FOLDINGSS

Habitat Hub and Universal Docking Port

The first component of the FOLDINGSS research craft to be placed in orbit is the central hub of the habitat wheel. This piece of hardware plays an extremely important role in the craft and is literally the central connecting core for all other assemblies of the spacecraft. By using this configuration, the effects of thermal expansion of modules does not present interconnect problems. All spokes of the habitat wheel can expand or contract thermally with very little stress placed on adjacent struts. Likewise, the two drive assemblies that protrude like an axle to the habitat wheel can expand or contract as necessary without placing stress on the rest of the spacecraft.

The two large bearing assemblies for both the north and south drive constructions are permanently attached to the central habitat hub. These large bearing assemblies allow the drive section to maintain a consistent orientation relative to the travel of the research station while still allowing the habitat wheel to rotate up to 6 RPM inducing inertial gravity in the habitat wheel. 

The first booster launch of the FOLDINGSS program will lift the central habitat hub, a universal docking adapter, and a mating ring for connecting the universal docking adapter to the south axle side of the habitat hub. This connection is temporary, but allows for the next few subsequent launches to attach to the FOLDINGSS construction and to provide a means for crew to enter the hub enclosure.

This launch (#1) will require a Delta or Falcon Heavy.

The First Assembly Crew

The second launch places two or three crew in orbit, provides the first life support for the fledgling FOLDINGSS research craft, and attaches a Dragon or Orion capsule to the habitat hub. This provides the very first crew quarters, electrical power, maneuvering control, and resources for the next stages of construction.

The central habitat hub has a north and south construction for transferring crew and materials between the spinning habitat and the drive sections once the spacecraft is more assembled. At this stage of construction, however, these two assemblies are airlocks for assembly crew to exit and re-enter the pressurized space of the capsule and the central habitat hub.

The first goal of the first assembly crew is to dock with the hub and connect vital systems between the central hub and the capsule that they arrived in. This same crew will go on to do much more of the assembly work, but these first steps will transition the FOLDINGSS research ship from a lifeless shell to a minimally functioning space station.

This launch (#1p) will require a Falcon9 most likely as the Dragon capsule will likely be the capsule of choice for this step. The Dragon will stay with the FOLDINGSS ship for the duration of the next few steps. The Dragon will provide systems and a life boat should an evacuation emergency occur.

Habitat Robotic arms and Second Universal Docking Port

The third launch is uncrewed providing two robotic arms similar to the Canadarm of the ISS. These two arms attach to movable mounts on the north and south bearing assemblies of the central habitat hub. Also included in this launch is another CBMp to universal docking adapter and a mating ring with two CMBa ports on either side. This will mount to one of the six habitat spoke CBMp ports. This leaves the south transfer construction available for use as an airlock for EVAs.

The members of the first assembly crew will mount the two arms and mount the adapter ring and the universal docking adapter to the central habitat hub. This prepares the station for receiving a second capsule and provides the necessary tools for berthing the habitat envelopes in the spoke positions of the habitat wheel.

This launch (#2) requires either a Delta or Falcon Heave booster.

The Second Assembly Crew

The fourth launch places two or three additional crew in orbit. Additional supplies and solar power collection are provided with the second capsule. The second capsule also provides the first redundancy for crew safety. The first four launches should in as fast of progression as possible to achieve this level of safety for the crew. From this point on, it is reasonable to assume at least one capsule will always be docked on the FOLDINGSS research spacecraft. 

The next assembly stage will involve multiple heavy boosters to supply the habitat envelop modules that make up the habitat ring. The three inner (lower gravity) envelopes are received next along with their three power modules and solar arrays.

This launch (#2p) will require a Falcon9 most likely as the Dragon capsule will likely be the capsule of choice for this step. This Dragon will also stay with the FOLDINGSS ship for the duration of the next few steps until a crew rotation is required. This Dragon will provide backup systems and a second life boat should an evacuation emergency occur.

Inner Habitat Envelopes (low G)

Launches five, six, and seven deliver the three inner habitat envelopes to the FOLDINGSS research spacecraft. These modules are attach symmetrically to three of the remaining 5 habitat spoke CBMp ports.  These modules provide three levels of habitation for the reduced gravity habitation experiments. The assembly crew is responsible for mounting these inflatable habitats and fully deploying them to their expanded volume.

These launches (#3, #4, #5) require three heavy boosters. Either Delta or Falcon Heave boosters will be used.

