Comic Discussion > QUESTIONABLE CONTENT
Spinning space station design
Is it cold in here?:
Hannelore's Formspring experiment said that the station spins to create a 1g acceleration.
Akima:
--- Quote from: raoullefere on 19 Jan 2012, 12:23 ---That would also be much simpler than hauling people up to his space station or coming down to earth (something I'd say he could no longer do if Hanners didn't seem to be free of physical maladies from growing up in low-g).
--- End quote ---
Rotational pseudo-gravity of course (IICIH got in ahead of me!). Which in turn implies that Hannerdad's orbital is quite large, to avoid the problems of nausea induced by gyroscopic coupling etc. Since this is a comic, let's say <calculator noises> his station has a radius of 1000m so that it can provide a 1g centripetal acceleration while turning at just under the one revolution per minute that is supposed to be safe even for motion-sickness susceptible people (Yes, I am a space-nerd). Hilarity ensues when <character> turns out to be extra-susceptible.
The other question is, who is the "they" that Hannerdad is permitting to hold a birthday party? The station's human crew? The un-secret robots?
pwhodges:
I wouldn't like to have to design a structure 1km in radius to rotate at 1rpm. All the stresses are in tension, not compression, which gives me bad feelings on that scale. But since I've done no mechanics since my engineering degree in 1968, my feelings might not be justified, I suppose.
Is it cold in here?:
Suspension bridges are largely in tension.
The easy way to create 1g worth of spin is a long tether and a counterweight.
pwhodges:
Now try docking your transport on it, and then realise you've thrown it way off balance.
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