Orbiter Forum Very High Earth Orbit Space Station

[Voyager]

What I am thinking of is composing a station serves as a jumper from Earth-Moon-Mars. The station would help the Orbiter Forum Mission to Mars. We could maybe used special kinds of modules so the Arrow Freighter can dock to the station before heading to Mars.

The station would be somewhere around 1000km up. One of the main problems will be delivering the modules but I have a plan for it. We essentially use a Delta-Glider IV Mk II, the XR1, the XR2, and the XR5 to transport the modules for the station. I think if we could use some station's propulsion to help boost it into the VHEO orbit.

The station should be both UMMU and UCGO capable. I am going to need station planners, pilots, addon developers, and a lot more jobs, so post if you want to be in it.

 

[RisingFury]

And there I was, thinking high orbit was gonna be GSO or beyond...

 

[T.Neo]

And there I was, thinking high orbit was gonna be GSO or beyond...

Indeed.

 

[Voyager]

I am currently thinking about having the core of the station as a Cassiopee from Mustard's addon site. It will most likely be boosted by a DG-IV MkII, where it will remain till the next module comes up.

 

[DanScall]

I am currently thinking about having the core of the station as a Cassiopee from Mustard's addon site. It will most likely be boosted by a DG-IV MkII, where it will remain till the next module comes up.

That won't work. The Cassiopee is far too big for the DGIV, you're going to need an XR-5, or maybe an Ariane.

 

[garyw]

You'd be better off building a station in LEO and then when it's all done using a series of firings over a long period of time to boost the station into a higher orbit. Why waste all that upmass to reach a high orbit in the first place?

 

[T.Neo]

You'd be better off building a station in LEO and then when it's all done using a series of firings over a long period of time to boost the station into a higher orbit. Why waste all that upmass to reach a high orbit in the first place?

Indeed.

Something like an ion engine might work well for that, barring excessive radiation from the Van Allen belts...

 

[garyw]

Van allen belts do not apply as the original poster was talking about 1,000km up and the van allen betls start around 9,500km. To get to 1,000km you don't need much thrust if you raise the orbit over a long period of time.

 

[Urwumpe]

Van allen belts do not apply as the original poster was talking about 1,000km up and the van allen betls start around 9,500km. To get to 1,000km you don't need much thrust if you raise the orbit over a long period of time.

The inner Van Allen Belt starts at about 250 km (South Atlantic Anomaly) and extends to about 1000 km (Yes, most manned spaceflight really happens at the inner edge of the van allen belt), 9500 km is between Inner and Outer Belt, which is 3 to 7 Earth radii outside.

 

[Lunar_Lander]

In the Apollo to Venus project, Phase B was to be a year-long flight of the CSM and the SIV-B hab in an 40,000 km Orbit. Maybe this would be something to look at?

 

[Lucy]

I think a station in GEO would be more interesting to implement - built at LEO and boosted up to GEO. I say interesting to implement because I'm not sure how useful it would actually be as a station...

 

[T.Neo]

Then again, if it's 1000 km, you might as well boost the station conventionally or assemble it at that altitude...

 

[Hielor]

Then again, if it's 1000 km, you might as well boost the station conventionally or assemble it at that altitude...

And also change the name, since that's nowhere near "very high earth orbit."

 

[T.Neo]

Indeed.

Is it even a Medium Earth Orbit?

 

[Shadow Addict]

Indeed.

Is it even a Medium Earth Orbit?

Nope, MEO starts at about 2000 km.

 

[michaeldim]

A High Earth Orbit begins past geosynchronous altitude, so the station would have to be above 35,786 km. There isn't really a definition for Very High, so I would suppose just add another 10,000 - 20,000 km to that (or whatever you'd like, really).

 

[Urwumpe]

Indeed.

Is it even a Medium Earth Orbit?

No, medium is outside the inner Van Allen Belt, above 10,000 km, or above 2,000 km for some definitions, and below geosynchronous orbit. High Earth Orbit is geosynchronous and beyond.

A high earth orbit station would have to be beyond 42164 km semi major axis.