Jan 6, 17 / Aqu 06, 01 08:54 UTC

Protection from space hazards such as radiation and solar flares  

Hello all, I have been wondering for a very long time now about how the founder intends to protect the citizens of Asgardia from space based dangers while they are on the space station when it is built. Has anyone else been thinking about that issue? I mean do humans even have the technological capabilities to design a defensive measure against the numerous types of particles zipping around space? How would you go about addressing the issue? Please do tell

Mod Edit This post has been moved from General Discussion to Health and Safety forum for further discussion. Jewell Ledoux, 01/05/2017, 9:44am

  Last edited by:  Jewell Ledoux (Global Admin, Asgardian)  on Jan 6, 17 / Aqu 06, 01 09:45 UTC, Total number of edits: 1 time

Jan 6, 17 / Aqu 06, 01 09:52 UTC

Here is a post that I made a little while ago on another thread that outlined a concept that can provide a space habitat with adequate radiation and ballistic shielding.

I see a lot of discussion about mining near earth asteroids or similar and then building a separate station from the resources obtained. Just putting a somewhat alternate idea out there - why not combine the two exercises in one and do broader humanity a service as well.

There are plenty of large(ish) Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) that wander through our solar system that may, one day, pose a collision risk with Earth. Some examples are 2001 WN5 (about 900m in diameter), 2004 MN4 (about 320m in diameter) and 2010 YU55 (about 400m in diameter). Capturing one, stabilising it's orbit (perhaps using EM drives), hollowing out the inside and using the resources recovered for fabrication of necessary materials and components offers many advantages. The most obvious one is removing a potential threat to the Earth from an extinction level event impact, but there are many, many more.

The shell of the asteroid can also double as radiation / debris shielding, eliminating a major cost of establishing a space habitat. The necessary thickness can be created by the mining process. By having a hollowed cylindrical section in the asteroid, and providing the asteroid with an axial spin, you create artificial gravity. Covering the exterior of the asteroid with solar panels (that could be constructed in space from the materials mined from the asteroid) provides power supply with minimal need for battery storage due to the axial spin in that there are always solar panels facing the sun.

I realise there are many unexplored engineering challenges here, but it is not beyond the realm of possibility and the concept is a good and efficient one. With current technology, a lot of the work can be automated and/or remotely directed.

The UN "Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies" does pose some legal challenges to doing this, but I think this is where the genius in Igor's plan to have Asgardia as part of the UN comes in. Article XV of this treaty allows for any "State Party to the Treaty" to propose amendments to the treaty. Given that this treaty was first adopted in 1967, where the primary concern was being nuked from orbit, it is probably time that it is reviewed.