Solar System Explorer

A long-range human spacecraft for deep space missions

1. Mission Overview

The Solar System Explorer is a crewed interplanetary vessel designed for long-duration missions to Mars, the outer planets, and beyond. It features rotating habitation pods, hybrid propulsion, and onboard fuel production using external water sources. It is the next step beyond Aegis Station — a mobile orbital civilization pushing the frontier outward.

2. Design Philosophy

• Hybrid propulsion: high-thrust + efficient cruise
• Rotating habitation pods for artificial gravity
• Onboard electrolysis and cryogenic fuel production
• Redundant systems and modular architecture
• Micrometeoroid strategy: survive, not dodge
  • Whipple shielding + trajectory planning
  • Emergency storm shelter in the central core

3. Artificial Gravity System

• 4 × 15° rotating pods on 50m booms
• Spin rate: 1.5 RPM → 0.4g at floor level
• Pods retract during burns
• Rotating tunnel with vestibule allows transfer while spinning

4. Propulsion & Power

• High-thrust chemical/NTR stage for departure & braking
• MPD/Ion engines for cruise and fine maneuvers
• Powered by 2–5 MW gas-cooled fission reactor

5. Fuel Production

The ship carries an onboard electrolysis plant and cryogenic storage to convert external water into LOX and LH₂. This enables true in-situ turnaround without resupply from Earth.

6. Radiation Protection

• Water and polyethylene shielding around pods
• Central storm shelter zone for high-radiation events
• Mission planning avoids worst periods of solar activity

7. Ship Specifications

• Length: ~100–110 meters
• Span with deployed pods: ~120–130 meters
• Core diameter: ~6–8 meters
• Dry mass: ~150–200 metric tons
• Water and propellant: 100+ metric tons
• Docking capacity: landers, tankers, resupply craft

8. Support Craft

The Explorer is built to operate alongside:

• Landers: crew and cargo to surface
• Tankers: deliver water/ice in orbit
• Mining Drones: extract water from regolith or ice

9. Long-Term Vision

The Solar System Explorer is designed to grow — through modular expansion, support systems, and upgrades. Future iterations may explore the Kuiper Belt, support colonization efforts around icy moons, and operate as the backbone of deep-space logistics networks.