This stunning painting by Bonestell for the Colliers series shows a Space Station orbiting over Central America and Panama.
The idea for a circular station in space was invented around 1928. The idea for the rotating circular station was that, while orbiting the Earth in zero Gravity, it would rotate, and generate its own artificial gravity. This would make life in space a lot more comfortable to earthlings used to living on a planet’s surface. While there were discussions about the problems of balancing a rotating space station, it was assumed that these would be solved and this design would allow people to live in space indefinitely. Von Braun proposed this space station as a necessary step in his plans for exploring the moon and interplanetary space.
What we see here is an early design including pressurized sections, and segmented armor plating to protect against meteorites. Entrance and exit to the station was through a centrally placed hub. Two tubes served as connections from the hub to the rim. The open ‘tub’ on top of the rim is a reflector to focus the sun’s energy into a early boiler design to create electricity. Solar panels would not be available until years later.
For years this would be the accepted design for any space station. Today, this station can still be seen in some of Bonestell’s famous 50’s space Art, surrounded by von Braun's interplanetary exploration rockets.
With all the effort we have put into building a station in orbit, one wonders why this circular design was never tried. Long stays in space still poses a problem for astronauts.
Links to Additional information available in the Trade Zone.
A Precision Design Drawing of this Space Station ----------------------------------------
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Complete background information is available in the Spaceship Handbook
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This Space Station is also featured in “Ad Astra per Aspera”
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