Orb2: Spherical Space Station Designed for Single Launch and On-Orbit Assembly

Abstract

With upcoming heavy and superheavy lift rockets targeted for launch in 2021, a new class of payloads can be launched into low Earth orbit. This paper presents a design for a space station capable of being lifted by a single Blue Origin New Glenn vehicle. Once assembled on orbit, it contains more than twice the pressurized volume of the International Space Station (ISS). The pressurized volume of traditional space station modules is limited by the dimensions of the payload fairing. The proposed Orb2 design consists of a spherical habitation module and a service module. The habitation module avoids the volume limitation by being launched in a flat-packed stack and assembled and welded robotically in orbit. Using CAD and finite element analysis, this paper shows that the habitation module contains approximately of pressurized volume, with a mass of 24 tons, and can hold four times the standard atmospheric pressure. Moreover, the Whipple shield configuration is identical to the heavily protected sections of the ISS. The service module has a traditional cylindrical design, and its role is to provide all the necessary utilities. Furthermore, the paper explains the assembly and welding method required to convert Orb2 into the fully assembled space station.