Interesting Engineering
By Brad Bergan
Aug 24, 2021 (Updated: Aug 24, 2021 22:35 EDT)
Crewed space missions call for colossal engineering projects.
Case in point, researchers in China are investigating the possibility of assembling a spacecraft in orbit. The project is part of the nation’s ambitions to expand space exploration, which encompasses crewed missions operating on long-term timescales.
The proposal from the National Natural Science Foundation of China calls for an analysis of the mechanics of constructing an “ultra-large spacecraft spanning kilometers”, according to an initial report from the South China Morning Post.