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#1 2026-03-04 09:31:43
- Void
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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
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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.
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#2 2026-03-04 11:13:20
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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???
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Last edited by Void (2026-03-04 11:24:53)
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#3 2026-03-04 11:40:33
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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 2026-03-04 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.
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#5 2026-03-04 20:59:35
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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.
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Last edited by Void (2026-03-04 21:20:30)
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#6 2026-03-05 10:08:08
- Void
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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
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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 (2026-03-05 10:37:35)
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#7 Yesterday 09:08:16
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Re: Orbital Platforms
I have been wondering for a while, how hard would it be to use a Starship of some sort as a data center?
I think that an Expendable-Not-Really Starship, if outfitted with solar panels as a sunshield, and poised in the sunlight could have a cold side that data devices could be bonded to.
The basic idea: 
So, some projections seem to be that a onetime Starship might lift 250 tons of cargo eventually. I think this could be worthwhile as long as the Super Heavy is not expended.
So, in LEO, the Solar Panels might be deployed by robotic systems, and perhaps the Raptors pulled and send back to the surface. An Electric Rocket motor(s) added, and some amount of a propellant. Then the Data Center features included to it and then it would fly itself to Sun Synchronous and then start using some of the electric power to power the data center aspects.
This may require one or more reusable Starships to give 100 to 200 tons more resources for each Starship flight with recovery.
So, of course in this case your radiator is Starship tank and fairing walls, which are currently Stainless Steel. You could add Aluminum radiator fins to those surfaces, but that is more mass.
I do not expect that the two main tanks will be kept pressurized, perhaps a smaller tank could hold actively cooled Argon.
Or perhaps Neumann Drive or Magdrive would be used.
I guess better minds may do something else, but I though the idea at least may disserve a look.
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#8 Yesterday 10:02:00
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Re: Orbital Platforms
Continuing with the previous post, of course the Starship might be poised 90 degrees from what I showed.
So, either way you have a chassis of Starships Stainless Steel which also has some radiator qualities, in a Sun Synchronous orbit.
IF Earth "Civilization" remains sensible for 1000 years, you can keep reusing that mass that had an original cost, for much of that time, all of that time, or perhaps more than that time. That is then an valuable asset into the future.
From time to time you might change out the data center "Chips" and other parts, and also the solar panels.
Old Solar panels could be put into a very large solar array somewhere even if they are only 60% as good as they originally were.
Eventually all of the mass might be recycled in various ways.
I think this can be done for Syn Synchronous data centers. I don't know if the Starlink Satellites can be recovered to a higher orbit for a reasonable price. It would be good if they could be.
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#9 Yesterday 21:40:48
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Re: Orbital Platforms
The idea of making convertible Starships has some appeal to me. Of course, it might not be the most productive pathway to data centers in sun-synchronous orbits, but I kind of like the idea.
Unless the fairing section we converted to be Aluminum, then most of the metal in syn-synchronous orbit would be Steel.
Magdrive and Neumann Drive can run on any conductive material unless it has a low melt point, I understand so Steel might be OK.
But the problem with those types of propulsion is that they are energy pigs, but they do have a high efficiency for the mass expelled.
Space Startup News has an evaluation of them: https://www.spacestartupnews.com/2026/0 … ropulsion/ Quote:
Goodbye Xenon, Hello Cheap Metal: Why Neumann Drive Could Dominate Space Propulsion
I have toyed with some notions and would like to adapt this one to the Data Center concept: 
Ignore the legs for now. If a Starship were given a detachable upper section of fairings, made of Stainless Steel or Aluminum, then the bags I show might be carried up, uninflected to LEO, in the fairings. Then the bags would be inflated with bags of materials for 3D printers or Alloys. And then filled with Urethane foam. Attached to the sides of the ship in LEO. Then the Ship being refilled might travel to the Moon without the fairings.
The Fairings left in LEO, could be appropriated by the nest ship that is to be a data center. It could carry the fairings to sun-synchronous orbit, and then it might be converted into propellants for Neumann Drive or Magdrive.
So, that would be for station keeping for the data centers.
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Last edited by Void (Yesterday 22:04:09)
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#10 Today 08:10:52
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Re: Orbital Platforms
What I read about orbital Data Centers:
https://cdn.geekwire.com/wp-content/upl … Center.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space-based_data_center
Quote:
Between 500 km and 2,000 km
The proposed orbital data centers are expected to operate at altitudes between 500 km and 2,000 km. This range allows for a narrow orbital shell, enabling efficient solar energy capture and minimizing the need for batteries or other systems. The satellites will be designed to remain solar-powered for more than 99 percent of their operations, which is crucial for the longevity and efficiency of the data centers.
GeekWire
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So this includes Low Earth Orbits but not Very Low Earth Orbits:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_Earth_orbit
Quote:
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Low Earth orbit (LEO) is the region of space within approximately 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) above Earth where satellites and spacecraft orbit at high speeds, completing an orbit roughly every 90–128 minutes.
