reason 2: To gain access to resources (of energy, material and spirit) on a scale unachievable on Earth.

Reason 3: To realise one of the defining characteristics of humans since our ancestors stepped out of the trees: the urge to explore, to see what is over the next hill.

 

why send humans when you can send robots

Do you go on holiday? If so why? Why not just watch documentaries of the places you visit? After all, beer will taste the same in your living room.

 

and whats the point of sending robots

If you are asking that, then I have to ask - what you are doing on a science forum? Science is the controlled application of human curiosity. Are you not curious?

[Aireal]

The Next Need in Spaceship , Space Colony Design

 

What will be the next great need in ship and space colony design? What strategies must we adopt to colonize space?

 

NASA talks about going back to the moon and using it as a springboard to Mars, but I have heard no serious talk of how a moon base will be built or supplied. In the near future there will be a need for a cheap transport ship from the International Space Station to the Moon, There may also be the need for a second space station in orbit around the moon. However, I have not heard of NASA nor anyone else working on this need.

 

We don't need the U.S.S. Enterprise for this mission, not even a fancy shuttle, just cheap transport. Well, cheap by spaceship standards I mean. To ease loading and unloading of cargo, the ship should have a cargo area with bay doors like the shuttle. A robotic arm could unload cargo containers straight from shuttles bay to the transports cargo bay. A robotic arm at the Moonbase Space Station would unload it, load it if needed, before making the return trip.

 

As this ship design needs to be cheap, but work for a number of years, an ion drive would be the best bet. Another more powerful drive could be added for getting up to speed, breaking, and so on. With a cargo ship, time is not as important, so you might get by with just an ion drive as the main drive. To cut costs even more, these ships could be automated to perform this task, with remote manual overrides of course. People would be needed to supervise loading and unloading, unless this could be automated somehow also. But people would still be needed close by, to take remote control if needed. We can cut the costs of these transports even more by using solar panels as the main power supply. Over time a whole fleet of these little ships could be making cargo runs. Please read my post on ion drives and radiation shielding.

 

Other issues need to be addressed if these ship are to be the main transport vessel. What if we need to move items that will not fit in the cargo bay? This is best addressed by making the ship modular in design from the start. If the command and engine modules could be separated from the standard cargo module, and then be attached to any other type of module, then you would have versatility. Versatility like this will be what we need to expand into space, building stations and colonies as we go. Modules for such space construction could be put in place of a cargo module for transporting to the site. After delivery, the command and engine modules are reattached, and a much shorter ship, makes the return trip.

 

This concept of modular versatility can be extended to ease the construction of space stations and colonies as well. As these transport ships age, ion drives, solar panels, and the like will degrade. These ship could be refitted, or used as building material for other space structures. Waste not, want not, I was always told. Once a ship has paid for itself plus a little profit, it may make good business sense to replace them with new ships, and recycle the hulls for other projects. This would give a head start on construction, and reduce the new projects overhead. Let's examine how this would work.

 

The moonbase space station I mentioned, would not be much of a station, even smaller than the I.S.S. as its main job is just to transfer cargo. Picture one of the cargo ships, with a large flat staging area and a robotic arm instead of the cargo bay module, the ion drive being used to keep it in orbit. The robotic arm would remove a cargo container from a ship and place it in a landing pod on the staging area. The pod is released from the staging area by electro-magnetic locks, and the robotic arm would move it off to the side of the platform to begin decent to the moon. On the surface, crews would unload the cargo, refill the pod, and send it back up. Once there the robotic arm would place it back on the staging area, and lock it back down till needed again. The first real test for our modular approach will not be here, but when we head to Mars, or elsewhere.

 

Mars will need a far larger space station than the I.S.S. in Earth orbit. Large enough that we could test some space colony concepts here. If it were up to me, we would head to the asteroid belt before Mars, as I believe we will need material from the asteroid belt to help build other colonies. NASA has yet to ask my opinion on this matter, so until then, we will most likely go where they lead. With water being one of the main resources we will need in space, a spot near an icy moon may also be a good location for a space colony. As I have not gave a great deal of thought as to the mission need of a space station/colony in orbit over Mars, so forgive me if I pass on this subject for now and move on to the first space colonies. One last thought before I move on that I just had. The space colony in orbit around Mars has a magnetic field as one of its radiation defences. Will this change the amount of radiation hitting the ground in its shadow? If so, would it be worthwhile to use a network of satellites to provide some protection for the colony on the planet? Now let's move on.

 

Any early colony in space will start near some resource. Later some may be built for other reasons, and have vastly different concepts, but not at first. Because they are there to exploit some resource, they need to be productive almost from the start. So any design for a colony must allow for the expansion that will come. This limits us in the type of colony we can build to a degree. The first concept that comes to mind would resemble a spoked wheel with a hub. But as it grows, that may change. By locating the positive and negative poles of our Rad. Shield at the ends of the hub, the central spokes and ring are in the zone of max. protection. More spokes and more distant rings would be added. The hub would be extended to allow for more spoke and ring levels. The final form may be sphere of large rings, connected by spokes and tubes. This end design would keep all areas within the shape of the magnetic field. In short, it needs to be built of modular sections that can be moved, changed, or modified as the colony grows.

