Space Voyage #1

[Boerseun]

Sorry guys - I have to resign my commission on the Prophesy.

I get space sickness, and can't handle the smell of puke.

 

Actually, I'm on a road trip, and won't be back before the 6th of next month.

 

Internet access is a bit dodgy right now.

 

But the good part is, I'm in Cape Town - the most beautiful spot on Earth!

 

God said so.

[arkain101]

see ya Bor.

 

I had a thought. Can a person actually weld in space? I guess you should be able to.

 

anyhow it will have other functions anyway.

[TheFaithfulStone]

I had a thought. Can a person actually weld in space? I guess you should be able to.

 

You can do certain kinds of welding in space. SMAW is out, as is standard gas.

 

You can do a GMAW process if you have a pretty expensive gun so that the argon shield doesn't escape before your electrode hits your work.

 

I've not heard of anyone doing GTAW, but I don't think it would be impossible.

 

The best processes are laser, spot, and EBW for vacuum applications. Spot of course is easy. Laser and EBW require some big equipment and heavy machinery.

 

TFS

[Jay-qu]

Sorry guys - I have to resign my commission on the Prophesy.

I get space sickness, and can't handle the smell of puke.

 

Actually, I'm on a road trip, and won't be back before the 6th of next month.

 

Internet access is a bit dodgy right now.

 

But the good part is, I'm in Cape Town - the most beautiful spot on Earth!

 

God said so.

your still coming - we will just say that you get put in cryogenic stasis, that way when (if?) you get back you can just join in with the fun.

[Kayra]

Think we could make use of a couple of these?

 

http://ants.gsfc.nasa.gov/features/12tet_totalact_medium.mov

[TheFaithfulStone]

Very cool. What are they? How do they work?

 

TFS

[Pyrotex]

Yesterday, I managed to capture a very bizzare radio signal when I was 'cleaning' the set.

 

It went something like morse code for Pepperoni. Anyone willing to take responsibility? Or is it secret communication?

Well, er... yes. The last supply shuttle (unmanned) up today carries 50 large pepperoni and vegetarian pizzas. Kind of a blast-off celebration. Hope you don't mind.:hammer:

 

di-da-da-dit dit di-da-da-dit di-da-da-dit dit di-da-dit da-da-dah da-dit di-dit

[Kayra]

Very cool. What are they? How do they work?

 

TFS

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/30/science/space/30rock.html?pagewanted=1&8dpc&_r=2

[Pyrotex]

Very cool. What are they? How do they work?

They are the latest version of an alien surface rover. No wheels. It is a robot that can traverse almost any kind of terrain, including steep slopes, rock piles, whatever.

 

The robot is built this way. You have a bunch of "nodes" (the round balls) connected with telescoping rods. The nodes are much heavier than the rods and contain batteries, computers, cameras, radios, motors. The nodes/rods are connected to form tetrahedrons, one or more, for maximum strength and stability.

 

The "tumble rover" robot works this way. The computer is told the direction to go by humans via radio. It uses cameras to pick the best route. It moves by shortening or lengthening the telescopic rods which changes the balance of the robot as a whole. It "falls over"! Then the rods shorten/lengthen again to create a top-heavy configuration until it falls over again. It does this repeatedly to move across the terrain.

 

We have 40 wheeled rovers, 40 multi-legged rovers and 40 tumble rovers on board. We also have 40 rovers that move around by reaction jets--most useful for moons and asteroids with ultra-lite gravity.

[Pyrotex]

Okay, it is time to put spin back on the Prophecy. Mainentance and repair will continue as possible during the 20 minutes upspin maneuver. Be ready for second engine test in a few hours. Batten all hatches and spoffle the mizzenmast. Argghhhh! No kidding. Engine test at 2 PM CST.

[Janus]

 

Just orded some nice suction cup feet so we can operate this machine outside of our spacecraft ...

 

Can you put a stop on that order? I hate to break it to you, but suction cups don't work in a vacuum.

[TheFaithfulStone]

We have 40 wheeled rovers, 40 multi-legged rovers and 40 tumble rovers on board. We also have 40 rovers that move around by reaction jets--most useful for moons and asteroids with ultra-lite gravity.

 

Don't forget the half-dozen modular battle-bots. Two of which are currently doing ag-duty.

