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CENTRISTATION III
J. E. D. Cline Dec. 17, 1989
A pair of unmanned engine/control system flyback modules boost a segment of a centrifugal
space habitat toroid into LEO; during launch, space station segment is serving as the fuel
tank.
This document outlines a conceptual design that is squarely on the path to space
colonization. A lowcost, safe centrifugal space station, with its launching system, that is
worthy of the 1990's. See sketch. This very economical space station conceptual design
perhaps can rekindle America's interest in the adventure of space, while providing a solid
stepping stone towards extending mankind's living resources beyond earthsurface. An
adventurous, yet practical, Space Station Habitat.
Features:
utilizes proven technologies.
a lowcost, versatile, rotating centrifugal 1gee large space station is created.
a new class of launch vehicles is created, consisting of a pair of winged flyback modules
containing only engines and control systems ... the first flyback engine cluster module drops
off prior to orbital insertion, and the second smaller singleenginemodule returns after
placement of the habitatmodule in position in orbit; and an upper stage which is built both as
a furnished space station habitat module, and also as the fuel tank during launch.
This Space Station Habitat design is a segmented toroid, for indefinitely long habitation, a
precursor to an IslandOne Stanford Torus space habitat. Each segment of the torus
circumference is built to also function as the upper stage and fuel tank during launch. The
reuseable engine(s) and control system return as stubby winged reentry vehicles back to the
launch pad site after finishing putting a segment of the toroid into LEO. (A pair of refurbishable
strapon boosters, perhaps of AMROC LOX/SRB form, could be used instead of the second
flyback engine module).
PURPOSE AND ADVANTAGES
1. Economical, safe space station construction is achieved by building the toroidal habitat on
the ground in nearly finished form; by shrinking the space shuttle orbiter to mere pair of
unmanned engine/control system flyback stubby winged shapes; making each toroidal space
station habitat segment into a fuel tank temporarily for the launch as the upper stage; and
automatic docking of the modules to form the toroidal ring of dozens to hundreds of
segments. The ring is then spunup and ready for occupancy. The inhabiting workers reach
the freefall vacuum industrial environment by climbing through spokes to the toroidal ring's
hub.
2. Centristation demonstrates space colonization, and quickly in the coming decade. As we
know, largescale space colonization potentially can be an alternative to the crowding out of
fellow lifeforms on the planet, consuming finite natural resources rapidly, and littering our
home planet with enormous heaps of garbage and refuse.
3. This project supplies the drama of space colonization started in the 1990's. Mankind needs
daily drama in life just like food and shelter. Witness the lure of television shows and
newspaper headlines. Life in space needs to encompass all the functions of being human, in
addition to being interesting and sometimes adventurous. Life there needs to be shown to be
capable of being very comfortable, safe, and supporting the mating and familyraising
activities that humans normally need. The drama of achieving these in the vast room and
resources of space can excite the imagination of humanity, supplying a new confidence in the
future of humanity and of planet earth's ecology. And Centristation could be modified for
relocation at Mars' moon Phobos, or be boosted to GEO when KESTS (KineticEnergy
Supported Transportation Structures) are operational. (An alternative way of financing this
project thus might be to present it as an ongoing TV series, realtime, from inception to
completion, showing also the spinnoffs developed by the Centristation project, such as
recycling, agriculture, and group lifestyles in action.)
4. The rotating ring, or toroid shape, has long been in American awareness as the design for
a permanently occupied space station, because it provides the artificial gravity needed for
normal bodily function. The centrifugal force simulated gravity is assumed to be able to
provide the means to overcome the unhealthy effects of weightlessness, such as immune
system disfunction, bone loss and muscular atrophy; and allow a human being to have normal
bodily functions such as bathroom activities. And people need the companionship of other
lifeforms: the animals, fish and plants also need "gravity."
5. While it is a testing ground for the Stanford Torus Island One much larger design...to be
built from lunar raw materials later..., it will test those selfsufficient agricultural processes and
family lifestyles in the relatively nearby LEO.The habitat additionally serves as home to
workers for adjacent freefall, hardvacuum manufacturing facilities, and is comfortable
waystation for early manned missions back to the moon and perhaps beyond to Mars' moon
Phobos.
(For a free drawing of this concept, send a SASE stamped, selfaddressed envelope, to:
JED Cline
CENTRISTATION III
5632 Van Nuys Blvd. Ste. 110
Van Nuys, CA 91401
Hand sketch of Centristation concept made in November 1989 by Jim Cline
Number: 2931 Name: CENTRISTATION IV
Address: J.E.D.CLINE1 Date: 930403
Approximate # of bytes: 4666
Number of Accesses: 15 Library: 3
Description:
A concept for a relatively lowcost space station which
goes far beyond the current space station's purposes.