 

Lucky for us, we started with a modular approach to space travel and construction. Before the first crew arrives, a number of our supply ships will have been sent ahead and waiting. In addition to a full cargo hold, each one will have a extra module for the colony construction. The crew would arrive in a ship with a construction module. It would have extended crew quarters, robotic arm, and airlocks. The crew would live and work from this ship till the base of the hub of the is built. Then other crew can arrive to start mining operations, do internal work on the colony, and so on. With every supply ship comes one more module to add to the growing structure. Like any settlement, it will draw people for many reasons. The growth may be rapid. Companies will want access to the colony for the profit resources and people provide.

 

At this point the space race will begin in full force. Those at the front of this movement stand the most to gain, or lose. New technologies will come at an increasing rate. But we will need a fleet of supply ships to get us this far. They won't be any any art praising their elegant shape, no movies about it and the crews 5 year mission to haul water to thirsty people. The supply ships have nothing going for them except the will be cheap, and they will get the job done. They will be the backbone of space exploration.

[Adrian Cobon]

Good ideas, but I have some questions...

Exaclty how much would this cost a private company to do this? Rarely will a government spend billions of dollars on a project that has a high risk of failure and be so far outside of its populace's reach.

I know that future technology will lower the cost, but how big would the company have to be before it can afford to lose the huge amount of start-up money? Basic economics - if you cannot make up the money quickly enough to pay off the debitors don't bother. And how exactly will these colonies be ran? Is that area international territory, thus potential United Nations ground? Or do you think big governments would nationalize regions for their own benefit?

[Eclogite]

Adrian,

your questions, I think, expose the heart of the matter. Space exploration, and even more so, colonisation, is not as much a technical matter as a political matter.

Twelve years after the first satellite went into orbit men were walking on the moon. Why? Because the political will was there. Consequently the technical challenge was readily met.

Had the political will remained we should have been on Mars by the 1980s, with a basic colony now well established. Once again it is not the technical difficulty that keeps us in Near Earth Orbit, but lack of political will.

 

And if, through slow progress, such exploration became affordable by large private companies we shall likely see governments resisting this step. Why? Governments, of the East and the West, like to control their populations. You cannot control someone who is sitting on abundant energy and unimaginable quantities of raw materials.

[Racoon]

And if, such exploration became affordable by large private companies we shall likely see governments resisting this step. Why? Governments, of the East and the West, like to control their populations. You cannot control someone who is sitting on abundant energy and unimaginable quantities of raw materials.

 

Good point Eclogite.

What if these companies that could afford such an endevour have MORE control and influence than governments??

 

Mars will be colonised by Wal-Mart!

Wal-Mars!! :(

 

I'm sure they could set up "distribution" chains...and find a way to turn a profit on the resources...eventually.

[CraigD]

http://hypography.com/forums/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=94710

 

Exaclty how much would this cost a private company to do this? …

I know that future technology will lower the cost, but how big would the company have to be before it can afford to lose the huge amount of start-up money? Basic economics - if you cannot make up the money quickly enough to pay off the debitors don't bother.

Many technologists and science fiction writers have considered these questions in varying seriousness and depth. Most have concluded that private space exploration could be made sufficiently attractive to short-term venture capitalists to be adequately funded (unsurprisingly, as it would make discouraging reading for them to conclude that it could not).

 

If the venture in question is funded mostly or entirely by private venture capitol, the size and financial resources of the actual enterprise company can be minimal.

 

A few of the more interesting proposals for a space program with a rapid return on investment of which I’m aware include:

• Power - using earth orbiting microwave lasers (masers) to launch “starwisp” exploration vehicles, then using the same lasers to provide electrical power to ground microwave receiver stations. (see “Indistinguishable from Magic” http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0671876864/103-4655908-3096630, by Robert Forward http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Forward)
  
• Rare metals - Using a mass-driver to insert a metallic asteroid into an Earth orbit, then mining and deorbiting large quantities of very valuable metal (eg: platinum). (various writers)
  
• Amusement park rides - Putting telepresent robots on the Moon, and allowing “tourists” to operate them for a high price. (various writers)
  
• Movies - Releasing a video documentary of a manned space mission commercially, in the hope that if would generate great theatrical and video and revenues. (See “Voyage to the Red Planet” http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0380755742/103-4655908-3096630 by Terry Bisson http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Bisson).
  

[TheBigDog]

I think that we could have a private space station in five years if we set our minds to doing it. We would need to exploit the modern methods of funding.

