Blue Origin
Speculation on a 12m version of New Armstrong
12m first stage
15m second stage
Building a large space colony
New Armstrong 18m
The ultimate goal, building a Space Colony
A 18m New Armstrong carries a 600 tonne payload to orbit.
18m space seed in orbit
The large 18m second stage, specially fitted for electric propulsion, in Earth orbit: The Space Seed
Space seed refueling from the competition
Fuelling with Argon for the drive, from an old SpaceX Starship serving as a fuel depot.
Space seed at Eros
Target: the 28km long Near Earth Asteroid Eros: Travel time, 1 to 2 years
Flying near the saddle
Eros has already been visited by space probes. So we have pictures!
Deployment
The seed ship deploys its factory
Diggers fly of to Eros
Small autonomous diggers go down to Eros for raw materials
First factory deployed
The Factory is deployed. 3D makers, automated shops and ressource tanks, plus plenty of solar power
Second replicated factory
The Factory produces... a second factory
Four factories
They then go on to produce 4 factories...
An entire ring of 72 factories
Eventually, ending with 72 factories that are ready to convert to the second stage of production
Large rotating habitat
The habitat. Built built from material extracted from Eros over about 20 years time.
Although enticing, Eros is probably too far to serve as a really practical source of materials. So the first Space Colony may be build closer to home, in Earth or Moon orbit.