Life support systems and structural Design for Space Colony
Varun Vruddhula

Student - State University of New York at Buffalo

Abstract

It has been predicted that the sun will die out within 5 billion years, and with it our solar system and human race will cease to exist. The issues such as population growth, depletion of resources, natural and man-made disasters, global warming and adverse climatic changes are only few examples of catalysts which are abating the speculated time of human existence. Thus, the need for a space colony or a self-sustaining habitat that will serve as a guide to finding a new world is quite instrumental.

A space colony must be self reliant in terms of elementary essentials such as air, water, food and sensation of weight. Engineering criteria to assure physiological safety and comfort are essential, but equally important is the availability of psychological and esthetic needs of the colonists. The structure, mass, and shape of the habitat are sensitive to the choice of design criteria. The physiological effects of appreciable deviations from some of the terrestrial conditions on earthlings are unknown; hence the living conditions in a colony have to be designed similar to those on Earth.

My paper discusses Regenerative Life-Support Systems for a settlement, Dynamics and structural design, Resources for building a colony and economy with greater emphasis on Life support systems and structural design to meet the physiological needs of the inhabitants.

Presented at ISDC 2011 - Huntsville. Paper and presentation charts are not available.