Definition and Altitude
LEO refers to orbits around Earth with altitudes typically between 160 km and 2,000 km (100–1,200 miles) above the surface, though most satellites cluster around 800 km (500 mi) for operational efficiency. The lower limit is constrained by atmospheric drag, which can cause rapid orbital decay below about 160 km, while the upper limit is set by the beginning of the inner Van Allen radiation belt. LEO is the closest orbital region to Earth, making it ideal for high-resolution imaging, low-latency communications, and human spaceflight.
Wikipedia
+3
Orbital Mechanics
Objects in LEO travel at an average velocity of 7.8 km/s (17,500 mph), which allows them to remain in orbit due to the balance between gravitational pull and centrifugal force. Orbital periods range from 90 minutes to about 128 minutes, meaning satellites can circle Earth 11–16 times per day. The required launch delta-v to reach LEO is around 9.4 km/s (5.8 mi/s), making it the most energy-efficient orbit for satellite deployment.
Wikipedia
+3
Types of LEO Orbits
LEO can be circular or elliptical and have various inclinations relative to the equator:
Equatorial LEO (ELEO): Low-inclination orbits that benefit from Earth's rotation, reducing launch energy requirements and providing rapid revisit times over low-latitude regions.
1
Polar and Sun-synchronous orbits (SSO): High-inclination orbits that pass over nearly all parts of Earth, useful for global imaging and environmental monitoring.
2
Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO): Orbits below 450 km (280 mi) that require advanced technologies to counteract atmospheric drag.
13 Sources
Applications
LEO hosts the majority of artificial satellites, including:
The International Space Station (ISS): Orbits at ~400 km (249 mi) and circles Earth about 16 times per day.
2
Earth observation satellites: Benefit from proximity for high-resolution imaging.
Communication constellations: Such as Starlink, which use LEO to provide low-latency internet coverage globally.
2
Scientific and experimental missions: Including microgravity research and technology demonstrations.4 Sources
Challenges
Satellites in LEO face atmospheric drag, especially below 300 km, which can lead to orbital decay. The region is also becoming increasingly crowded, raising collision risks and necessitating careful tracking of objects. Radiation exposure is lower than in higher orbits, but still a consideration for long-duration missions.
Wikipedia
+1
Summary
LEO is a critical orbital region for modern space operations due to its proximity to Earth, low energy requirements, and versatility. It supports human spaceflight, satellite communications, Earth observation, and scientific research, while presenting challenges such as orbital congestion and atmospheric drag that must be managed for sustainable operations.
Wikipedia
+2
So, I was surprised that "The International Space Station (ISS): Orbits at ~400 km (249 mi) and circles Earth about 16 times per day." is in a VELO orbit, (Below 450 km).
So, Data Centers in higher orbits will require less re-boosting from atmospheric drag. So, Magdrive and Neumann Drive may be sufficient.
So, then other than a very large passage of time or stupid behaviors, metal and other mass delivered to 1000 km orbits might persist for centuries for reuse at that location. This is unlike our existing history, where "What goes up, must come down".
And this then may make unusual boosting methods valuable. If you could lift mass from a 400 km orbit to a 1000 km orbit by such a means it may be a valuable asset to have. I suggest tethers and also laser assisted propulsion. Tethers could work from an induced reaction with the Earth's magnetic field.
Laser assisted propulsion could involve Magdrive or Neumann Drive, where the solar panels receive power from laser beams, those beams emitted by power stations higher in orbit. This reduces the dry mass of the solar panels required on the Magdrive or Neumann Drive tugs.
I have already suggested a situation where instead of expelling fairings to drop into the atmospehre, some 2nd stages could retain them into a Low Earth Orbit. Then the Magdrive or Neumann Drive tugs with laser assistance could move them to a higher orbit for consumption.
This might be done with a 1 use Starship. The one-use Starship might use the fairings to get a payload in its fairing volume to a low orbit, then that fairing would be popped off and given to a tug to move to a higher orbit, maybe a Sun-Synchronous Data-Center orbit.
The Starship propulsion unit then could be refilled and it's cargo attached to it's sides. Then it might go to the Moon and either drop it's payloads from a small altitude or land with them.
The Engine section might be reused, or tipped over to help make habitation structure on the Moon.
The fairing of the Starship might remain Stainless Steel, but maybe could be changed to Aluminum. (Not for a Starship that has to aerobrake).
Such a fairing if of Aluminum, (Or Stainless Steel), might be used for propellant for a Magdrive or Neumann Drive tug, but also upon delivery to a Data Center orbit might be converted into radiators and other structures.
There would still be a desire to get stuff from the Moon, perhaps using a Mass Driver system in part, but maybe Iron and Oxygen are the easiest to get from the Moon. And you might want to get Silicon as well, which may not be that easy.
That is what I think at this time.
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Last edited by Void (Today 08:42:14)
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