A couple of things about kilometer-long space stations. That China and maybe some other nations in the world are planning

 

At first, we must realize that creating the kilometer-long modular structure in the space. Is not so complicated a task as people might think. This system requires only ten to twenty Saturn V-scale rockets or modules. Those rockets will be a dock together at the Earth orbiter. The length of Saturn V is 110 meters. And maybe half of it would be left empty for use as part of the modular space station. 

In some plans, those modules are made by using the empty rocket stages. In those stages is installed needed equipment. Like docking systems airlocks, and consoles. Whatever is needed to complete the structure of the space station. The purpose of the airlock is also to act as the fire door. And deny the lack of gas in the case where the core of the space station is damaged. Every each of the modules can be changed if there are problems with them. 

But why that kind of system is causing concern? The tube-looking structure can be a mega-laser. The kilometer-long monster can create the megawatt or even gigawatt class laser ray. 

The thing is that the empty rocket stages that can be used as the part of the space station can be used as the modules of the mega-lasers. Inside the structure of the kilometer-long tube would install the laser element. That element can also be modular and the bites of the laser tube can connect to the one entirely in the space. The laser would locate in the 20-50 meters long rocket stages. And the energy for that monster would be pumped by the auxiliary satellites. 

The kilometer-long carbon monoxide laser can seem like some kind of science fiction tale. But the idea is that the laser would be at the sun side of the Earth. And the support satellites that are orbiting the Earth by using the polar trajectories would aim their mirrors to that laser. Or if those auxiliary satellites are using lasers for pumping energy to the mega-laser can be anywhere. The idea of the mega-laser has been taken from the Soviet plans. 

The original idea of the lasers is to use solar power for creating their beam. The sunlight would target the laser system by using the mirror that collects the radiation to the laser element. 

The idea was officially to create the power satellite, but there were also military purposes for that kind of satellite. The power of the laser ray of this type of system is depending on the energy load that can be loaded into the laser system. And the kilometer-long laser that has auxiliary lasers for energy pumping is creating an extremely powerful ray that can affect targets on the ground. 

()https://www.newscientist.com/article/2275818-china-is-about-to-start-building-a-space-station-in-orbit/

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China is planning to create over a kilometer-long spacecraft.

Above this text is an image of the Chinese modular space station. The planned modular structural "Tiangong"-space station is an impressive plan. That is possible to make by using existing technology. The modular structures are also used in the ISS-space station. Similar modular structures can be used in spacecraft. The difference between space stations and spacecraft is that the spacecraft can use various trajectories or return to the Earth. 

The space station uses fixed trajectories. It cannot return home in one piece. Artificial intelligence-based automation makes it possible to make the structures that are combining those structures by using the small modules that can dock themselves together. And that thing is forming the large entirety. The computers of those modules can also act as supporting life-support systems and they can run artificial intelligence that mission is to find the leaks and damages from the systems and structures. 

The system can use RFID chips for observing leaks. Those RFID chips are released to the cabin. And the direction where they are traveling uncovers the leak. Also, things like artificial bugs can use to uncover the damages in the electric wires. And other things that are important for the missions. Those robot flies or butterflies can search for things like fungus or damaged insulators. They can also observe the crew and send the data to the command center. 

The large-size space stations might be the gate to more ambitious space projects. And one of those hypothetical projects is the so-called "O'Neill cylinder". The giant space station where is cultures for vegetables and what can offer the door to the colonization of the entire solar system. 

In some visions in the future, in our solar system travels "artificial worlds" or O'Neill-cylinders. Giant space stations are filled with cultures which purpose is to make nutrients for the crew and passengers of those traveling worlds. Those O'Neill cylinders would use the planet's gravity fields to keep it in course between planets. And the idea of those traveling space stations has been coming from the Troyan asteroids. 

The kilometer-long space stations can act as the simulators for O'Neill cylinders.

The creation of the kilometer-long spacecraft can simply make by docking the cylinder-shaped spacecraft together. That thing requires only that there are enough those cylinders in use. In the modern version of the modular spacecraft, those cylinders can launch by using separated launches. And when those cylinders are returned to the Earth they can simply separate from the structure and then return to base by using parachutes. 

That kind of system requires a large number of launches. The modular structures that are planned to use in this kind of project are the most conventional way to make the large spacecraft and space station structures. 

This type of spacecraft is not so difficult to make as people normally think. By using modular structures like rocket stages that can connect in space there is possible to make extremely large-size spacecraft. The idea of the modular space station was introducing by Wernher von Braun. The original idea was to connect the rocket stages of the Saturn V rocket. Those stages planned to launch separately by using their rockets. So every part of the space station has its launch vehicle.

 And each part would launch independently. The rocket stages would equip by using airlocks. And the vacuum would remove the fuel and oxygen from the tanks in the orbiter trajectory where those parts will dock together to large entirety. That system bases on old-fashion technology. The new version where is used the shuttle technology where the parts can reuse allows making the kilometer-long spacecraft what can return to the ground. 

In that vision, the re-usable rockets are launch to orbiting trajectory. Then they can dock together. And when it's time to return home that system will separate those rockets and they would make the independent landings. That kind of system can be extremely long. And docking the tanks to the series. Is not so fundamental that it requires a new type of technology. But anyway, those Chinese systems are impressive-looking plans. 

()https://theconversation.com/chinas-tiangong-space-station-what-it-is-what-its-for-and-how-to-see-it-160456

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