Considerations for Large-Scale Construction in Orbit (original) (raw)

To sustain and expand the human presence in space, a spa ce-based economy must be developed. This in turn requires the development of infrastructur e to utilize extra-terrestrial resources. This paper revisits concepts for large-scale construction in space from the 1970s, in the context of developing a space-based economy. Developments in robotics, solar power generation, microgravity manufacturing and earth-based launch costs significantly alter the models envisaged in the ‘70s. These changes are illustrated by considering the assembly of the outer shell of a 1 km-radius rotating cylindrical habitat.