Space stations-truck stops in space

Commission: MetaDragonArt

Space stations offer many capabilities and are relatively simple to put together. Essentially it’s a large ship that spends just enough fuel to stay in orbit.

So what’s the big deal? It gives you more options than a single launch can. Saturn V will never fly again, so until Falcon heavy, Energia, or the SLS come on line there are no heavy lifters capable of putting an Apollo size ship in orbit with one shot.

Stations give you the option of piecing together components from several launches into a larger vessel that can go farther and do more. This is why the MarsOne program wants a three part station to carry its people to Mars (Dutch company, totes legit, trying to land people on Mars by 2025) a lander section (a Spacex Dragon, possibly version 3), in-flight mini habitat, and main engines.

Being able to stock equipment and supplies in advance gives you the ability to move around obstacles. For MarsOne or any plan that uses a station as the main ship or a hub, the big plus is that you get around most of the violent shaking of launch. The downside is that launching piece by piece takes a lot of time, just look how long it took us to build the ISS.

Eventually it comes down to limited construction methods and understanding the space environment, and apart from the moon missions no human has left Earth’s orbit so there’s not much to go on that doesn’t come from SKYLAB, MIR, ISS, or TIANGONG (that’s china btw). Which means if you’re building something in the same size range you’re not too far off development wise, so long as you plan on staying local.

Stations are also be a big resupply point, let’s face it ships need fuel. You can grow your own food, but if you start drifting launching crew mates out the back is not the best way to get thrust. Also there;s a limit to what duck tape and WD-40 can fix, like broken circuit cards or burnt generators… yeah that’s happened

Lastly stations make for great observation platforms. Ground stations can see their targets really well but they lack mobility, and what a station lacks in massive redundancy they make up in spades by being outside the atmosphere. And, as it is said by many, when you’re in orbit-you’re half way to anywhere.