USN JFK Construction

[phavoc]

This article/video shows the final 800 section of the USN John F Kennedy being assembled. Something similar for larger starships? While it makes sense for some to be built in orbit, you can imagine that rather than a crane a large section is assembled on planet, taken into orbit on a cargo lighter and then tugs use thrusters to place this section in place and weld it together.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7305355/Final-780-ton-piece-11-3-billion-aircraft-carrier-USS-John-F-Kennedy-place.html

 

[Condottiere]

Your mileage may vary.

It probably comes down to what's easiest and most economical for each shipbuilding corporation, especially if the planet in question has minimal gravity and no atmosphere.

 

[Anonymous]

A lot of depends on how coherent or bonded hulls work.

You maybe can't "just weld it" as there's some high-tech molecular magic going on in there.

In any case, we've built ships in sections for many years now.

 

[phavoc]

Welding could take many variations. Regardless of how (atomic bonding, molecular 'glue', vacuum welding, etc, etc) - the idea remains the same. Welding is a common term and more or less universally understood.

If you can tell me how they do it in the 52nd century I'll change the wording.