Habitat Power Collection and Storage

Launch eight delivers the three power collection modules of the habitat wheel. One of each of these modules goes on each of the habitat spokes. These power modules contain battery or fuel cell storage and point able solar arrays for their respective habitat spokes. This configuration allows each of the habitat spokes to operate nearly independently for comparing variations in life support systems. The redundancy also adds a measure of safety for such long duration voyages.

This launch (#6) requires either a Delta or Falcon Heave boosters will be used. It is assumed that all three power modules and folded arrays can fit within a single fairing.

Habitat Cross Bracing

The ninth launch supplies cross bracing between the power modules on each spoke. This is meant to make the entire habitat wheel more rigid and reduce torque or oscillations associated with the habitat hub spoke CBM interfaces. These cross braces effectively create a triangle and lock the interior angles of that triangle to their design values. This launch also provides any additional payload mass that can be accepted by the inner or outer habitat envelopes. This might include floor decking, piping, water, ammonia, food, thermal radiators, etc.

The connection of these braces will require EVAs with free movement in space. Thus, this launch will very likely include RCS mobility EVA suits to allow the astronauts span the distance between the power modules.

The next assembly stage will involve multiple heavy boosters to supply the outer habitat envelope modules that make up the habitat ring.

This launch (#7) will require a single Delta or Falcon heavy.

Once the cross bracing is in place, the clearance for undocking the second capsule becomes very tight. The undocking and docking maneuver for this universal docking port is now accomplished with one of the habitat robotic arms using grab and release points on the capsule.

Assembly Crew Rotation One

The tenth launch rotates most of the original assembly crew, 3 of which have been in orbit very nearly 12 months. The Dragon capsule arriving will carry 4 assembly personnel. Two of which will eventually replace the current assembly commander and assembly engineer. The remaining two personnel arrived on the second crew ship, and will log 15 months in space before their duty is complete.

This launch (#7p) utilizes a Falcon 9 and a crew dragon capsule.

Outer Habitat Envelopes (high G)

Launches eleven, twelve, and thirteen deliver the three outer habitat envelopes to the FOLDINGSS research spacecraft. These modules are attach to the three power modules which lengthens each spoke to the desired 32 meter length for the crew floor farthest from the habitat hub. This radius allows for as high as 1/2G while still maintaining a rotation rate that is tolerable by the human occupants. Much higher rates or rotation would cause discomfort and disorientation in most crew members.  These modules provide another three levels of habitation for the spoke but at higher gravity levels for habitation experiments that mimic the Martian surface. The assembly crew is responsible for mounting these inflatable habitats and fully deploying them to their expanded volume.

This launch (#8, #9, #10) requires three heavy boosters either Delta or Falcon Heave boosters will be used.

Habitat Perimeter Mechanical Modules and Airlocks

The fourteenth launch brings three similar modules, one for each habitat spoke, that provides mechanical elements for life support. These modules contain water storage, a sump system, pumps for balancing the habitat wheel, Air filtration, water recycling, waste processing, and a small ion drive capability for maintaining the rotation of the habitat ring. Thus this module also has some propellant storage (most likely argon), and some high voltage capability derived from the spoke's power module. This module also has an air lock. This lock may accommodate compression EVA suits or mechanical pressure EVA suits or both. These exits are located on the sides of the module so that a space walker moves tangentially along the circumference of the wheel to exit the pressurized area of the spoke. A circular grating provides a walking surface for the space walker. The most likely purpose for this sort of EVA once construction is complete, would be to service the ion thrusters located at the very end of the spoke "below" the walking grating for EVAs. The thrusters can be accessed through access holes in the grating.

Netting, cabling, or telescoping tube may also be provided to string from one spoke extremity to the other to provide an emergency connection between the spokes as a backup to the habitat hub. This may prove to be impractical, however.

A single Delta or Falcon heavy will suffice for this delivery (#11). These thirteen launches complete the habitat wheel construction.

Assembly Crew Rotation Two

The fifteenth launch rotates the last of the original assembly crew, 2 of which have been in orbit very nearly 15 months. The Dragon capsule arriving will carry 4 assembly personnel. Two of which are specialists with for the drive sections.

This launch (#11p) utilizes a Falcon 9 and a crew dragon capsule.

