What is Space station: Definition and 115 Discussions

A space station, also known as an orbital station or an orbital space station, is a spacecraft capable of supporting a human crew in orbit for an extended period of time, and is therefore a type of space habitat. It lacks major propulsion or landing systems. Stations must have docking ports to allow other spacecraft to dock to transfer crew and supplies.
The purpose of maintaining an orbital outpost varies depending on the program. Space stations have most often been launched for scientific purposes, but military launches have also occurred. As of 2021, there is one fully operational and permanently inhabited space station in low Earth orbit: the International Space Station (ISS), which is used to study the effects of spaceflight on the human body as well as to provide a location to conduct a greater number and longer length of scientific studies than is possible on other space vehicles. China's Tiangong Space Station is under construction. Both India and Russia have proposed to build stations for the coming decades.

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  1. M

    Calc III : Spaceship reaching a space station at constant velocity.

    Homework Statement The Position Function of a spaceship is r(t) = (5t+9)i+(2t2-1)j+t2k and the coordinates of a space station are P(54,89,45). The captain wants the spaceship to reach the space station in constant velocity. When should the engines be turned off? Homework Equations r'(t)...
  2. Q

    A spaceship launched from a space station was moving with a speed 0.6c

    Homework Statement A spaceship launched from a space station was moving with a speed 0.6c , with respect to the space station , in a direction perpendicular to its motion , when , a band of asteroids is observed a head of the ship. A proton gun is shut by the spaceship with a speed of 0.99c...
  3. H

    Apparent Weight in a Spinning Space Station

    Homework Statement To simulate gravity, a circular space station with a radius of 150 m is rotated so that astronauts standing on the inner surface move at 30 m/s. If the 75 kg astronaut stands on a bathroom scale what reading will it give? (assume the scale is calibrated in Newtons)...
  4. B

    How Fast Should a Space Station Rotate to Mimic Earth's Gravity?

    Homework Statement A proposed space station includes living quarters in a circular ring 62.0 m in diameter. At what angular speed should the ring rotate so the occupants feel that they have the same weight as they do on Earth? The attempt at a solution I assumed that to do this...
  5. Z

    Path followed by a space station.

    Homework Statement Consider a space station orbiting around the Earth in a circular orbit. If it fires its engine radially outward, will it follow a different circular path or an elliptical path? The Attempt at a Solution Since the thrust force is perpendicular to the motion, the...
  6. W

    Uniform Circular Motion Space Station question

    Homework Statement A proposed space station consists of a circular tube that will rotate about its center (like a tubular bicycle tire), as shown in the figure (http://session.masteringphysics.com/problemAsset/1057181/4/GIANCOLI.ch05.p048.jpg). The circle formed by the tube has a radius of...
  7. S

    Circular Motion of space station

    Homework Statement 4) A circular space station rotates to provide an “artificial gravity” at the outside rim. a) If the diameter of the space station is 500m, how many revolutions per minute are needed in order for the “artificial gravity” acceleration to be 8.0 ms-2? b) If the space...
  8. M

    Solving for the Temperature of an Outer Space Station Wall

    Homework Statement A space station in outer space has a total surface area of 580m^2 with emissivity of 0.62. The temperature of the outside surface is 156K. The walls are 0.25m thick with an average thermal conductivity of 0.038W/mK. Find the temperature of the inner wall of the space...
  9. W

    How does the space station survive the damages caused by debris in space?

    How does the space station, its solar panels and the satellites in space survive the potential damages caused by the different size of debris in space?
  10. B

    Exploring Changes in Gravity: Cylindrical Space Station

    1. Homework Statement cylindrical space station - large diameter, thin walled - radius r, mass M rotating in deep space, no gravity 1)radial spokes of negligible mass connect the cylinder ti the centre of motion. Astronaut mass m climbs a spoke to the centre. What is the fractional change...
  11. B

    Astronaut in rotating space station

    Homework Statement cylindrical space station - large diameter, thin walled - radius r, mass M rotating in deep space, no gravity 1)radial spokes of negligible mass connect the cylinder ti the centre of motion. Astronaut mass m climbs a spoke to the centre. What is the fractional change in...
  12. H

    Space station mathematics question

    Ok, I am writing a comic book that takes place on a city sized space station. I have planned for somewhere between 500,000- 1 million people on this space station. It's largely a terra forming/farming project. it will be shaped like a giant rolling pin that has the diameter of roughly a mile or...
  13. Greg Bernhardt

    Player Pays $330k (US) for Space Station in Project Entropia Universe

    More...
  14. N

    Why does smoke rise in a spinning space station?

