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.
