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#1 Yesterday 09:31:43
- Void
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- Registered: 2011-12-29
- Posts: 9,347
Orbital Platforms
The moderators can instruct me to modify these materials, and I expect I will comply.
I am putting the topic here as I get harassed less in the Terraform section than anywhere else.
I am at this time thinking of the Earth orbital environment, but I don't think we have to restrict the topic to only that.
SpaceX and others are suggesting the upgrade of the Starlink and other similar systems in orbits.
SpaceX and others are suggesting data center networks in sun synchronous orbits.
I am thinking of adding in the concept of service devices to "Service" the satellites in orbit.
I am thinking about solar Power Platforms, that have tethers that reach up into the lower Van Allen Belts, and down into the orbits that Syn Synchronous Satellites may be in.
So, something like this might be put into a Sun Synchronous Orbit to process slowly as to intercept Data Center Satellites: 
I am very willing to be corrected, this is rather sudden and I may have made mistakes in my thinking.
Two, solar platforms with electrodynamic tethers between them up and down, may provide a method to assist in the fetching of Data Center Satellites into such a device for servicing.
Perhaps an electric rocket device will "Fetch" one and then bring it to the center of Mass and then an elevator will conduct it to the service area.
The two platforms will have multiple tethers between them as they will be somewhat like flat solar facing collections of solar panels and the supporting structures. Some of the tethers will be electrodynamic, so the structure will be able to maintain itself in orbit against the thin atmosphere, reacting to the Earth's magnetic field.
Obviously, some consideration about space junk is needed. So, to avoid the Kestler Syndrome, this device may be assistive in helping to clean up the junk. But also, how to make the platform compatible with the data center orbits and avoid collision with them?
I have also shown tethers extending into the Van Allen Belt, the lower belt where the protons are. I have wondered if we could use it to preform transmutation???
Mercury to Gold is of interest. Granted it may be radioactive Gold, but in orbit, it may be of industrial use.
I agree that it is farfetched, but I got favorable responses on my "Smart Phone" and negative responses on my computer when browsing.
I would appreciate it if people would not trash this whole post because one item is questionable. We have several magnetic fields of interest in our solar system, Mercury, Earth, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. And Mercury>>>Gold may not be the only possibility.
Tethers that dip deep into the Magnetic field of Jupiter might be interesting places to try to obtain the results of transmutation.
https://www.iflscience.com/marathon-fus … gold-80132
However transmutation is it's own concern. The main idea here is a service center for Sun Synchronous Satellites.
In this concept, I am also very interested in stranded 2nd stages and space junk.
An example might be Terran-R and perhaps Rocket Labs Neutron 2nd Stage.
https://www.relativityspace.com/terran-r
I am interested in recovering them to a more permanent orbit, perhaps using Neumann Driver or Magdrive.
I am anticipating that if you have solar platforms in space, then you might beam power using lasers to a tug to fetch these pieces of space junk.
https://newatlas.com/energy/star-catche … ing-record
Quote:
The concept of beaming laser power to satellites has been explored since the 1960s, with recent advancements leading to the development of systems like Star Catcher Industries' Star Catcher Network. This network aims to beam concentrated solar power directly to client satellites' existing solar panels, enabling them to generate two to ten times more power on demand without the need for retrofitting. Star Catcher's technology has set a new world record for wireless power transmission, demonstrating the potential for a scalable energy network in space.
Interesting Engineering
+2
Quote:
What Star Catcher is working on is similar to DARPA, which holds the previous beaming record of 800 W set in June 2025. Instead of generating microwaves, a grid of solar panels power an optical multi-spectrum laser that can be aimed at a client satellite. These carefully controlled wavelengths are optimized to best suit the target solar panels.
Put simply, this would be like holding a huge magnifying glass on the target spacecraft, greatly increasing the efficiency of the panels without having to enlarge or even modify them. According to the company, the increase in power generation would be between two and 10 times using off-the-shelf panel components.
I think that the Terran-R 2nd stage has a fair amount of Aluminum, and the Neutron 2nd Stage will have Carbon. Both are useful. They will also have Meth-lox engines and propellant tanks that may be useful.
Perhaps Lunar landers could be made from those items.
In the future, I think it would be idea to have a Lunar Starship that only lands and stays on the Moon with a lot of Cargo, and a small Mini-Ship that can carry humans up and down from the Moon. Perhaps based on Terran-R and/or Neutron parts.
Ending Pending 
Last edited by Void (Yesterday 10:28:59)
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#2 Yesterday 11:13:20
- Void
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- Registered: 2011-12-29
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Re: Orbital Platforms
What about a pendulum Tether or a spin Tether.
If you have a Tether lowered from a platform higher up, you could put a rocket on the bottom of it.
So, my idea is that since the end of the tether will be traveling at less than the speed of a circular orbit, at that altitude. So, then with a pendulum, can you snatch a satellite on the forward swing which adds speed?
You might also put a rocket engine on the end of the tether, to push it, grab a satellite, and then pull both the rocket and satellite in???