 

Self contained units about the size of a small mobile home would be launched one at a time on the nose of a Delta rocket. There would be a capsule like reentry vehicle/command module on each. You would fund each launch primarily by lottery. You would sell tickets for say $10 each to be a crew member, including $10,000,000 in prize money. A total of 50,000,000(maybe less?) tickets would be sold for each launch. That would cover the cost of construction and launch of each module. Then I would have a reality show surrounding each launch for the opportunity to be a crew member for the mission. The revenue from the show would also go to fund each mission and keep the public interest in the program at a peak. Call it a four man crew. I pure passenger in the lottery winner. 1 reality show winner as a worker, and 2 mission specialists. Also have corporate funding for each mission, including advertising on the launch rocket, capsule, reentry vehicle, etc. Commercialize the hell out of it to get it paid for.

 

With a bit of venture capital and the right players you could begin the process tomorrow. The idea is to keep it simple and make it profitable from day one. It is a place for people to go and enjoy. Use proven technologies, and give everyone in the world the chance to play along.

 

Once you have the station established you begin the process of making it first a permanent private space laboratory with companies renting space for research and experiments. The Company would run the place. A larger reentry vehicle would be launched from a Delta and dock with the station to bring people and supplies, and bring others back down.

 

Once the core of the station was built you could continue to make it grow like a honeycomb using the same modular pieces. At the center nearest the earth would be the docking module. This is where ships would attach to the station. At the space end of this would be the center section of the station. It would be surrounded by six other sections. There would be transit tubes at both ends for moving from one section to another. This configuration of 8 pieces would be the core of the station. Around this you would put another 12 sections forming the outer portions of the station.

 

I envision ultimately building a ring around the outside of the core at a distance of x feet. Once completed the whole station would be spun so that is would have high enough gravity in the ring to prevent bone and muscular deterioration, yet be going slowly enough that the outer part of the inner section would have very near zero g, and the center would be functionally at zero g. You could extend the zero g section like a tail pointing into space using the same modular design.

 

Stability of the ring would be provided my having an ocean that it floats on. Under the floors would be water bed style bags of water with connecting tubes. With the floors floating in this manner you would always have perfectly distributed weight around the ring. This large reservoir of water also lets the inhabitants have a more hygienic stay in space that they get today.

 

Who wants to see it happen? How long should it take to get this started?

 

Bill

[Rebiu]

The lunar dirt or regolith contains all the necessary elements for a self generating colony on the moon.

 

The major elements in lunar regolith are

Oxygen

Silicon

Aluminum

Calcium

Magnesium

Iron

Sodium

Titanium

 

Minor elements

Sulphur

Phosphorus

Carbon

Hydrogen

Nitrogen

Helium

Neon

Argon

Krypton

Xenon

 

The regolith is already a fine powder and therefore in the optimal form for collecting and processing. The raw regolith can be compressed and sintered into building blocks as pavement. The oxygen can be combined with hydrogen from the solar wind to create water. Solar panels can be constructed from these native materials therefore making electrical energy one of the most abundant resources.

 

These resources are so readily available and easily processed on the moon that, once the infrastructure is in place no terrestrial system will be able to compete. Finished products can easily be accelerated to earth from the lunar surface or any other solar body. Launch from the earth to the moon cost $10,000/lb but will cost virtually nothing to launch form the moon.

[Aireal]

Adrian Cobon, Since making my post I have learned that the Russian's have seen the need for small, cheap, supply ship.

 

On another forum, several of us are working out the details for such a ship, and it does not appear to be as complcated as we first thought, and many off the self technologies can be used, so not as much research will be needed to get this concept off the ground. Thus the company need not be very large, as many components can be bought or sub-contracted.

 

Funding it may be the hardest part, until the first ship is built. Once in space, like any transport company, they would charge a fee to deliver cargo from low Earth orbit to whereever it was needed. It would take a number of years before construction and launch costs were paid for, so investors would have to wait some time before a profit is seen. People who invest in space travel would not be looking for a quick return on their money, but would expect large returns at a latter date.

 

Lastly you ask if big goverments would national regions of space for their own benefit. If the private sector does not get involved in space, of course they will. Why else would they plant a flag on the Moon, or any other rock they land on? If companies can get to an area first, they will most likely do the same. If alien life is ever discovered that is not as advanced as us, they will suffer the same fate as the American Indians in our rush to claim new lands. Technology advances quickly, but humanity does not.

[chamilton333]

underground colonies would be the best strategy, i think. in any case, we would have to manufacure a fake atmosphere. a huge dome would have to be constructed. it would probly be cheaper to burrow down, and create an atmosphere were the soil would naturally keep the air belowground. and how to get food? if you just shipped it it would cost about 60 million dollars per trip!:eek_big: if we had farms, we might be able to genetically modify the food to make it accept the nutrients in the moonsoil. but the soil might not be able to provide the proper nutrients. could genetic engineering be advanced enough by the time we colonize the moon to make a whole knew moon species, with a totally knew look, taste, and cell makup? and what about animals?