Space station

#This invention relates to space stations and particularly to a novel station composed of structural elements for a complete station adapted in their entirety to be launched in a single voyage as cargo in the hold of a present-day space shuttle, for example, and to be deployed in space and there erected to form a structure presenting a number of modules, held in fixed spaced relation to each other, adapted to enclose a variety of functional areas and as a whole to be rotated to generate centrifugal force in simulation of gravity. The compartments of which the station is composed are of different sizes such that one compartment, the largest, is of a size and shape to fit within the hold, for example, of a space shuttle and in turn to house all of the other compartments during transit into outer space. Before launch, one of the compartments may be outfitted in readiness to serve as space living quarters.

#So far as I am aware, the space station of the present invention fills a need that had not been satisfied by prior proposed stations. It does not require successive launches of individual modules to make up a complete space station. Hence, cost is saved and no problem of rendezvous in space is presented. It can be accommodated within the cargo hold of present-day space shuttles. The device is the essence of simplicity and therein, in part, lies its merit. With a crew of no more than two, it can easily and quickly be deployed, assembled and secured to afford living and working quarters. It is visualized that the vehicle, while useful as a permanent station, is also well adapted as a temporary home base during a program of construction of a more elaborate station and indeed can readily be taken apart and returned to earth for possible reserving and relaunch.

#In the drawings:

#FIG. 1 is a side elevation view showing in outline form a space shuttle broken away to show the components of the space station stowed in their entirety within the hold;

#FIG. 2 is a plan view of the space shuttle with top closure panels opened to show the nested and packaged space station components within the hold;

#Referring to the drawings, the basic elements of my novel station, as shown in FIG. 4, include a number of compartments of which, for illustrative purposes, four are shown at 10, 11, 12 and 13. Of these, compartment 10 is the largest. Compartment 11 is formed at one end of compartment 10 and is separated therefrom by a bulkhead 11a. Compartment 12 has a cross sectional configuration similar to that of compartment 10, as will be described, slightly smaller than compartment 10. During transit, compartment 12 is contained within compartment 10 abutting partition 11a. Compartment 13, having a cross sectional configuration which may be the same as that of compartment 12, is received within compartment 10 after compartment 12 has been inserted to abut partition 11a. Reference 15 designates a door hinged at 15a, to be closed to secure the compartments in nested position all contained within compartment 10.

#Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the space shuttle 2 is shown broken away in FIG. 1 to indicate the hold 4 containing the stowed components of the space station indicated generally at 6. Two telescoping poles 18 and 19 are strapped securely at 17a and 17b to the top of the main compartment 10, which is shown serving to house all other compartments 11, 12 and 13.

#Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, pivoted at 3a and 3b to the upper margins of the side walls 5a and 5b are doors 7a and 7b, respectively, arcuate in configuration to conform when closed to the arcuate shape of the shuttle body and adapted to be swung about the pivots 3a and 3b from their dotted line closed positions to their full line open positions for unloading the space station components 6 within the hold.