Space stations in Solar orbit

[G'th]

With current technology*, would there ever be any real point to solar orbit space stations? And in particular, manned ones?

With the Asteroid Day mod requiring that the telescope be located in Kerbolar orbit, it made me wonder about the real life applications of such orbits besides debris dumping. Obviously the real version of the Sentinel is one such application. But then I wondered about space stations, and what purpose one would have, especially if it was manned.

To me, it seems like keeping it supplied would be even more difficult than it would to supply bases and stations in orbit around other planets (because you don't have that handy planet with a nicely sized SOI to get captured by), and outside of fuel depots in the outer planets I just don't see what else you could do with it.

[HoloYolo]

A solar station is 90% pointless. I say 90%, because if it was passing close to the Sun to get science done, then it returns home, then it makes sense.

[SargeRho]

A heliocentric space station would only make sense as a cycler between, say, Earth and Mars I think, it would allow you to save a lot of Mass on transits from Earth to Mars, despite having to speed up your spacecraft to the Cycler's speed, the cycler would contain heavy life support and radiation protection systems.

[smjjames]

He's talking about RL, not KSP.

That said, you have to consider the logistics of building and then supplying such a station, and theres also no reason to have one.

Sure you could put one there to help with communicating on the other side of the sun, but you don't need a full blown station to do that.

[G'th]

Indeed, so my thoughts were pretty much correct that there isn't much you could do with a solar station.

[prophet_01]

Wouldn't a station in the asteroid belt also be on such an orbit? (If it's not orbiting a dwarf planet)

Such a station could be used as a fuel depo and might do research on a large number of asteroids by using smaller ships to visit them and return.

[Silver_Swift]

I think Rosetta is in orbit around the asteroid where Philea has landed, so orbiting around an asteroid isn't out of the question, though obviously Rosetta is a long way from a full blown space station.

[prophet_01]

Yep it is, but I don't think that there is a benefit in actually orbiting an asteroid like that with a station (not a probe). The gravity is rly low and it might be safer and more fuel efficient (since you need correction burns) to just anchor with it or only visit it with small crafts and keep the station away from the dust.

But sure, I don't see why a station can't orbit an asteroid. It migh need quite a lot corrections though since slight forces will already alter it's course a lot.

Edited July 1, 2015 by prophet_01