Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Small Steps....

Big Gains


Ladies and Gentlemen,


Every technology, every dream begins with a seed. Be that seed faith, prior science, or just plain determination. Today, that seed is the ISS. We keep trying to analyze data, we send people up for extended periods of time, and finally to test the integrity of our science in the harsh reality of space.


Right now we struggle with simple issues such as bone loss from microgravity, muscles atrophying, and low levels of radiation (the station is still in earth's magnetic shielding). We must resolve this issues before we can begin the major portion of the work I am proposing in my blog. We can solve both bone loss and atrophy by solving artificial gravity. I have already addressed a few ideas we as a people have put forward on artificial gravity. Magnetic fields (combined with metal threads or struts in the clothing) and spinning stations can fake gravity to an extent.


Radiation is a bigger issue. Magnetics, atmospheric composition, and the size of the atmosphere all play a role here on earth. In space, we have to modulate all of these. We can provide magnetics through an electromagnetic core but we will have to examine shielding of a different nature to replace composition and size of the atmosphere. An earth normal atmosphere in the station will be too small effectively destroy or divert cosmic (solar and celestial body based) radiation, much less a solar storm that could destroy electronics. We know that water-ice could be useful, and so could certain minerals and elements found in rock (particularly things like lead which can be poisonous).


Along with these two major issues is space dust. Once we get outside of the earth's protection, and even inside of it, the issue is how much damage could this dust and debris do to a station in space.


Have a great time exploring the skies... Whether by telescope or by rocket.

Monday, August 20, 2007

Time to have lunch on the moon....

An example lunar polar base


From the pole, run out sheathed electrical cabling every 30° to exposed terminals. Due to the temperature difference on the sides of the moon, this should generate an electric potential that can be tapped at a polar power station. From a nearby terminal to we then run a coiled cable around the moon every mile or so (engineers may say this has to be done more or less frequently) to generate a magnetic field. This field it is hoped, would divert solar radiation away from a base around 5 miles out from the pole.


The base itself will be a standard module, semi-spherical in shape connected to the power plant. The power feeds will create an additional magnetic field around the module through additional coils in the outer structure. Magnetic coils are also recommended in the flooring to divert accumulated radiation on the surface of the moon away from the astronauts. Over the coils around the top and sides of the structure, we should have a layer of non-magnetic sheathing material. We will place layers of ice and regolith over this sheath to further reduce incoming solar radiation and increase insolation. Hatches will be present on the ground side (2 recommended) for access and a thick lens hatch available on the top as part of an observatory would be optional, though it is recommended that a lunar observatory be constructed in a different manor and remotely operated for the majority of its day.

Thursday, August 09, 2007

Homo Exterra

A space race....


So I cheated... Homo Sapiens is the Genus and Species of the modern man. Exterra is a combination of 2 latin words ex (out of, from) and terra (earth, land, ground). When we move to space as a permanent habitat, we may have generations of people growing up in microgravity. A recent article suggested that bone loss from microgravity can become so severe for long trips that the astronaut may be unable to return home.


NASA has been studying bone loss to extend the active duty time of its astronauts as well as increase their level of comfort between extended trips (such as 6 months on the ISS). Here's their main concern as stated in the article:

Exposure to the microgravity environment of space causes astronauts to lose calcium from bones. This loss occurs because the absence of Earth's gravity disrupts the process of bone maintenance in its major function of supporting body weight.


Because of this, our first permanent settlement, not just an outpost, may be manned by generations of people who's bodies will be shaped much differently from our own or may just be too brittle to visit "Mother Earth" or Gaea, to borrow from Greek Mythology. Now, there are many stories where people have very dense or very light bone structure and can't handle a "normal" environment properly anymore. Do not be surprised if in the next generation, Homo Exterra are transmitting back to earth home sick letters looking for someway to experience their roots....

Friday, July 27, 2007

Living on a moon....

A harsh mistress


You may not think about it, because it's not common on good ol' terra firma but radiation is blasting out across the solar system every microsecond... some will strike the surface or atmosphere of a planet. This radiation is shielded from us by the very makeup of earth. However, out in space, it may be a completely different story.


Because of this, lunar habitats are going to require a slightly different construction plan than earth neighborhoods or the space station. You've all seen the drawings of huge domed cities on the surface of a planet or moon. This is only going to help the incoming radiation and the atmosphere. This does not help, however, our big concern: Is the surface of a lunar body harmfully radioactive to long-term habitation?


Since we don't have radiological studies of every potential habitat out in space, we have to start designing as if the answer is yes. We will need to create a bed of radiation absorbing materials that does not re-transmit or at the least redirects it away from the settlement. What might this structure look like? A layer of highly dense material, an ice layer, and a second layer of dense material? I myself do not know. What I do know is that even here on earth we are concerned about health hazards from the ground such as radon and carbon monoxide. Building for these settlements may catapult forward construction here on earth and protection from these dangers.


Until next time...

Monday, July 23, 2007

Artificial Gravity, Real Concerns

How to live with the weight of space


Once again I have come to you, my few random readers, to address concerns with future space life. We can't have dozens, hundreds, or the unlimited potential of humanity walking around using magnetic boots for their entire space life. So, for the real question:


How do we mimic gravity?


We have in the past heard of things terms as "artificial gravity". What do we know about gravity that makes us believe we can fake it. The answer is surprisingly simple: It is a force. We can spin a massive object and it will draw to the outer edges all of the force because of momentum.


Our biggest problem to date is that we do not have a massive enough object in rotation with people actually inhabiting it. This brings up our second major issue: Cosmic radiation. If you are being spun to the outside of the object, you are closest to the source of harmful radiation. The earth uses a multi-layer radiation defense system that we would have to mimic as well. This includes: a magnetic field, an atmosphere, a water barrier (clouds for example), and an ionosphere. Out in space, we also have to include thermal insulation (which is provided by the heat retaining quality of the oceans here on terra firma).


So, how will you prepare for this? What feats of science will be required to make new worlds go around our own?


Next time: Living on a moon...