Space Station and Space Cabin Testing

For Earth Orbiting Space Stations neither expandable, extensible, nor converted propellant tanks appear as suitable for manned operations as a specially designed cabin regardless of the mission to be performed. While an interesting possibility, use of converted propellant tanks offer little advantage when viewed in the light of the overall space station system problem. During the past two years studies have been conducted in some depth of the cabins associated with space station systems suitable for launch by Titan III C, Saturn IB, and Saturn 5 boosters. These studies have considered various crew complements, supporting ferries f and the effects of rotation for the generation of artificial G . Considering the requirements for integrating power supplies, thermal control* life support, attitude control, orbit propulsion, specific mission equipment, rendezvous, docking, communications, navigation, and crew creature comforts, the development of an efficient usable cabin becomes a task of significant proportions. Applying the constraints of removable and storable equipment to the fixed sizes and shapes of booster tankage makes the problem more difficult, the results less than optimum, and the increased cost substantial