Lowest Stations

Terraformer · 2007-11-10 14:25:24

What's the lowest space station possible? If it was just outside Earths atmosphere suborbital craft could be used to get up there. A hotel could be up there. Even if it was just a satellite up there it wouldn't need as good a lens to get a decent image of Earth. If it skimmed the atmosphere it could gather data on the atmosphere unattainable with current satellites and aircraft.

(I got this idea after a dream I had were Earth had a small moon in a geostationary orbit in the edge of space above the Bermuda Triangle. I went up to it a small suborbital rocket.)

JoshNH4H · 2007-11-10 14:55:15

about 350 km, stable for about 5 years, according to wikipedia

Terraformer · 2007-11-10 15:02:07

But also according to Wikipedia

The ISSs orbit varies between 319.6 km to 346.9 km

. So which one's correct?

JoshNH4H · 2007-11-10 17:00:57

according to space.com, orbit averages 360 km

Grypd · 2007-11-12 11:36:15

The ISS regularily uses the supply craft sent to it to increase its orbit height as each orbit it is slowly being pulled to the ground. These craft use there engines to push the craft into a higher orbit.

Austin Stanley · 2007-11-12 16:41:09

As the others have said the lowest semi-stable orbit you can have is someplace ~350km above the Earth. This isn't completely stable as atmospheric interference will slowly degrade this orbit in about 5 years or so. So any vehicle in such an orbit must be periodically re-boosted or it will come crashing down.

Its really not possible or economic to have a station at an altitude much lower than this, as atmospheric interference rises drastically and it will come crashing down much sooner. In any case getting into orbit is more a matter of velocity, not altitude so putting you station lower (in a slightly slower orbit) really doesn't help you all that much.

As for all the variance in figures in the ISS's orbit thats because like any object in such a low orbit it's altitude is not completely stable and varies as it is reboosted periodically.

Grypd · 2007-11-12 17:01:07

There is a limit to the height you want a station the higher it is the more fuel you need to get there and the less you can carry to it. Of course there is the point that if you go too high you will end up reaching the van allen radiation belts and then you will need more shielding.

The ISS station is at the right height to avoid other hazards like satelites and the majority of space debris

SpaceNut · 2007-11-12 20:18:40

But also according to Wikipedia
The ISSs orbit varies between 319.6 km to 346.9 km
. So which one's correct?

This is due to the sun spot eruption and solar winds that may the Earths atmosphere increase and cause the drag on the station.

Terraformer · 2007-11-16 04:46:16

No, I was responding to jumpboy saying the ISSs orbit is around 360km.

I was searching on the internet about launching craft from a helium balloon. There's a group of people trying to get a sort of suborbital space-station up there that would 'float' on the atmosphere.

SpaceNut · 2007-11-16 07:33:20

You mean this unit by JPAerospaceThe Ascender, Near Space Maneuvering Vehicle

The Ascender is an airship designed to fly at extreme altitudes. It is a telecommunications tool, a rocket launch platform and the first stage in the ATO program.

Terraformer · 2007-11-16 07:49:43

It said something about a suborbital shipyard which would build the craft that would get into orbit.

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#1 2007-11-10 14:25:24

Re: Lowest Stations

#2 2007-11-10 14:55:15

Re: Lowest Stations

#3 2007-11-10 15:02:07

Re: Lowest Stations

#4 2007-11-10 17:00:57

Re: Lowest Stations

#5 2007-11-12 11:36:15

Re: Lowest Stations

#6 2007-11-12 16:41:09

Re: Lowest Stations

#7 2007-11-12 17:01:07

Re: Lowest Stations

#8 2007-11-12 20:18:40

Re: Lowest Stations

#9 2007-11-16 04:46:16

Re: Lowest Stations

#10 2007-11-16 07:33:20

Re: Lowest Stations

#11 2007-11-16 07:49:43

Re: Lowest Stations

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