    What do you make of the following explanation regarding the movement of smoke: Let's assume there is no gravitational force from the outside.
  15. Z

    Circular motion space station question

    hi, could some one explain where am i wrong? A proposed space station includes living quarters in a circular ring 53.5 m in diameter. At what angular speed should the ring rotate so the occupants feel that they have the same weight as they do on Earth? in such a station there is a centr...
  16. I

    Weight change in rotating space station

    Homework Statement station has radius 25m and rotate with w. we were asked to find the period of rotation required to produce apparent gravity 0.7g i worked this out to be 11.99s = 12s. using a(0.7g) = v^2 /r we are then asked if astronaut weighs 75Kg and runs at 5m/s in the direction...
  17. E

    A method to predict visibility of the international space station

    Does anyone know of a good method for calculating the visibility of the international space station from an arbitrary point on Earth's surface? I've always been curious how NASA makes all those predictions about fly-overs and such. Any links to web sites explaining the procedure in as much...
  18. jacksonpeeble

    Artificial Gravity in a space station

    Homework Statement To create artificial gravity, the space station shown in the drawing is rotating at a rate of 1.10 rpm. The radii of the cylindrically shaped chambers have the ratio rA/rB = 3.85. Each chamber A simulates an acceleration due to gravity of 10.0 m/s2. (a) Find rA. (b)...
  19. P

    Space station - tension of the structure

    There is a space station of the length L and uniformly distributed mass M on the low Earth orbit. One side of it always faces the Sun. Which tension will the structure experience? My attempt of the solution: bottom of the station is L/2 meters below the stable orbit at that velocity...
  20. D

    Circular Motion Conceptual Physics - Space Station

    Homework Statement Suppose you are standing within the rim of a circular space station, in outer space. The rim revolves around the center of the space station at 290 m/s. If the radius of the station is 8784 meters, what will you weigh? (Hint: Find v^2/r and compare it to g.)Homework Equations...
  21. P

    Hypothetical space station orbiting inside a plasma torus

    Consider, if it were the case, that the plasma torus left in Io's path as it orbits Jupiter followed the same orbital path as the moon and was not deformed by Jupiter's magnetosphere...thus a space station orbiting Jupiter could effectively orbit in Io's plasma torus. Yes, this is going...
  22. F

    Calculating Angular Speed for Proposed Space Station

    Homework Statement A proposed space station includes living quarters in a circular ring 61.0 m in diameter. At what angular speed should the ring rotate so the occupants feel that they have the same weight as they do on Earth? Homework Equations Angular speed = radians/second The...
  23. DaveC426913

    Aboard the International Space Station: Who's in Orbit Now?

    Where can I find out who is currently aboard the International Space Station?
  24. P

    Design Space Station Homework: Rotation Speed & Gravitational Acceleration

    Homework Statement Part 1: You want to design a large, permanent space station so that no artificial gravity is necessary. You decide to shape it like a large coffee can of radius 322 m and rotate it about its central axis. The acceleration of gravity is 9.8 m/s2. What rotation speed...
  25. W

    Artificial Gravity and a Rotating Space Station

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  26. G

    Rotational Speed of a Space Station

    Homework Statement Space Station A space station has the form of a hoop of radius R, with mass M. Initially its center of mass is not moving, but it is spinning with angular speed ω0. Then a small package of mass m is thrown by a spring-loaded gun toward a nearby spacecraft as shown; the...
  27. C

    Is a Space Station More Cost-Effective than a Moon Base?

    Why is the idea of putting a station in orbit more appealing then putting on on the moon? I understand the want to test things in low gravity. But what about cost wise? I know that the ISS has to change it's direction every now and then to avoid random junk floating in space, and I understand...
  28. Ivan Seeking

    NASA Colbert wins NASA space station name contest

    I think this is too damned funny! :smile: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hVxsBGs7scxZSkcCE1cL2B4BlECAD974D8800
  29. R

    Rotating Space Station: Exploring Centrifugal Force

    Ok, so I'm having trouble imagining why a "centrifugal force" would exist for a rotating space station. As I understand it if there was only vacuum inside the station then anyone inside it would not move toward the "floor" (outer wall), so I can only imagine that it would be the air inside the...
  30. F

    Gravitational Field Strength of Space Station w/ N Astronauts

    Homework Statement A space station consists of two living modules attached to a central hub on opposite sides of the hub by long corridors of equal length. Each living module contains N astronauts of equal mass. The mass of the space station is negligible compared to the mass of the astronauts...
  31. A

    Exploring the Effects of Rotation on Astronauts in a Spinning Space Station

    Homework Statement One design for orbitting space stations has a structure that is very much like a large wheel. The astronauts live near the rim, where the spinning of the wheel provides an acceleration that mimics the effects of gravity. a) If the station has a diameter of 94m, what period...
  32. S

    Space station living quarters problem

    Homework Statement A space station consists of two doughnut shaped living chambers, A and B, that have the radii shown in the drawing. As the station rotates, an astronaut in chamber A is moved 2.40 x 102 m along a circular arc. How far along a circular arc is an astronaut in chamber B moved...
  33. L

    Space station artificial gravity

    This is not actually homework, I'm just trying to calculate the speeds/forces needed to create 9,81 m/s2 artificial gravity (outward) within a rotating barrel in space. Homework Statement I read on the internet that a space station would require a diameter of 224m and an angular speed of 2...
  34. D

