Star Trek

And now for some fun thinking outside the box about what we could do in space when ignoring the issues of politics and funding ...

The BuildTheEnterprise (BTE) website describes how to build the first USS Enterprise spaceship, based on technologies within our reach, over the next twenty years.

It has 1g gravity, shielding for missions away from earth, can hold a 1000 people, and can enable the building of large underground bases on Mars and the moon also with 1g gravity. So what are we waiting for?

www.buildtheenterprise.org

Cheers,

BTE-Dan

Awesome, way to keep the dream alive.

The orbital construction facility is really not fantasy.

Take a look at the International Space Station with all of the extra modules removed such as the science and living quarters.

What do you have left?

The truss work that has the Canadian Robotic Arm that runs along rails. How does the robotic arm work?

There is what are called PDGF (Primary Data and Grapple Fixture) that the arm connects to so that a module can be placed and connected where it needs to be.

In theory the truss work of the I.S.S. can be built to longer lengths as well as on top and on bottom to give a 360 work area around the ship being built.

Each module is then moved into place by the robotic arm that grapples the PDGF to place the new section where it needs to be.

Mankind needs a ship to transport a lot people. The first with all the crew would also as I say should be called the Enterprise.

four words: "completly, and utterly logical"

Perhaps we could install something like the Fujitsu K computer system--the world's fastest supercomputer, for its LCARS and to operate its Structural Integrity Field system

http://techcrunch.com/2011/11/03/fujitsu-k-the-worlds-fastest-supercomputer-is-now-even-faster/

I want this so badly.

They have to do this. It would get people excited about space exploration again, something that's desperately needed.

It should be an international effort, though. So "USS" probably isn't the best prefix.

@BTE-Dan, have you ever thought about submitting this to NASA and say:
"YOu can have my plans but a lot of countries to work together"

You need to do something with this other then just putting it on your website. 

He tried. They flamed him.

I guess the whole idea does sound a bit...fanboy-ish. Dan, maybe try marketing it a bit differently: first going over the general idea and then adding halfway through that it will resemble the Enterprise for the purpose of inspiring people.

People were totally excited when the first moon landings were going on. Imagine the public interest that would be generated by the idea of a multi-purpose inter-planetary research spaceship!

Is there something wrong with the BTE site? I can't access it; something about not being able to find the server.

I think this is an amazing idea and i really really hope the Enterprise can be built.

People across the world need this for inspiration more than what the Olympics will ever provide.

The world needs something like this!!

I can't believe people on these boards are more interested in talking about "who's sexier?" than about something like this.

This sounds AMAZING!!! I wish the Bitish were involved in space travel...

I love your idea, especially the rotating magnetic wheel, that will produce Earth-like gravity and may help to accommodate acceleration and deceleration!  This may assist, or possibly replace, the Structural Integrity Field computers.

http://www.buildtheenterprise.org/gravity-wheel