Key Takeaways:
- Scientists propose using asteroids as potential city-sized habitats for future space colonization.
- The concept involves enclosing a large rotating asteroid with a mesh bag made of carbon nanofibers.
- This idea draws inspiration from the 1970s NASA-designed O’Neill cylinder, which aimed to create habitable environments in space.
- While speculative, the proposed technology doesn’t violate known laws of physics, offering a potential avenue for future space exploration.
- Theoretical calculations suggest that a 300-meter-diameter asteroid could be transformed into a cylindrical habitat spanning approximately 22 square miles, comparable to the size of Manhattan.
Envision a scenario where colossal asteroids might one day serve as habitable environments for future space settlers.
This prospect arises from a recent publication by a group of researchers affiliated with the University of Rochester. They have presented what they term a “highly speculative paper” elucidating the potential utilization of asteroids as vast city-sized space habitats.
According to a press statement, the proposed methodology involves employing a single large rotating asteroid and an immense mesh bag constructed from carbon nanofibers.
Asteroid Habitats Inspired by a 1970s NASA Design
This innovative proposition bears resemblance to the concept of the “O’Neill cylinder,” conceived by physicist Gerard O’Neill in response to a request from NASA in 1972. The aim was to design a space habitat conducive for human habitation.
The O’Neill cylinder typically consists of two cylinders linked by a rod, each rotating in opposing directions. These cylinders rotate at a speed sufficient to simulate artificial gravity, without inducing motion sickness.
Readers familiar with science fiction may recognize similar concepts, as seen in Andy Weir’s recent novel ‘Project Hail Mary.’ Various grandiose and imaginative ideas exist within the realm of science fiction, as depicted in the accompanying image.
The researchers, who detailed their innovative approach in a paper published in the journal ‘Frontiers in Astronomy and Space,’ conceived this idea as part of a theoretical exploration. Their objective was to devise a space habitat concept that circumvents the need for launching vast quantities of materials into space.
An Asteroid-Sized Space Habitat
Their proposed solution involves utilizing the abundant materials present in space, particularly asteroids.
However, a significant hurdle remains. Asteroids lack the requisite size to generate sufficient gravity for a space habitat. Furthermore, subjecting them to the rotational speeds necessary for artificial gravity, akin to the O’Neill cylinder, would risk structural integrity, potentially causing them to disintegrate.
The proposed solution ventures into the realm of speculation. The researchers suggest enveloping a large asteroid, similar in size to Bennu with a diameter of 300 meters, with a massive mesh bag composed of carbon nanofibers.
“While the construction of asteroid habitats remains a distant prospect, the underlying technologies do not defy the laws of physics,” remarked Professor Adam Frank, who spearheaded the project alongside students from the University of Rochester during the lockdown.
Subsequently, the asteroid would be set in rotation until it fractures. The resultant debris would be captured by the nanofiber mesh, forming a hollowed outer layer suitable for use as the exterior structure of a space habitat. This layer of asteroid remnants would also serve as a shield against radiation. Meanwhile, a rotating cylinder within the habitat would generate sufficient artificial gravity for habitation.
“Based on our estimations, a 300-meter-diameter asteroid could potentially be transformed into a cylindrical space habitat spanning approximately 22 square miles, equivalent to the size of Manhattan,” Frank explained.
With the space industry increasingly focused on human exploration of Mars and beyond, the convergence of real-world space science and science fiction appears inevitable.
