Chapter 230 Can this also be used to build a space station?
The only ones in the world that have experience in building space stations are Amerikan, Damao and China.
Except for the space station China has built in recent years, the Amerikan and Damao launch space stations were both projects launched fifty years ago.
It has been so long ago that the technology at that time and the technology now have undergone earth-shaking changes. With the help of new technologies and new materials, it is completely possible to find a new path.
Chen Yuanguang does not deny this, because it is not only new technology, but also the plug-in of future time and space. This is not a difficult thing for him to do.
Four hundred years later, human space mining bases are located in the orbit of Venus.
“In my opinion, we should adopt a highly modular construction model.
Just like building blocks, launch the most basic modules first. In these modules, in addition to the structural system, In addition to the power supply, power supply and distribution system, communication system, etc., we can also add two modules: 3D printing and external robotic arms." As soon as Chris finished speaking, Chen Yuanguang's eyes lit up, the boss is the boss. Dude, the suggestions put forward are almost exactly the same as the concept of the space station in a certain period in the future.
“This may sound incredible, but what I want to say is not to use 3D printing technology to rapidly expand modules like MaxSpace’s plan.
Wright, have you heard about MaxSpace's business plan? "
Chen Yuanguang shook his head: "No. ”
Chris was not surprised. He thought it was unusual to hear this. After all, the other party was far away from Silicon Valley, and it was difficult to understand the latest trends in commercial aerospace in Silicon Valley.
After all, MaxSpace’s plan was launched in the first half of last year.
"MaxSpace is a commercial aerospace company in Silicon Valley. They hope to use 3D printing to package materials on the earth and then transport them to the space station. The space station equipment is responsible for processing it. Unzip.
Then it will expand from a small module of 1 cubic meter to a large module of 5 cubic meters, just like inflating.
They pin their hopes on a new high-density fiber material. "
After hearing this, Chen Yuanguang quickly realized the problem: "This can indeed quickly launch a large number of modules into space in a short period of time.
After all, with the help of recyclable rockets with large carrying capacity, the carrying cost has been reduced to a very low level, and the size of the space station module has become a new problem.
But when they do this, how do they constrain the material to expand according to the effect they want?
What's more important is safety. Since it will expand, it means there will be pressure. What should be done if it explodes during transportation? "
Chris nodded: "Yes, this is the technical problem they have to overcome now.
So they held a technology demonstration at the Mars conference hosted by Bezos last year, trying to attract investment from Bezos.
When I say MaxSpace, I don’t mean that we should adopt the same strategy as them, but I want to say that adding 3D printing equipment to the space station is nothing new, and some people are already trying to do it.
MaxSpace has even done some test work on the International Space Station. ”
Chen Yuanguang probably knew why Chris said this, "Chris, even if no one has done it, we can do it.
You have to understand that there is no affiliation between me and the Chinese Space Administration, Guangjia Aerospace It operates entirely according to my personal will and is not responsible to anyone.
So, we don’t need to make some feasibility demonstrations. No matter how radical you say, no organization has done it, and I will do it. Discuss the feasibility with you.
As long as it is theoretically feasible and it does have unique advantages, no matter how many technical difficulties there are to overcome, I will find a way.
We are a commercial organization. The pursuit is effect, not stability.”
Chen Yuanguang is worried that Chris thinks that Guangjia Aerospace, like SpaceX, has a deep relationship with the country's space agency.
As a senior industry insider, Chris is very clear about China Aerospace’s operating style. In one word: stable.
Chen Yuanguang thought that the other party was based on this logic, so he had to find some cases first to increase the reliability of his plan.
Chris nodded: "I understand, and that's right. A company that can catch up with SpaceX in recyclable rockets in such a short period of time should be radical.
Let's go back to just now On the topic, we added a 3D printing module, which is designed to print the connection structure between modules
Didn't I say before that we need to design highly standardized modules? These modules are like building blocks, connected through some connectors.
These connectors can be produced by the 3D printing equipment on the space station.
Longer future expansion of the space station can be completed directly by the space station itself.
I also want to mention that asteroid mining is too difficult in a short period of time. We can start with moon mining. There is not only helium 3 on the moon, but also a large number of moon rocks on it. These rocks can Raw materials used to make concrete.
The structural components of our space station can be built entirely of concrete. ”
Chen Yuanguang doubted his ears, because he had just told Chris that he could handle even the most radical plan, and he was too embarrassed to say anything more.
