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Re:Space Colony Art from the 1970s by planktonite on Sunday February 10, 2019 @05:46PM (#19130595)
There’s an under appreciated problem with spinning space stations: they would be set off balance by uneven distribution of weight around the ring. This would make small scale rings a bit problematic because people and stuff need to move around. Rings the size of halo would have enough mass that the movement of people wouldn’t be enough to matter.
Re:Space Colony Art from the 1970s by jakeinspace on Sunday February 10, 2019 @05:55PM (#19130652)
Could possibly use some sort of active control system of counter masses, like water in a lattice of piping.
Re:Space Colony Art from the 1970s by manigandham on Sunday February 10, 2019 @07:28PM (#19131132)
In the book/TV series "The Expanse", they actually spin up massive asteroids and live inside tunnels, effectively like a ring but made of rock, to offset the fact that it doesn't have enough gravity otherwise. Neat concept, although will likely end in failure.
Re:Space Colony Art from the 1970s by crdoconnor on Sunday February 10, 2019 @09:15PM (#19131574)
In reality those asteroids would tear themselves to pieces when spun up.
Re:Space Colony Art from the 1970s by buboard on Monday February 11, 2019 @05:06AM (#19133248)
It also acts as a radiation shield
Re:Space Colony Art from the 1970s by Pharmakon on Sunday February 10, 2019 @06:28PM (#19130828)
An issue with larger rings is that the downforce felt around the ring would vary based on your position within a segment. While it would be a more subtle gradient than a smaller ring, and so less nauseating, it would mean that living and working space would vary in terms of perceived gravity. Another problem is transportation, with the fastest way to cross the ring being across a “spoke” with a gravitational gradient that goes to zero and back. To be fair that could also be a benefit, if people can get used to it.
Re:Space Colony Art from the 1970s by yreg on Sunday February 10, 2019 @07:14PM (#19131066)
You don't want rings, you want O'Neill cylinders.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O%27Neill_cylinder

Re:Space Colony Art from the 1970s by Pharmakon on Sunday February 10, 2019 @07:52PM (#19131260)
I really, really do. I’d also like a side of Dyson Swarms, hold the butter. Seriously, how amazing would an O’Neill cylinder be? People live inside, and outside you’d have industries using the vacuum to do things that would cost a fortune on Earth.

Just a teensy little upfront investment is required, but with SpaceX it might not be so crazy someday soon. If the cost per kilo into orbit drops enough, a lot of sci-fi could become real; not the Dyson swarm, but orbital habitats and industries sure could.

Re:Space Colony Art from the 1970s by ACow_Adonis on Sunday February 10, 2019 @11:43PM (#19132126)
Arthur C Clarke and 'Rendezvous with Rama' seems suspiciously absent from discussion about "O'Niell" cylinders :P
Re:Space Colony Art from the 1970s by jkroso on Monday February 11, 2019 @03:49PM (#19138173)
And if you got in a car and drove against the direction of spin you would become lighter. While if you went with the direction of spin you would become heavier.
Re:Space Colony Art from the 1970s by jayd16 on Sunday February 10, 2019 @06:26PM (#19130818)
Does it really matter if the axis of spin is in the exact center for a space station? The station would wobble, but would you feel it?
Re:Space Colony Art from the 1970s by all2 on Sunday February 10, 2019 @09:26PM (#19131607)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrLey-pX7Bc

There's also a few problems with Halo sized rings.