Rotating spaceship idea
Posted: 2005-11-01 09:17pm
Wasn't real sure whether to put this here, in SLAM, or OSF. Nothing here is to scale or proportional, it's just a sketch. I started to put in some detail, but realized it wasn't really important before I got very far. Made with Truespace 3.2 and the GIMP.
Half-assed cross-sectional thingy:
It's occasionally discussed in SLAM and OSF that rotating sections aren't a great idea, especially for a warship. So, I've been thinking, what sort of shape would allow for rotation of the entire craft? This is the result. The command module (top) is always attached to the service module (center), though it can detach in case of emergency, or perhaps for maintenence. On the other hand, the payload module (bottom) is designed to be easily exchanged for another module, much like modern freight containers. Their trapezoidal shape means that additional payload modules can be added to the ship until they form a cylinder around the service module, with doors between each. Obviously, this would slow the ship down tremendously. Particularly bulky equipment would require either a nonstandard payload module or external attachment.
Comments? Any other ideas as to what is important to a rotating design?
Half-assed cross-sectional thingy:
It's occasionally discussed in SLAM and OSF that rotating sections aren't a great idea, especially for a warship. So, I've been thinking, what sort of shape would allow for rotation of the entire craft? This is the result. The command module (top) is always attached to the service module (center), though it can detach in case of emergency, or perhaps for maintenence. On the other hand, the payload module (bottom) is designed to be easily exchanged for another module, much like modern freight containers. Their trapezoidal shape means that additional payload modules can be added to the ship until they form a cylinder around the service module, with doors between each. Obviously, this would slow the ship down tremendously. Particularly bulky equipment would require either a nonstandard payload module or external attachment.
Comments? Any other ideas as to what is important to a rotating design?