starship-design: Clear view

[T.L.G.vanderLinden@student.utwente.nl (Timothy van der Linden)]

Kelly replied:

>>>>All in all I would think a frame with lasers and photocells (or whatever)
>>>>would do the best job, another advantage of frames is that there is hardly a
>>>>size limit...
>>>
>>>Given Rex was talking about arrarys hudreds of thousands of miles across, I
>>>think a fixed structure is a no-go.
>>
>>Why can't it be a fixed frame? I don't see a problem about it.
>
>A fixed frame hudreds of thousands of miles across?  Aside from problems of
>structural strength, and lack of stiffness.  What planet would you convert
>into the framework?

There are enough asteroids around to get the necessary materials from.
About lack of stiffness and structural strength, I guess that depends on the
way the array is constructed.

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Kelly replied:

>>No, that polar region is not small, it is rather big.
>>If a star deviates 45 degrees from the rotation axis of the moon/planet, it
>>can be seen downto the 45th longitude. (There is a small band in wich the
>>Sun and other planets will move along (on Earth that is between +23 and -23
>>degrees).)
>
>If it needs to have same-time visibility to the ship and the sun it cuts
>things down a bit.

True, this sceme was mainly meant for a clear view on the destination system.


Timothy