Dyson Sphere
|
 |
|
|
| Date |
|
5.2.2002 |
|
| Submitted by |
|
Julia Seeber |
|
| Title |
|
Dyson Sphere |
|
| Source |
|
http://home.kabelfoon.nl/~cdevoogd/dysonFAQ.htmlfirst appeared in: Silverberg, Robert. ‘Across a Billion Years’ |
|
| Context |
|
the Dyson Sphere as ultimate biosphere |
|
| Description |
|
The Dyson Sphere is an artificial sphere the size of a planetary orbit. The sphere would consist of a shell of solar collectors or habitats around the star, so that all (or at least a significant amount) energy will hit a receiving surface where it can be used. This would create a huge living space and gather enormous amounts of energy. |
|
| Comments |
|
A type I Dyson sphere can be built gradually, without any supertechnology or supermaterials, just the long-term deployment of more solar collectors and habitats. This work could start today (and one might argue that our satellites are the first step). Using self-replicating machinery the asteroid belt and minor moons could be converted into habitats in a few years, while disassembly of larger planets would take 10-1000 times longer (depending on how much energy and violence was used). A rigid dyson shell would require superstrong materials, and its construction is complicated since half a shell is unstable. One could conceive of some dramatic capping process, where a number of previously freely orbiting structural components at the same time moved inwards to lock together into a shell (for example twenty spherical triangles). This would require tremendous precision, but since supertechnology is already assumed for building a rigid shell, it seems almost trivial. As somebody put it, if you can build a dyson shell you don't need it. |
|
| Feasibility |
|
Possible with Current Technology |
|
| Keywords |
|
biosphere , closed ecosystem , dyson sphere |
|
