as an alternative to ISS. Let's start from scratch and design a modular platform, which can be easily teleoperated. It should be robot friendly and amenable to autodocking from robotically controlled craft. It should have a few general purpose "crawler" robots and have a network of cameras or access to camera enabled robots throughout the platform. All hatches and covers should be accessible with standard tools provided to the crawlers. "Paths" would be designed to support movement of the crawlers to get to everywhere conceivably necessary to support and maintain platform operations. A few independently flying robots should also be able to inspect and relay platform views from off platform perspectives. All critical systems must be accessible and fixable by robotic or telerobitic missions.

The modularity of design should enable growth of the platform and support growing numbers of science packages and experiments delivered in automated craft. There should be some device (rotating ring?) which supports gravity experiments that range from microgravity to (at least Mars gravity). There would also be some support for habitability of mammals and other animals. Ability to dispose of completed experiments (science racks) by deorbit is required, so that new experiments may take their place. Users will pay a fee for a platform support of their experiments. Fees will vary as to how precious the resources of support are (e.g. gravity experiments would probably cost more as the support for artificial gravity costs more). Some method for deorbit and recovery of physical experimental results and apparati will be provided. Users may make use method provided(if they meet requirements) or have their own method for same.

Possibly tether technology and/or ion engines would be used for orbit maintenance. However the platform would be required to have the ability to (fairly) rapidly change orbit for object avoidance. This process would be as automated as possible. High bandwidth communication links are required to support both teleoperation and science experiments. Possibly provide "gas station service" to automated craft that have the ability to rendevous, dock, and undock from platform.