The structural designer, when asked to design the manned space station (MSS), will go over a checklist which includes: design criteria, factors of safety, environment, optimum design, methods of analyses, materials, and configurations. The structural designer of the manned space system must imbibe quantitative numbers which are several orders of magnitude different than those which are commonplace for earthbound structures. Additionally, the designer must bear in mind the methods of assembly and, in fact, should help in the design of the methods of assembly. Of special importance to the success of the station are the capabilities of the space construction engineers (SCE) who are the personnel who will perform the final assembly in the environment of zero g. The structural designer has a vested interest in defining and characterizing the role of the SCE because the details of the structure will to an important degree be determined by the methods of assembly.
Commercializing low-Earth orbit and the role of the International Space Station