Hobbyspace.com & O'Neill colonies

Palomar · 2004-02-04 12:29:41

*Veeeeery interesting site. I'm still browsing through it (lots to read):

[http://www.hobbyspace.com/Links/spaceLife2.html]Life In Space

-also-

We've discussed (briefly) O'Neill colonies before; I can't find that thread via Search + "The Beginning."

[http://users.stargate.net/~whkeith/htm/oneill.htm]O'Neill Colony: A Real High-Rise in Space

[http://www.l5news.org/oneillcylinder.htm]O'Neill Cylinder (great artwork)

[http://www.l5news.org/stanfordtorus.htm]Stanford Torus

Why not explore these possibilities more indepth? Imagine living in an O'Neill cylinder (hmmm...!). Arthur C. Clarke's Rama (_Rendezvous with Rama_) was similar to an O'Neill colony; at least that's what I gathered, base on his description of Rama.

I want to learn more.

--Cindy

Michael Bloxham · 2004-02-06 04:06:05

Hehe, With such great public interest in the space program, I can't help but ponder whether the Apollo and other programs have by now unknowingly profited 10 fold!

Byron · 2004-02-06 06:22:43

*Veeeeery interesting site. I'm still browsing through it (lots to read):
[http://www.hobbyspace.com/Links/spaceLife2.html]Life In Space
-also-
We've discussed (briefly) O'Neill colonies before; I can't find that thread via Search + "The Beginning."
[http://users.stargate.net/~whkeith/htm/oneill.htm]O'Neill Colony: A Real High-Rise in Space
[http://www.l5news.org/oneillcylinder.htm]O'Neill Cylinder (great artwork)
[http://www.l5news.org/stanfordtorus.htm]Stanford Torus
Why not explore these possibilities more indepth? Imagine living in an O'Neill cylinder (hmmm...!). Arthur C. Clarke's Rama (_Rendezvous with Rama_) was similar to an O'Neill colony; at least that's what I gathered, base on his description of Rama.
I want to learn more.
--Cindy

Wow...what great sites you've found...

I'm going to have to set aside some time to really pick through that first site..lol. Lots of great stuff on there, that's for sure!

As for the O'Neill colonies, I do remember you posting about them a while back, but it's great that you brought this up again. I've been fascinated with the idea of these "space cities" ever since I've been a kid...I can distinctly remember picking up a book when I was around ten years old and looking at those fascinating drawings of one these O'Neill cylinders. A whole world turned inside-out, with clouds and weather, towns and streams, etc...I spent hours and hours daydreaming what it'd be like to live in one of those things.

Does anyone on here believe that something like this could be built as part of an overall human expansion into space? I think it'd be cool to have some of these things in orbit around other planets as a base for exploration, resource utilization, etc. Or have a couple in a constant "shuttle orbit" between Mars and Earth, to provide an easy and comfortable way to travel between planets (yes, I know, you'd have to have some monster-sized nuclear engines to accomplish this...we can dream though, can't we...lol ?)

Yes, I want to learn more about these things too...

B

Palomar · 2004-02-06 08:35:12

[Does anyone on here believe that something like this could be built as part of an overall human expansion into space? I think it'd be cool to have some of these things in orbit around other planets as a base for exploration, resource utilization, etc. Or have a couple in a constant "shuttle orbit" between Mars and Earth, to provide an easy and comfortable way to travel between planets (yes, I know, you'd have to have some monster-sized nuclear engines to accomplish this...we can dream though, can't we...lol ?)
Yes, I want to learn more about these things too...
B

*Well, there's been lots of talk in another thread about Neptune and Uranus. I know I read -somewhere- (a long time ago, forget where) about O'Neill colonies/cylinders traveling to the far reaches of the Solar System, especially around the gas giants.

It's like a big RV in space; lots of research and studies could be done while "living off the land" inside them. Probes could be deployed from them, etc.

It's a fabulous concept.

--Cindy

Shaun Barrett · 2004-02-06 08:39:17

Yes, Byron!
~Ditto~ :laugh:

Rxke · 2004-02-06 12:55:42

hobbyspace.com is also one of my absolute favourites, great place to visit, no overload of purty pictures, just the info... Love it.

neilzero · 2006-06-29 13:45:37

O'Neill colonies were supposed to be paid for by SPS = solar power satellites, but that idea has been injured by people not wanting the rectenna near their house. If we do SPS, it will likely be unmanned with photovoltaic panels instead of mirrors boiling water. I think O'Neill seriously under estimated the waste heat disposal problem in space. I think the O'Neill colonies also require unobtainium, but CNT = carbon nano tubes may make smaller O'Neill colonies(without SPS) possible, if CNT is cheap and meets the optimistic strength projections.
Two approximately sphere habitats, each with a radius of 100 meters spinning around each other with the help of a two kilometer CNT ribbon tether would be far less costly and would accomodate thousands colonists without the trees, streams and very high ceiling which is mostly wasted space. It would have far less mass than an O'neil colony for 1000 colonists, and thus would be much easier to move around our Solar system. The Stanford torus, and the wheel like "deep Space Nine" are compromise concepts.
The big mirror and louvered mirrors on the spheres may be about as practical as it is with the Stanford torrus, but the waste heat disposal problem will not allow more than a tiny amount of food growing even if the mirrors loose 99% of the sunlight spectrum not useful for photosynthesis. Neil

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#1 2004-02-04 12:29:41

Re: Hobbyspace.com & O'Neill colonies

#2 2004-02-06 04:06:05

Re: Hobbyspace.com & O'Neill colonies

#3 2004-02-06 06:22:43

Re: Hobbyspace.com & O'Neill colonies

#4 2004-02-06 08:35:12

Re: Hobbyspace.com & O'Neill colonies

#5 2004-02-06 08:39:17

Re: Hobbyspace.com & O'Neill colonies

#6 2004-02-06 12:55:42

Re: Hobbyspace.com & O'Neill colonies

#7 2006-06-29 13:45:37

Re: Hobbyspace.com & O'Neill colonies

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