Asimov DESIGN SPACE

[zkulpa@lksu.ippt.gov.pl (Zenon Kulpa)]

> From T.L.G.vanderLinden@student.utwente.nl Fri Jan  5 11:40:02 1996
> 
> Available power sources:
> 
> Fission
> Solar power
> Fusion
> Chemical
> Other?
> 
> Available techniques:
> 
> Beaming
> Energy storage in anti-matter
> Other?
> 
> Places to go to:
> 
> Tau Ceti (TC)
> Alpha Centaury (AC)
> Pluto
> 
> Objectives:
> 
> One way trip
> Two way trip
> 
> Let's assume that all the above are possibilities. What we should do is
> calculate the size and feasability and discuss the (dis)advantages for all
> cases. We should NOT try to discard a method, but only give its advantages
> and disadvantages.
> Of course we have done a lot already, only we haven't ordered it very much.
> Maybe it is time to recapitulate our discussions. I think that we need a
> complete survey, of course every one knows a lot of it, but I think that we
> don't agree about everything yet, but we also don't know exactly what these
> differences are.
> So we should try to come up with a kind of report. (Of course easier said
> than done)
> 
Here I would like to remind about my attempt (a year ago)
to start recapitulation effort of all discussed options.
Below follows the sketch of the beginning ;-))
of the DESIGN SPACE summary I have started then.
There should be, of course, many more aspects
listed, like target(s), life supply 
(e.g., stored food/hydroponics/farming;
all crew awake/all crew hibernates(or something)/mixed, etc.),
command structure, project financing.... &c &c.
I think listing all the discussed possibilities, 
shortly and systematically, should help greatly in
clearing the matter and see the whole forest instead of only trees
(as Polish saying goes).


                     ***************************
                     *                         *
                     *       LIT "ASIMOV"      *
                     *     Starship Design     *
                     *                         *
                     ***************************
                           Progress Report

The DESIGN SPACE discussed:

1. Type of Mission:
   * Robotic
     * Fly-by (no braking nor stop at target)
     * Exploratory (stop at target & explore)
     * Pathfinder (ahead of manned one: scouting/early warning)
     * Supply (after the manned: catching on the way or at target)
   * Manned:
     * Without crew procreation
       * Suicide (explore and die before your time when supplies end)
       * One-way (outpost construction and stay till natural death)
       * Round-trip (return to Earth, 
         possibly with some crew left at the outpost) 
       * Multi-step (start to new target from the previous one)
     * Multigenerational
       * Short-range, but long (slowship)
       * Long-range, thus long even though fast (fastship)
       * Colonization

2. Type of Propulsion
   * Main source
     * All fuel on-board
     * Use the interstellar medium
     * Power from installations at Solar system
   * Main type
     * Fission
     * Fusion
     * Antimatter
     * Sails
     * Other?

3. Gravity on board
   * Zero or small gravity
   * Near-g gravity
     * Centrifugal (rotational)
       * Whole ship
       * Habitat ring only
       * Tethered sections
     * Acceleration
     * Mixed

4. Mission composition
   * Single ship
   * Multiple ships
   * Manned plus robotic:
     * Pathfinder probes
     * Supply ships

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Hoping it may help,

-- Zenon