Ending Pending
Last edited by Void (Yesterday 11:24:53)
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#3 Yesterday 11:40:33
- Void
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Re: Orbital Platforms
OK, then referencing the two initial posts, perhaps you include a net that can travel up and down the pendulum tether.
Granted, you also could do a rotavator, but I think that might be more difficult to use with a giant solar power platform.
Then I antihate that you would have electrodynamic tethers that extend upwards and which draw the solar panels upwards against the decay of orbit from air molecules and the snatching process.
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#4 Yesterday 12:29:54
- Void
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Re: Orbital Platforms
And regarding the previous 3 posts, you could have unwind slack spooled that you could let out to reduce the shock of a netting event, over time.
A video that explains "Tokens", (Which I did not know): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5O8Shej7bg
Quote:
"Just The Beginning" The Single Unit Driving The Entire AI Economy
Farzad
So, all the stuff they intend to invest in satellites will eventually become junk to repair/recycle.
Ending Pending
Last edited by Void (Yesterday 12:45:34)
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#5 Yesterday 20:59:35
- Void
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- Registered: 2011-12-29
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Re: Orbital Platforms
OK, I have elaborated a bit more: 
A bit like a fishing rod that can pivot on the bottom of the solar array. Forward<>Backward or Left<>Right, or clockwise or counterclockwise.
This may help it dodge space junk below it, or to come close to the object that is to be netted. The netting apparatus may have small thrusters, to fine adjust quickly the netting event.
Like a fishing rod the cable can let out line with a drag function, to keep the line from snapping. And like a fishing rod after the event in in control the netted object could be pulled in.
So, I am thinking that the data center elements may orbit just a few 10's of kilometers below the orbit of this service device.
If the service device and the data centers were both in circular orbits, then the net will be moving at a slower speed than the data centers as it depends as part of the catching and service device. So actually, the timing has to be such that the pendulum has moved the net to it's maximum pendulum speed in a forward direction, to overtake the data center.
Here is further elaboration: 
Ideally fetched materials will be reusable part to part, but of course some old stuff might be made into something else, if nothing else then radiation shielding.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
A second fetch method would be to beam power to a Neumann Drive or Magdrive to bring large junk objects up to the service station. For instance expended 2nd Stages of Terran-R or Rocket Lab, or maybe even Falcon 9's.
So, I feel eventually it makes not sense to drop mass that was lifted to orbit to burn up in the atmosphere. It's value in orbit is larger than its value as dust in the atmosphere.
So, mass will accumulate in orbit of Earth and perhaps the Moon, even before mass can be extracted from the Moon.
Ending Pending
Last edited by Void (Yesterday 21:20:30)
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#6 Today 10:08:08
- Void
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- Registered: 2011-12-29
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Re: Orbital Platforms
Here is a video about a data center that has been tested, apparently: https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/r … &FORM=VIRE
Quote:
88,000 Satellites?! Starcloud CEO Interview (Philip Johnston) ?️
YouTube
HyperChange
6 views
19 hours ago
I only partially understand, I expect but I will do dialog based on the little I know, with considerable uncertainty.
I am presuming that the mass of these devices might be divided into 5 basic parts.
1) Chips
2) Shielding from radiation
3) Solar Panels
4) Radiators
5) Connective Structure.
My understanding is that the data centers in sun synchronous orbits will have less atmospheric drag than Starlink Satellites will. Data Centers will be in a higher orbit, so orbital decay rates should be much lower.
Items #1 and #3 are the ones that may become outdated soonest, I think.
Items #2, #4, and #5 might be strongly reusable/repairable.
#1 replaced are perhaps to become basic junk materials.
#3 replaced, might be put into a solar power platform, even if they do not perform well anymore, I think.
My understanding is that solar panels on Earth may still be 60% efficient after 100 years of use. So, perhaps after they would be scavenged off of a data center satellite, they might have a second use in a solar power platform. That is my speculation.
@2, #4, and #5 may be reusable long term (Or not).
Here is a video about Mass Drivers on the Moon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DUydTgyGQ0&t=16s
Quote:
The Lunar Mass Driver Orbital Supply Chain
ANTHROFUTURISM
But before that, I suggest something that maybe would be sensible.
I am speculating that you could make a one-Launch Starship with Aluminum as the upper part, but still using Stainless Steel for the propulsion systems, more or less. The Aluminum Fairing might be popped off and recycled to perhaps make radiators or other structures for Satellites.
The propulsion section might be refilled and used to move cargo to the Moon. The cargo might be strapped onto it's sides and dropped from a low altitude or retained all the way to landing.
I have already elaborated on the above paragraphs previously elsewhere, so I will not do much more about it here. I will suggest that release air bags, might have sub-bags in them with materials that could be used in a 3D printing process, to make machine parts and tools on the Moon. Powder or chips of a metal inside of cushioning bags inside of a major sized air bag system.
By dropping this prior to landing, the landing legs of the Starship Propulsion device do not have to be as sturdy and might involve less dry mass consumption.
Ending Pending
Last edited by Void (Today 10:37:35)
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