Demands and Satisfiers for Automation and Robotics in Construction: Differences Between Japan and the United States
The construction industries in Japan and the United States face problems of productivity, quality, safety, and skilled labor shortages. Automation and robotics are often proposed as solutions...
Robotic Options for Mining of Near-Earth Objects
The mining and processing of a Near-Earth Object (NEO) should be as simple and as robust as possible - the fewer processes and parts the better. Reliability and survivability of the total...
Bubba, A Teleoperated Countermine Vehicle
A recent countermine test program required the development of Bubba, a 5 ton, 6 wheel drive, M-923 military truck converted to teleoperation. The Mine Detection by Energetic Photons (MIDEP)...
A Conceptual Study of A Solar Power Satellite Using Centrifugal Force
We studied the self deployable Solar Power Satellite (SPS) using centrifugal force in order to explore ways in reducing construction costs. We designed a 340 kW SPS, and studied the unfolding...
Large Deformation Theory Using Truncated Rotations
Today's aerospace industry has advanced to the point of using optimum design techniques in virtually all applications. In structural elements, orthotropic fiber composite materials have...
Reliability of Structures for the Moon
The subject of risk and reliability for lunar structures is introduced and critical issues deliberated. A tensile structure is considered as an example in order to become more specific...
A Membrane Structure for a Lunar Assembly Building
This paper describes potential design options and construction approaches for the development of an inflatable membrane structure of non-circular cross section. This structure could be...
Analysis of Inflating Habitable Space Structures with neomass (near-Earth-object mass)
The discovery of near Earth objects (NEOs), during August 1992, and that one of them is a dormant comet, dramatically changed the potential availability of near-Earth resources. NEOs provide...
Development, Testing and Modeling of Ceramic Composites for Lunar Applications
The procedure referred to as thermal liquefaction allows production of Intermediate Ceramic Composites (ICC) from lunar simulants with various admixtures. For their use as structural materials...
Global Environmental Change: Geoengineering Technology
The `overview effect,' looking at the entire Planet Earth from space, has communicated the reality of the limited extent of our environment and its apparent fragility. Space continues...
Update of the Implications of Recent Space Resource Discovery
Immense resources have been discovered in the space near Earth during the last decade. Last August, 1992, one of the resource objects was discovered to contain a key ingredient that might...
Resource Recovery Facilities for Earth Approaching Comets
Mankind's next large resource location may be off the planet. The facilities required for mining and material processing offer interesting concepts for the development of mankind's first...
Potential demand for passenger travel to orbit
In recent years the possibility of `space tourism', that is individual passenger travel to space on a commercial basis, has received increasing attention. The possibility of such an activity...
A Practical Application of Concession Schemes to Space Energy Projects
It has been shown in previous papers and studies that some of the financing schemes involving a mix of private and government funds, which are used for terrestrial large infrastructures,...
Inter-stellar Propulsion: The Need for Speed
Interstellar travel is certainly one of mankind's next step to reach for the stars. Four ideas for interstellar propulsion are discussed in this paper: the Orion Project, Deep Space Ramjets,...
Mars Terraformation Revisited
This report is a look into the future; not only that of the solar system, but of humans. With the goal of changing Mars into a living planet, we also have to face the change of the human...
A Space Station of Mars
While we are putting stations on the moon and in orbit in this fast changing world of growing scientific knowledge we must look past the step we are currently on to the steps beyond. The...
Construction of a Lunar Base
The United States' space program has the capabilities to build a lunar base, but must build an infrastructure which allows the easy transportation of the construction materials. Once this...
Reduction, Reuse, and Recycling on a Future Lunar Base
The paper addresses the waste management problems on Earth as they relate to a future lunar base and suggests measures to prevent these problems from occurring in the base. Offensive action...
Space Policy: Key Points of International Law
Prospects of exploring space and establishing settlements in outer space have become a worldwide challenge. Space Law and Space Policy must be established on the international as well...
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