05-28-2016, 02:07 AM
(This post was last modified: 05-28-2016, 02:09 AM by stevebowers.)
If your design needs a perfectly circular orbit, then maybe a snailshell configuration might be best. This consists of numerous objects sharing a single orbit, (basically an 'orbital band' in OA terminology) surrounded by several similar bands in larger and gradually tilting orbits. Here's an illustration of one by Anders Sandberg;
Early in the construction process, only a few bands are filled
![[Image: d_early.gif]](http://www.aleph.se/Trans/Tech/Megascale/d_early.gif)
later in the process the bands form an almost complete shell
![[Image: d_late.gif]](http://www.aleph.se/Trans/Tech/Megascale/d_late.gif)
I used the 'snailshell' configuration for the Black Acropolis in OA, incidentally.
Unfortunately the snailshell suffers quite a bit from self-shadowing, and the mass distribution looks a bit asymmetric- which might make maintaining a perfect alignment a bit tricky.
Early in the construction process, only a few bands are filled
later in the process the bands form an almost complete shell
I used the 'snailshell' configuration for the Black Acropolis in OA, incidentally.
Unfortunately the snailshell suffers quite a bit from self-shadowing, and the mass distribution looks a bit asymmetric- which might make maintaining a perfect alignment a bit tricky.