North Drive Truss

The sixteenth launch brings the North Drive truss, as soon as it has its solar array and arms it will become known as the North Drive Section. This large structure made mostly of aluminum, has 14 CBMa ports. Two of which are on the ends. It also has movable mounting points for a large solar array and an airlock which is at the end of the truss most distant from the central habitat hub. This structure is responsible for transferring all the thrust of mounted engine assemblies to the habitat wheel to move the whole research station. The thrust level is low, (on the order of 80N per side) but the structure has be very rigid and this force is transferred through a bearing assembly at a relatively large distance (between 7 and 20m). Since rotation is required, no cross bracing is used to prevent shearing forces or torque forces.

The habitats robotic arms assist with grabbing the drive truss and berthing it to the north side angular transfer structure on the north side of the habitat hub. This construction step is critical because, once started, there is no convenient airlock available for EVA personnel to reenter the habitat until the north drive section is berthed and pressurized. Once installed, the airlock on the North Drive Truss becomes the primary airlock for EVAs. There are airlocks available on the habitat arms, but getting to them would be difficult as the inflatable habitat modules do not have handholds.

A single Delta or Falcon heavy launch (#12) is required to deliver a drive truss to LEO.

North Solar Array & arms

The seventeenth launch delivers the rolled solar arrays and extending system for the 200 KW north solar array. It also supplies two robotic arms that attach to the same inbound articulation wheel as the solar array. Again the habitat robotic arms can assist the EVA to install these items.

The solar array consists of 4 or 6 "wings" that extend to the east and west from a moveable platform. This platform will also house communications antennae, star trackers, and scientific observation equipment that benefits from a mount that is in fixed orientation relative to space. This platform does track the sun, but its rate of movement is very slow. The platform can move to the opposite side of the drive section in tandem with the robotic arms. This dramatic movement is only required when the role of the engine switches between acceleration and deceleration.

A single Delta or Falcon heavy launch (#13) is used to transport these parts. The large fairing size is required due to the large dimensioned parts, but there is likely additional payload budget on this launch for additional provisions or equipment.

South Drive Truss

The eighteenth launch delivers the south side drive truss. Prior to the arrival of this module, the universal docking adapter and its temporary connecting ring are removed from the south angular transfer structure. The connecting ring is removed entirely and stored while the CBMp of the universal docking adapter is berthed to the North Drive Section's far end CBMa port. This will be the final position for this universal docking adapter. The docked Dragon capsule is used to move this hardware.

The south side of the habitat hub now has an available CBMp port on its angular transfer structure. This is where the newly delivered south drive truss berths. The robotic arms of the habitat hub again assist with this berthing.

A single Delta or Falcon heavy launch (#14) is used to transport the south drive truss.

South Solar Array & arms

The nineteenth launch delivers the rolled solar arrays and extending system for the 200 KW south solar array. It also supplies two robotic arms that attach to the same inbound articulation wheel as the solar array. Again the habitat robotic arms can assist the EVA to install these items.

The solar array is virtually identical to its northern counterpart. After this delivery and berthing, the universal docking adapter and temporary connecting ring that are mounted on one of the unused habitat spoke ports of the habitat hub, can be moved to the far end of the south drive section. The operation of moving the universal docking adapter with its docked Dragon capsule is a delicate one as bracing within the habitat represents some hazard. The habitat arms can help in this regard to move the assembly out of the midst of the habitat wheel and into free space.

From this point on, artificial gravity can be started within the habitat wheel. The assumption is, once the habitat wheel is placed in rotation, it will never stop until the FOLDINGSS craft is decommissioned. Therefore, any additional work to be performed on the craft that benefits from it remaining stationary should be completed prior to the spin up. Also, once the habitat starts rotating relative to the drive sections, the angular transfer structure will have to be used in full airlock mode to move crew or cargo between the rotating and stationary sections of the research station.

A single Delta or Falcon heavy launch (#15) is used to transport these parts. The large fairing size is required due to the large dimensioned parts, but there is likely additional payload budget on this launch for additional provisions or equipment.

North Ion Eng & Propellant

The twentieth launch brings the first drive engines to the FOLDINGSS space station. These will be a multi-channel ION engine almost certainly. It is also very likely that an 80N class chemical engine with its propellant and oxidizer will be installed as well. The role of the chemical engine will be to force a more elliptical orbit for more efficient orbital transfers. The chemical engine can also act as a backup to the ION drive as the ION X3/X4 will be novel technology. In emergency, the two Dragon Capsules could act as additional propulsion or as life boats to get crew back to Earth.

