ou have a summer internship at NASA and are working on plans for a new space station to be launched into orbit around the Earth. The design of the space station is shown. It is to be constructed in the shape of a hollow ring of mass 51,500 kg. The structures other than the ring shown in the figure have negligible mass compared to the ring. Members of the crew will walk on a deck formed by the inner surface of the outer cylindrical wall of the ring, with radius  r = 120 m.  The thickness of the ring is very small compared to the radius, so we can model the ring as a hoop. At rest when constructed, the ring is to be set rotating about its axis so that the people standing inside on this deck experience an effective free-fall acceleration equal to g. The rotation is achieved by firing two small rockets attached tangentially to opposite points on the rim of the ring. Your supervisor asks you to determine the following: (a) the time interval during which the rockets must be fired if each exerts a thrust of 115 N and (b) the period of rotation of the space station after it has reached its target rotation.   (a) Determine the time interval (in hr) during which the rockets must be fired if each exerts a thrust of 115 N.   (b) Determine the period of rotation of the space station (in s) after it has reached its target rotation.

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ou have a summer internship at NASA and are working on plans for a new space station to be launched into orbit around the Earth. The design of the space station is shown.

It is to be constructed in the shape of a hollow ring of mass 51,500 kg. The structures other than the ring shown in the figure have negligible mass compared to the ring. Members of the crew will walk on a deck formed by the inner surface of the outer cylindrical wall of the ring, with radius 
r = 120 m.
 The thickness of the ring is very small compared to the radius, so we can model the ring as a hoop. At rest when constructed, the ring is to be set rotating about its axis so that the people standing inside on this deck experience an effective free-fall acceleration equal to g. The rotation is achieved by firing two small rockets attached tangentially to opposite points on the rim of the ring. Your supervisor asks you to determine the following: (a) the time interval during which the rockets must be fired if each exerts a thrust of 115 N and (b) the period of rotation of the space station after it has reached its target rotation.
 
(a) Determine the time interval (in hr) during which the rockets must be fired if each exerts a thrust of 115 N.
 
(b) Determine the period of rotation of the space station (in s) after it has reached its target rotation.
The image depicts a schematic of a rotating space station, which is designed to create artificial gravity through centrifugal force. 

**Description:**

1. **Main Structure:**
   - The space station is built around a large circular ring, which represents the habitat where the astronauts or residents would live.
   - The ring rotates around the central axis, generating artificial gravity on its inner surface through centrifugal force.

2. **Central Axis:**
   - The central axis of the station is depicted as a vertical structure in the middle, around which the circular ring rotates.
   - This central hub is likely to house essential operational and control systems for the station.

3. **Support Structures:**
   - Truss-like structures are shown connecting the central axis to the outer ring. These are designed to provide structural stability and support the rotation mechanism.

4. **Habitat and Living Spaces:**
   - The inner surface of the outer ring would be where the living quarters and workspaces are located. The centripetal force experienced by the rotation would be equivalent to gravity, thus allowing inhabitants to walk and move comfortably.

5. **Arrows Indicating Rotation:**
   - Two arrows are depicted on the ring, pointing tangentially and in opposite directions. They indicate the direction of rotation needed to generate artificial gravity.

6. **Radius (r):**
   - The radius "r" is marked on the diagram, showing the distance from the center of the rotation (the central axis) to the inner surface of the outer ring. This radius is a critical factor in determining the effective gravity experienced by the inhabitants.

**Explanation:**
The overall goal of such a space station design is to simulate the experience of gravity in the micro-gravity environment of space. By rotating the habitat ring, the outward centrifugal force creates an experience similar to Earth’s gravity, which can help mitigate the adverse health effects of prolonged weightlessness on astronauts. The speed of rotation required to achieve a certain level of artificial gravity can be calculated based on the radius of the ring.

This diagram helps illustrate the basic principles of a rotating space station, a concept often explored in science fiction and contemporary astronautical engineering design studies.
Transcribed Image Text:The image depicts a schematic of a rotating space station, which is designed to create artificial gravity through centrifugal force. **Description:** 1. **Main Structure:** - The space station is built around a large circular ring, which represents the habitat where the astronauts or residents would live. - The ring rotates around the central axis, generating artificial gravity on its inner surface through centrifugal force. 2. **Central Axis:** - The central axis of the station is depicted as a vertical structure in the middle, around which the circular ring rotates. - This central hub is likely to house essential operational and control systems for the station. 3. **Support Structures:** - Truss-like structures are shown connecting the central axis to the outer ring. These are designed to provide structural stability and support the rotation mechanism. 4. **Habitat and Living Spaces:** - The inner surface of the outer ring would be where the living quarters and workspaces are located. The centripetal force experienced by the rotation would be equivalent to gravity, thus allowing inhabitants to walk and move comfortably. 5. **Arrows Indicating Rotation:** - Two arrows are depicted on the ring, pointing tangentially and in opposite directions. They indicate the direction of rotation needed to generate artificial gravity. 6. **Radius (r):** - The radius "r" is marked on the diagram, showing the distance from the center of the rotation (the central axis) to the inner surface of the outer ring. This radius is a critical factor in determining the effective gravity experienced by the inhabitants. **Explanation:** The overall goal of such a space station design is to simulate the experience of gravity in the micro-gravity environment of space. By rotating the habitat ring, the outward centrifugal force creates an experience similar to Earth’s gravity, which can help mitigate the adverse health effects of prolonged weightlessness on astronauts. The speed of rotation required to achieve a certain level of artificial gravity can be calculated based on the radius of the ring. This diagram helps illustrate the basic principles of a rotating space station, a concept often explored in science fiction and contemporary astronautical engineering design studies.
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