 

People always forget my battle-bots.

 

TFS

[TheBigDog]

Okay, it is time to put spin back on the Prophecy. Mainentance and repair will continue as possible during the 20 minutes upspin maneuver. Be ready for second engine test in a few hours. Batten all hatches and spoffle the mizzenmast. Argghhhh! No kidding. Engine test at 2 PM CST.

Don't forget the warm-up cycle on the hydrolic shock absorbers. Janus, have you completed the modifications to the fuel delivery system to avoid the harmonic problems from the last test?

 

I want to explore options for pointing this beast during spin to avoid having to despin for manuvering. Can we use a controlled "out of balance" that will slowly turn the ship to a new heading? Ideas anyone? I recall the gyroscope effect of the kid with the bicyle wheel sitting on a chair and tipping the wheel to spin the chair. We could do the same thing with gyros located around the outside of the ring. Normally they are inline with direction of travel. But they can be twisted to use their gyroscopic effect to change the orientation of the ship. Or they could be inboard to leave a clear field of view and transit to the instruments.

 

Bill

[Janus]

Don't forget the warm-up cycle on the hydrolic shock absorbers. Janus, have you completed the modifications to the fuel delivery system to avoid the harmonic problems from the last test?

 

 

 

Bill

 

The subroutine for the controller is up and running. I've run it through its paces on a computer simulation and it seems to work like a charm!

We've also placed remote vibration sensors throughout the ship. They will work as a negative feedback system for the controller. The signal from them will help modulate the frequency of the engine to avoid any resonances before they become a problem.

[Janus]

More information about the ship. Here is how all of the grey section crew quarters are arranged. The lowest level of all the gray sections is a public area used for workspace and storage. It also has the access panels to the resevoir in case any of the pumping systems need maintenance. (this is where JQ got drunk and passed out, in an open access hatch to the plumbing).

 

The second and third levels are the private living quarters. All of these sections are just as shown below. The second level is prime territory because it has better headroom. They all have the same floorspace.

Shown is the overview of a gray residential module. The Brown sections at the end are the connectors between the modules. They about 2.3 meters at the lowest level, and closer to 2 meters at the top level. The The yellow sections are maintenance access to the plumbing systems. Note that the plumbing is accessible at both ends of each living area. This means that restrooms will be found at the ends. These are the only areas with running water. We don't want problems with flooding in the living spaces.

 

The living spaces are almost the exact dimentions of a standard trailor home. 14' x 70'. We had these prefabed by a notable trailor company for free in exchange for being the official livingspace outfitter of the Prophesy. There are 84 of these apartments on the ship. Each is two bedroom, one at each end, with a common living space in the middle. The central hallway is 1 meter wide. Narrow, but gives more living space.

 

The 2 meter maintenance hallways in the middle have emergency equipment, ladders and small elevators. The connecting areas at the ends are equipped the same way.

 

The command quarters are similar, but are only one bedroom with larger living and working space.

 

Without having anyone double up in bedrooms we have room on the ship for 168 regular crew and 16 command crew. With 96 currently onboard we actually have everyone in singles with enough space to add 84 more crew and still have private bedrooms. If we go with room mates we could easily house 4 in each of the 84 living spaces giving us room for 336 crew and 16 command staff. We would need to bring additional food stores when staffed that way. With our staff of 96 we may be able to sustain our food indefinatly.

 

Bill (t-3)

 

 

May I make one sugestion?

 

It seems a shame that the top deck, with its lack of headroom would have the least desirable quarters, considering that it will have the best views. (the middle deck views will mostly consist of the nest door ring). So may I offer an alternative layout for the "penthouse".

 

 

We reduce the number of quarters to 3, and shift the corrider from the center. This way, the curved outer bulkhead takes a smaller percentage "bite" out of the quarters, and makes the third deck prime "officer country".

 

We can also line the outer bulkhead of the corrider with windows.

[Janus]

Here's a quick render of what it might look like walking down the corrider of "Officer Country"

 

(please note that there is no "glass" in the windows in this image as it would have really increased the render time. )

[Jay-qu]

ok that looks cool, but the view is still only into the middle of the ring.. I want a bottom deck with windows in the floor :eek:

 

As for those 'tumble bots' why does it look like the nodes are sticky?