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Space1 is cultivating the new Flat Space Station FSS invention, a concept in transportable space stations within the confines of cylindrical rocket payloads.
The FSS begins structurally as a flat substrate which has ability to curve into the confined cylindrical rocket walls to decrease its stowing size during delivery on space missions. Once delivered, it unfolds, unrolling to a large diameter single unit space station. Made from flexible material that is form retained during shipment yet springs into shape when deployed, the FSS can serve as a fully functioning space station up to 10/100 times its stowing size. FSS materials and panels can offer duplicity protection against harmful solar radiation to protect humans and electronics.
— Models successfully show a space station can be delivered into space which is much larger than the actual delivery rocket —
The overall design is one of low cost and simplicity. The deployment is 100 times more effective than space stations that require multiple times of delivery for their respective modules. The FSS unrolls into one massive section delivered one time. In its cylindrical configuration, the FSS can unroll to provide a larger diameter cylinder compared to the original stowed size.
— It's estimated the FSS will save billions of dollars in the long term —
In the diagram, the calculus of changing P and D defines the space station storage and unrolled size. The integral of D layers define the ultimate deployed size. In the design, the stowed FSS can also harbor space equipment in the center cavity along its length for maximum efficiency in delivering space station equipment as payload.
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Photo represents a cylindrical space station of the future. The artist's view is of the Island One Space Colony, based on a 1974 design by Dr. Gerard O'Neill. Source
