Hull Configuration

[Lord High Munchkin]

I think my Dad got sent it as one of the "Top 100 Men of Science".

Mind you my Mum might have been sent it for the same reason (obviously she isn't a man though!!).

 

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

Modern aircraft have to deal with a habitable, pressurized compartment with low external pressure and flight loads as well. Sure, the pressures and loads are not what they would be for a spaceship, but it is similar.

Aircraft have a pressurized area that is basically a cylinder rounded at one end (the back end) and at the front end (the nose). Only the very tip of the nose and end of the tail are not pressurized (not counting the wings, tail, engines). The lower cargo area is pressurized, but the design is such that it isn't as important as the passenger part. As such, there are some fancy design features in place to make sure the floor doesn't collapse if the cargo area depressurizes.

 

[rinku]

... For the record, this is precisely the approach on the space shuttle - the forward (pressurised) compartment is basically a rounded cone attached to a cylinder. The external fuselage is a bit more angular, ...

Nope.

The internal spaces for the crew compartment largely follow the contour of the exterior (and definitely not a 'circular cross-section'). The internal framing members are directly attached - there is no separate 'pressure hull' (a space ship is not a submarine - the only real similarities are the self-contained atmosphere).

Well, I'll defer to your dad's stuff, I was just going on this:

http://www.columbiassacrifice.com/&1_shttlovrvw.htm#structural

The pressurised bit is still a lot more curved than the outer fuselage (as can be seen on the members that cradle it.

 

[BP]

Nice link rinku - the site even has the basic image from the poster that I was referring to:

http://www.columbiassacrifice.com/&0_shttlovrvw.htm (check out first cutaway)

The top image of your link does make it look like a cylinder - but if you look carefully, you will note that all the rest do not. That top one is just distorted - it is a 'rendering' with an incorrect aspect ratio (more like a sketch - note the lack of CAD like details).

The outside is a bit less curvy - due to the requirement for a flattened aerodynamic re-entry surface.

While it is true that, for aircraft, most internal pressurized sections are rounded - this is due to aerodynamic requirements more so than pressure requirements. Rounded structures are better for handling pressure differentials - but, a box can hold pressure just fine - if it is not too extreme.

Of course, there is always this approach

Note: From a manufacturing standpoint (and defect handling) - geodesic design is actually probably better for larger structures.