David Brin recently blogged about how SpaceX Starship tankers could replace Space Shuttle external tanks in low earth orbit to provide structure and materials for a large space station. This 1983 story explores the same concept. As a founding member of the L5 Society, I remember an in-person meet-up at MIT where we discussed the celestial mechanics of inserting shuttle tanks into a stable orbit. Those discussions focused on using the tanks as dwellings and utilizing the residual hydrogen and oxygen for water and breathable air.
I enjoyed revisiting the delta-v and celestial mechanics required to calculate the thrust needed by the magnetic dynamo in this story. The technical details are well-conceived, but the characters and politics are also great. This work remains an excellent example of hard science fiction that anticipates future engineering challenges. 5/5 Stars.
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