    Another spinning space station question

    Hi all, I'm a science fiction writer working on a scene in which a character in EVA, approaching a cylindrical, spinning space station. He fires a grapple and attaches to the side of the station. What would he experience? Is this so unrealistic that no editor would ever buy the story...
  35. Robert100

    Path of falling person inside B5 rotating space station

    I started working on a few "Babylon 5" related physics problems involving angular motion. It is easy to come up with problems that use formulas involving angular velocity and acceleration, rate of rotation, apparent "g"s, number of rotations that the space station completes in a given amount of...
  36. E

    Orbiting space station is observed to remain always vertically above

    Why is it that if an orbiting space station is observed to remain always vertically above the same point on Earth then the observer must be on the equator of Earth?
  37. glondor

    Shooting the moon. did i get a space station?

    Hey all. My kids and me were trying to get some shots of the old moon tonight. I took about 40 or so so far. We were going out every half hour or so and I was shooting 10 or so shots per trip. As it is minus 20 degrees we were pretty quick about it. As we came in I would pop the camera card in...
  38. S

    Ultimate fate of ISS (International Space Station)

    Eventually ISS will re-enter the Earth's atmosphere and burn up, I assume. I recall that back in 1979 Skylab fell back to Earth and showered debris over a large area. It's never too early to plan ahead... Any thoughts on when ISS will come down and how it will be handled? This question...
  39. DaveC426913

    Space station artifical gravity

    I've got a great good head for intuiting physics but no post-2ndary math. How fast must a cylindrical space station rotate to produce a given g-equivalent? Say we standarize the gravity at a reasonable 0.5g and the station at 100 feet diameter. And maybe another station at 1000 feet in...
  40. D

    Rotating Space Station & Gravity: A General Relativity Exploration

    It is easy to see how a rotating space station can simulate gravity through the centripetal force. Examples are swinging a cup of water in an arch, or theme park rides. I saw another discussion about this very topic and it got me interested and I was researching it, however everything I found...
  41. L

    Collision problem/ space station

    Homework Statement A 4.00 x 10^4 kg space station is in orbit at a speed of =5230 m/s with respect to the earth. Then, with an explosive mechanism much like a cannon, it launches a 300 kg satellite straight ahead with a speed of 6500 m/s. How much kinetic energy was gained during this...
  42. O

    Conservation of angular momentum of space station

    [SOLVED] Conservation of angular momentum A space station shaped like a giant wheel has a radius of 1.00x10E2 m and a moment of inertia of 5.00x10E8 kgm2. A crew live on the rim and the staion is rotaing so that the crew experiences an apparent acceleration of 1g (1x9.81m/s2). When 120 people...
  43. S

    Space Station going down hill?

    I heard somewhere on here that they were going to not use or get rid of the space station anymore. Is that true? :confused:
  44. V

    Stopping Rotation of Space Capsule: How Long Do the Jets Need to Run?

    Homework Statement A space capsule was left rotating rapidly about its axis at N = 34.0 rev/min after a collision with another capsule. You are the flight controller and have just moments to tell the crew how to stop this rotation before they become ill from the rotation and the situation...
  45. P

    Space station orbit gravity help

    A space station is in orbit between the Earth and the moon. The force due to gravity on the space station from the moon is the same as the force due to gravity from the earth. How far away from the Earth is the speace station? How far from the moon is the space station?
  46. E

    Calculating Artificial Gravity in Rotating Space Station

    To create artificial gravity, the space station shown in the drawing is rotating at a rate of 0.85 rpm. The radii of the cylindrically shaped chambers have the ratio rA/rB = 3.80. Each chamber A simulates an acceleration due to gravity of 10.0 m/s2. Find values for the following. (a) rA...
  47. E

    Space Station and motion sickness

    In designing rotating space stations to provide for artificial-gravity environments, one of the constraints that must be considered is motion sickness. Studies have shown that the negative effects of motion sickness begin to appear when the rotational motion is faster than two revolutions per...
  48. W

    Find When Engines Should Be Turned Off for Spaceship to Reach Space Station

    Homework Statement The position of a spaceship is: r(t)=(3+t)i +(2+ln(t))j+(7-\frac{4}{t^2+1})k and the coordinated of the space station are (6,4,9). The captian wants the spaceship to coast into the the space station. When should the engines be turned off? Homework Equations r(t)=(3+t)i...
  49. K

    Calculating Time Dilation: QW Space Station

    QW the space station is moving at a speed of 0.01 c relative to the earth. According to the clock on Earth , how much longer than one year would have passed when exactly one year passed in the rest frame of a space station? How do i solve this problem? thanks in advance
  50. W

    Space Station and Arificial Gravity

    A space station is shaped like a ring and rotates to simulate gravity. If the radius of the space station is 150 m, at what frequency must it rotate so that it simulates Earth's gravity? [Hint: The apparent weight of the astronauts must be the same as their weight on Earth.] Once again I...
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