But the idea of using concrete as a component of the space station is still a bit beyond Chen Yuanguang’s understanding.
Because in the past, the components of the space station should be as light as possible, so whether it is the International Space Station or the Chinese Space Station, aluminum alloy has become the only option.
In the future, titanium and some other metal composite materials will become options, and some plastics with special structures are also possible. But concrete is somewhat over the top.
"Concrete? I still don't quite understand the specific plan. Please explain it in more detail."
Chris nodded: "I know that such a plan is very shocking to people who hear it for the first time.
In fact, it is completely possible
Concrete is actually a very suitable material.
We use current concrete technology and it can be easily achieved through proper mix design. Achieve 6000psi compressive strength
If a superplasticizer is added, this strength increases to 10,000 psi, and treating superplasticized concrete with silica fume increases its strength to 17,000 psi.
We can produce concrete on the moon, using moon rocks as raw materials. The Boston Cement Association has previously tested that moon rocks are a very high-quality raw material.
There are not only lunar rocks on the moon, but lunar dust, which is a material similar to volcanic ash, can also be used as raw materials.
We build a lunar base on the moon for extracting lunar oxygen, and the water produced during the oxygen extraction process is used to make concrete.
The hydrogen needed to extract oxygen can be extracted directly from the lunar soil.
Hydrogen is injected into the lunar soil through solar wind, reaching a concentration of 100 ppm.
If it is not economically worthwhile to extract hydrogen, hydrogen can be extracted from the earth.
Previous research on the basalt and highland anorthosite brought back by Apollo 17 showed that it is possible to produce cement with a relatively high content of glass fiber and alumina on the moon.
And then by sintering lunar concrete in a solar furnace.
Concrete made with this cement is strong but can crumble when it absorbs moisture. On a dry moon, this cement has advantages and no disadvantages.
Due to the moon's low gravity and lack of atmosphere, transporting construction materials from the lunar surface to Earth's orbit could save significant amounts of energy compared to transporting construction materials from the Earth's surface.
The concrete will be mixed and poured outside the space station, which will provide it with temperature, pressure and humidity control. ”
(Conceptual outer space concrete factory)
Chris asked Chen Yuanguang for a piece of paper, and then simply drew the conceptual drawing of the outer space factory on the paper.
“You see, two rockets at the end of a tube extending from the module spin the system to provide the required centrifugal force.
Centrifugal force allows conventional mixers to be used in weightless environments.
The concrete material will be pumped from the storage tank to the mixer through pipes.
Starting from the inlet position, the mixer rotates ninety degrees to an upright position and then rotates around its own axis to stir the mixture.
By rotating another ninety degrees so that the feed port faces outward, the mixer can discharge fresh concrete into the receiving bucket, and the spiral mass drive can pump wet concrete to the pouring position.
After unloading into formwork, the concrete is consolidated using appropriate vibrators and finished by operators using large trowels in a seamless environment.
In land construction, poured concrete is usually removed 7 days after pouring. In a low-gravity environment, since there is less pressure on concrete curing, the 7-day requirement can be shortened to 1 day by reducing the rotational speed of the system.
Because making water in space is expensive, a condenser could be used to capture the moisture that evaporates during curing.
Once the concrete is sufficiently dry, the structure can be removed from the modules.
The application of such slip-forming technology can help us build cylindrical space station modules of any size. ”
External experience is also experience. After listening to it, Chen Yuanguang realized that this plan is completely feasible.
Although there are countless technical difficulties between going to the moon to build a lunar extraction base and transporting concrete from the moon to space, it is completely feasible from a purely theoretical perspective. If you broaden your horizons, you will find that such a strategy has a lower cost will be very low.
Because the round trip from the moon to the earth's orbit is more economical than the round trip from the earth to the earth's orbit.
Even an electrically powered rocket engine can do it.
In this way, the lunar base carries lunar rock collection, solar and nuclear power plants, and aircraft travel, so that the expansion of the space station can be completed spontaneously in space.
“So the moon should be our next target after the space station.
In my design, we should design the space station into a long strip, with multiple cubes connected in series, infinitely connected, floating in the orbit of the earth like a space train.
In the future, modules will be added around this train through lunar concrete technology.
It is like a tree. What we are building now is its trunk, and the future concrete modules are its branches and leaves. "Chris finally concluded.
(End of Chapter)