For a trip to Mars, something on the order of 17,000 lbs of Argon would be required for ION propellant. Considering less is required for the initial missions of FOLDINGS, it is likely two engines and associated propellant will be within the payload capability of a single Delta or Falcon heavy booster. This is assembly launch #16.

There is likely a delay before installing engines and propellant to let the rest of the program transition from a building phase to an operational phase. Since there is likely to be some leakage of ION propellant, there is no rush to get this in space.

South Ion Eng & Propellant

The twenty-first launch brings the remaining drive engines to the FOLDINGSS spacecraft. These will be a similar mix to those delivered to the north drive section.

It is likely two engines and associated propellant will be within the payload capability of a single Delta or Falcon heavy booster. This is assembly launch #17. From this point on, the launches cease to be numbered by assembly order. All remaining launches are considered operational.

Assembly Crew Rotation Three

The twenty-second launch rotates most of the assembly crew, leaving 2 assembly personnel and 4 operational crew on board. This ends the formal assembly phase of the program and begins the operational phase. The remaining 2 assembly personnel are a resource for some of the shakedown missions that will take place between the next operational missions of crewing and provisioning the ship.

These six crew will be rotated out as the first far orbit missions begin.

This launch (17p) will be performed with a Falcon 9 and a crew dragon capsule

Reaction Engines & Propellant

The twenty-second launch is the beginning of the provisions process. Any additional hardware, possibly additional reaction engines and propellant, communications equipment, medical equipment, habitat build out supplies, fabrication raw material, etc. will be brought up on this launch. The emphasis for this launch is items which are not perishable and those necessary to finish fitting the spacecraft.

At this point, we assume a single Delta or Falcon heavy will be sufficient for this payload.

900 day provisions

Once the basic space trials of the FOLDINGSS spacecraft are complete and the initial mission schedules have been finalized, the ship can be provisioned for the first deep space mission. This involves about 1T of food for every crew member and approximately 0.3T of water and breathing gases for each crew member. Thus, to provision a 12 person crew, nearly 16T of payload must be delivered to the research craft.

There will likely be some clever use of rotation at this point. Movement through the angular transfer structure involves many steps typical of an airlock and is time consuming. To avoid much of this difficulty, The habitat wheel can be maintained at a slow rotation rate and the drive sections can be allowed to rotate. The rotation of the drive sections presents no problems provided none of the engines are thrusting and that no docking actions are required. Thus, when the drive and habitat sections are rotating in unison, the angular transfer structure can return to "pass through" mode where both ends of the transfer barrel are docked. Thus crew and cargo can move from drive section to habitat section much faster and safer. Though there will be a 1 RPM rotation of the ship which will be a little odd in micro gravity.

This suggests a single Delta or Falcon heavy will suffice for provisioning the ship. This would represent the twenty first launch of the program

12 person crew

One of the last steps before embarking on a FOLDINGSS mission will be assembling the crew. Though there is no resolute requirement that 12 souls be aboard, that has been the assumed complement for the sake of this initiative. Given the capacity of the Crew Dragon capsule, this suggests 3 launches with 4 crew aboard each launch. In addition to the persons themselves, crew specific equipment such as personal items, clothing, and custom EVA suits would accompany the astronauts.

This will require 3 Falcon 9 launches. The first will replace the Dragon capsule that arrived with the first rotation of crew. This will return two of the remaining assembly crew. The second new Dragon capsule will replace the capsule which arrived for the second rotation and return two more of the assembly crew. The third new Dragon capsule will replace the first operational crew Dragon capsule and return the last of the assembly crew to Earth. This should leave two nearly fresh capsules connected to the FOLDINGSS and have a fresh crew of 12 on board.

Before the last crew rotation takes place, multiple ship trials will be performed to work out any kinks that show up while there are still assembly personnel on board with familiarity with the assembly procedures. By the time the last assembly astronaut leaves the spacecraft, the ship will have completed some basic trials and the new crew will have established a few months of hands on experience with the ship.

Option Landers or Spacecraft

If there are to be shared transport between the FOLDINGSS mission and other missions, like lunar missions, there may be additional hardware that is required. Within limits, this additional hardware can be ferried on the drive sections on available CBMa ports. Additionally, future FOLDINGSS missions may actually be used to launch deep space probes or even have Martian landers or related craft on board. Thus this equipment needs to be boosted to LEO for attachment on FOLDINGSS.

It is outside the scope of this document to determine if any launches, or how many of what type will be required for this step of mission preparation.

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