Solar Dawn

Gravity and Propulsion

Today’s topics are gravity and propulsion.

Gravity

Gravity is virtually non-existent in space unless you move near a massive object, and even then you can experience zero gravity if you orbit the object. This lack of gravity causes many physiological issues with humans over the long term.

To solve this issue, the space stations have huge rotating hubs, as we often see in science fiction movies. Large spaceships often use rotating hubs, too, if they spend long time periods away from Earth.

The moon has a gravity force 17% that of Earth, which is why we see awkward astronaut walks when viewing footage of the moon landings. Mars has gravity 37% as strong as Earth’s.

To aid people in maintaining their bone strength in particular, the colonists constructed large rotating drums of 100m in diameter they climb into and exercise on the internal perimeter. The gravitational force produced by the rotation (centrifugal force) depends on the rotational speed, so they experience Earth strength gravity or other lower strengths if they choose.

Propulsion

The Solar Dawn world uses two major forms of propulsion, with an additional launch system. They still use chemical thrust propulsion systems in use today, but the ion drive has development to the stage that it’s the primary propulsion used in space.

Chemicals are used to launch spaceships from Earth, but the space elevator is the primary device to reach space from the Earth’s surface for people and cargo except for new space craft not built in space or cargo too heavy to use the space elevator.

The international moon base has a linear magnetic rail launch and landing system where magnetic rail propulsion launches craft from the surface to escape the moon’s gravity, negating the need for chemical propulsion.

Mars still uses chemicals to shuttle people and cargo to the Martian surface. 

And that concludes this blog post. Hope you enjoyed reading it. I discuss Solar Dawn industries and asteroid mining in my next blog.

See you then.