Would consist of a pair of prefab toroids in LEO,
one a zerog facility and module platform, and the other
toroid spinning for artificial gravity inside, as a
coed crew living quarters and biospheric r&D facility.
The toroid's are built of segments, which are first prefab
for wet launch, assembled and tested on the ground, then
modules are separated and sequentially wetlaunched by a reuseable
winged engine control module of space shuttle technology.
Keywords: spacestation, centristation,toroid,settlement,biosphere
CENTRISTATION IV: ECONOMICAL MULTIGOAL SPACE STATION
By J. E. D. Cline
A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE CONCEPT:
Centristation IV consists of a pair of adjacent toroids in low earth
orbit, one is a relatively earthnormal living quarters & biosphere,
and the other a zerog facility. The toroids are built of prefab
segments, which are built and tested on the ground first, then
dissassembled and sequentially wetlaunched into LEO by a reuseable
winged engine/control module.
The living quarters is a small spinning hardshell toroidal space
station/colony, with 1gee internal for earthnormal living inside.
The zerog basic facility is a similar, but nonspinning toroidal
shell structure, with internal sealed areas as well as being a rigid
platform for mounting of external modules.
The prefab construction, "wet" launch, and minimum modular assembly in
free fall is are unique parts of the concept. The segments of the
toroids are prefabricated, tested in use on the ground. Then
sequentially each toroidal segment dual compartments (appropriately
designed and constructed for wet launch) are filled with fuel &
oxidizer for use as the fuel tanks for its own launch into orbit, and
lifted into LEO by an unmanned winged engine/control module. After
orbital insertion and positioning of each segment, the winged
engine/control module is returned back to the earthsurface launch site
to lift the next toroidal segment/fuel tank.
VALUE:
Minimum launch costs, minimum orbital assembly, artificial gravity for
manned portions of living and working quarters, and smallscale
testing of toroidal space habitat concepts.
PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS:
All components are either part of the spacestation toroid or are
reused in subsequent launches. Provides hardshell 1gee living space
for coed crew and life supporting agriculture. Preassembled on the
ground, in adjusted gravity orientation, for extensive testing as a
multiperson coed living habitat. After insertion into LEO, the
segments are robotically moved together to form the toroid, linked
securely together, pressurized and spun up for 1gee inside, all
before occupancy by the crew. Access to freefall equipment is gained
through moving through spokes to the toroid's hub.
ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES:
Requires the design, engineering, and construction of a new launch
system mostly using proven technologies. Space shuttle type reuseable
liquid fueled engines, winged tiled reusable airframe. Skylab
technologies including preoutfitting fuel tanks for use as orbiting
living quarters and workspace; flybywire control systems, reuseable
strapon booster engines; automatic or remotely guided freefall
docking; biosphere artificial ecological system studies; harmonious
group studies.
RELATION TO MAJOR SPACE PROGRAM OBJECTIVES:
Provides a rigid basic structure for external material processing
modules; economical, highquality living space for workers in LEO;
testing of key concepts essential to artificial gravity space
agricultural systems, and later is adaptable for lunar orbit, transit
to Mars, and placement in permanent Mars orbit.
This has suggested an alternative to the current FREEDOM type of space
station, which has been rejected due to excessive costs. This
alternative features low cost, much less environmental pollution
during launches, and in addition to providing zerog basic materials
platformi, is a major step toward the real goal of space colonization
& space resource utilization.
The LOW COST derives from the use of prefab components, requiring very
little manned construction in freefall, and the launch technology
being extremely efficient. All components except the launch fuel are
either reused or are part of the space station.
The ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION IS MINIMIZED by relatively few launches
being required for its component placement into LEO orbit.
It IS A MAJOR STEP ON THE WAY TO SPACE COLONIZATION because it
provides living quarters which test concepts of centrifugal artificial
gravity in one of the toroids. This project may be able to remind
humanity of the purpose of the space program, that of freeing mankind
from the ecological limitations of a closed earth surface system, and
removing much of the burden mankind has been placing on Mother Earth.
It PROVIDES ZEROG FACILITIES because a second, adjacent toroid is
not spinning and thus provides the stiff shell structure for
attachment of various experiment modules that FREEDOM space station
would have provided.
REFERENCES:
GEnie Spaceport Library files # 1071, 1537, & 1718, by J.E.D.CLINE1.