SUBSIM Radio Room Forums - View Single Post - China Is Thinking About Building Kilometer-Long Spaceships

Platapus · 09-11-21, 05:49 AM

I have no doubt that any space capable country could assemble in space a craft 1,000 meters long. The question is why?

The only reason you would need to build a craft that long is if there are components that need to be kept 1,000 meters apart. Absent that requirement, it would be much better to build a more compact craft that radiates outward in a balanced manner. A sort of Lego Sphere comes to mind.

Maintaining attitude control over a craft 1,000 meters long brings up difficulties concerning balance, moment, and stress that would have to be offset by a considerable benefit.

09-11-21, 05:49 AM	#5
Platapus Fleet Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 19,397 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	I have no doubt that any space capable country could assemble in space a craft 1,000 meters long. The question is why? The only reason you would need to build a craft that long is if there are components that need to be kept 1,000 meters apart. Absent that requirement, it would be much better to build a more compact craft that radiates outward in a balanced manner. A sort of Lego Sphere comes to mind. Maintaining attitude control over a craft 1,000 meters long brings up difficulties concerning balance, moment, and stress that would have to be offset by a considerable benefit. __________________ abusus non tollit usum - A right should NOT be withheld from people on the basis that some tend to abuse that right.