Early Version CentristatIon Concept

8/14/2019 Early Version CentristatIon Concept

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The Centristation Concept, early writings

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 spacecolonization. A low-cost, 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 low-cost, versatile, rotating centrifugal 1-gee large space station is created.

--a new class of launch vehicles is created, consisting of a pair of winged flyback modulescontaining only engines and control systems ... the first flyback engine cluster module drops

off prior to orbital insertion, and the second smaller single-engine-module returns after

placement of the habitat-module 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.


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This Space Station Habitat design is a segmented toroid, for indefinitely long habitation, a

precursor to an Island-One 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 re-entry vehicles back to the

launch pad site after finishing putting a segment of the toroid into LEO. (A pair of refurbishable

strap-on 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 spun-up and ready for occupancy. The inhabiting workers reach

the free-fall 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, large-scale 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 family-raising

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 (Kinetic-Energy-


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Supported Transportation Structures) are operational. (An alternative way of financing this

project thus might be to present it as an ongoing TV series, real-time, 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 self-sufficient agricultural processes and

family lifestyles in the relatively nearby LEO.The habitat additionally serves as home to

workers for adjacent free-fall, hard-vacuum 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, self-addressed envelope, to:

JED Cline

CENTRISTATION III

5632 Van Nuys Blvd. Ste. 110

Van Nuys, CA 91401


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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 low-cost space station which

goes far beyond the current space station's purposes.

Would consist of a pair of prefab toroids in LEO,

one a zero-g facility and module platform, and the other

toroid spinning for artificial gravity inside, as a

co-ed 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 wet-launched by a reuseable

winged engine control module of space shuttle technology.

Keywords: spacestation, centristation,toroid,settlement,biosphere

---------------------------------

CENTRISTATION IV: ECONOMICAL MULTI-GOAL SPACE STATION


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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 earth-normal living quarters & biosphere,

and the other a zero-g facility. The toroids are built of prefab

segments, which are built and tested on the ground first, then

dissassembled and sequentially wet-launched into LEO by a reuseable

winged engine/control module.

The living quarters is a small spinning hard-shell toroidal space

station/colony, with 1-gee internal for earth-normal living inside.

The zero-g basic facility is a similar, but non-spinning 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


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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 small-scale

testing of toroidal space habitat concepts.

PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS:

All components are either part of the spacestation toroid or are

re-used in subsequent launches. Provides hard-shell 1-gee living space

for co-ed crew and life supporting agriculture. Pre-assembled on the

ground, in adjusted gravity orientation, for extensive testing as a

multiperson co-ed living habitat. After insertion into LEO, the

segments are robotically moved together to form the toroid, linked

securely together, pressurized and spun up for 1-gee inside, all

before occupancy by the crew. Access to free-fall equipment is gained

through moving through spokes to the toroid's hub.


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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 pre-outfitting fuel tanks for use as orbiting

living quarters and workspace; fly-by-wire control systems, re-useable

strap-on booster engines; automatic or remotely guided free-fall

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, high-quality 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


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during launches, and in addition to providing zero-g 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 free-fall, and the launch technology

being extremely efficient. All components except the launch fuel are

either re-used 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 ZERO-G FACILITIES because a second, adjacent toroid is

not spinning and thus provides the stiff shell structure for


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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.

Documents

Early Version CentristatIon Concept