Space stations?As in, stations with humans in them? Pretty much none. Your best bet is to postulate some sort of alternate history in which electronics and computers never took off. Or you can go in the other direction, and postulate tiny space stations which house computing hardware running uploaded humans.
As others mentioned: mining, special manufacturing exploiting microgravity.
A lot of competition and innovation in the area of data transfer protocols and encryption and localization and espionage increasing the need for engineers that can build, test and maintain new communications directly from orbit, which is cheaper than launching prototype after prototype.
A fad for having a marriage and honeymoon in space, making luxury space hotels commercially viable.
Companies having headquarters in space as the ultimate signal. Especially if it gives them an advantageous legal environment.
China wanting to outshine the US, so heavily subsidizing the stuff above for it’s citizens / companies.
Space junk becoming enough of a problem that specialized repair and disposal jobs become viable, mostly financed by the satellite insurance companies.
Some of the things above increasing the number of space flights, and so decreasing prices and making a few more uses become viable.
I don’t think that’s meant to refer to a world without electricity, just keeping computers at 1950s-60s sizes and efficiencies. The linked page describes “rocketpunk” further up, and it’s quite different from steampunk.
Can confirm. I meant a rocketpunk setting in which combustion engines and simple vacuum tube electronics work, but human operators are still required to run space stations capable of monitoring the weather, handling international communications, or spying on enemy countries.
Space stations? As in, stations with humans in them? Pretty much none. Your best bet is to postulate some sort of alternate history in which electronics and computers never took off. Or you can go in the other direction, and postulate tiny space stations which house computing hardware running uploaded humans.
Interesting site.
Human mainteance is still required for satellites, especially if geostationary is becoming even more crowded,
As others mentioned: mining, special manufacturing exploiting microgravity.
A lot of competition and innovation in the area of data transfer protocols and encryption and localization and espionage increasing the need for engineers that can build, test and maintain new communications directly from orbit, which is cheaper than launching prototype after prototype.
A fad for having a marriage and honeymoon in space, making luxury space hotels commercially viable.
Companies having headquarters in space as the ultimate signal. Especially if it gives them an advantageous legal environment.
China wanting to outshine the US, so heavily subsidizing the stuff above for it’s citizens / companies.
Space junk becoming enough of a problem that specialized repair and disposal jobs become viable, mostly financed by the satellite insurance companies.
Some of the things above increasing the number of space flights, and so decreasing prices and making a few more uses become viable.
Please, no. The world already has a sickening amount of steampunk.
Does it now? Care to recommend some?
I don’t think that’s meant to refer to a world without electricity, just keeping computers at 1950s-60s sizes and efficiencies. The linked page describes “rocketpunk” further up, and it’s quite different from steampunk.
Can confirm. I meant a rocketpunk setting in which combustion engines and simple vacuum tube electronics work, but human operators are still required to run space stations capable of monitoring the weather, handling international communications, or spying on enemy countries.