EXAMPLE CASE OF RING PLAUSIBILITY:
~ASSUMPTIONS:
https://space.nss.org/wp-content/uploads/Orbital-Rings.pdfModule length: 100m
Module weight: 50 ton
No. of thrusters: 4
Ring height: 36,000 km
Therefore, orbital circumference: 2*pi*(6,371+36,000) =266,224 km
THRUSTER PERFORMANCE
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ion_thruster>Taking massive liberties on "technological development", they are already used for momentum-building propulsion in zero-g, keep in mind they are not designed for powerful thrust. Power consumption: 100kW
Thrust: 20N
~CALCULATION:
Grav. force at given height:
https://opentextbc.ca/universityphysicsv1openstax/chapter/13-2-gravitation-near-earths-surface/#fs-id1168327935317Using this derivation of g at height h, we have:
g = G(Me/r^2)
G = Cavendish gravitation constant = 6.67x10^-11 Nm^2/kg^2
Me = mass of earth = 5.96x10^24 kg
r = 6371+36000 = 42371 km = 42,371,000 m
Therefore,
g = 0.2214 m/s/s
>this is negligible until thrusters make module stationary, and thus not in freefall orbitForce of the module's weight:
50 tonnes = 50,000 kg
At 36,000km, force = 50,000 * 0.2214 = 11,070 N
Equivalent amount of thrust from ion thrusters:
11,070 / 20 = 553.5 scale factor
Energy consumption and power will have to be amplified 553.5 times to match weight of each module.
Net energy consumed:
100kWh * 553.5 = 55,350 kW
or 55.35 megawatt
~FEASIBILITY:
No. of modules in a 266,224 km circ. orbit:
226,224 km = 226,224,000 m
226,224,000m / 100m (each module) = 22,622,400 modules total
Energy required for ALL modules:
22,622,400 * 55.35 MW = 12.52*10^11 MW
Real-world comparisons:
3GD energy output - 22,500 MW
>you would need *55.6 MILLION Three Gorges Dams* to power this ring instantaneously>you would need to store this energy in the modules somehowThis calculation is only to power it statically - this doesn't take into consideration how much *time* it would take to assemble this ring.
