PLANT Structural Support

[Sabersonic]

Okay, many of us know that the PLANTs as seen in the Cosmic Era are basically hourglass shaped that rotate around a central hub to simulate gravity, and that light is reflected through mirrors with one mirror on the central hub while the others are effectively stationary and always facing the sun.

However my simple inquiry is of the non-rotating aspect of the PLANT design, specifically the shaft-like extension of the structure to which both the sun-facing mirrors and the external dock. In short, how is this particular part of PLANT kept rigid? Does it rotate in the opposite direction akin to the Bay Blocks of the Open/Close Type of UC Space Colonies to give them a "stationary" position? Is it made taught by a separate system of high-tension wires that are independent to the rotation of the hourglass habitation region? Or is is basically free standing and have no structural support whatsoever?

I look forward to see this inquiry resolved by the forum.

[MythSearcher]

Okay, many of us know that the PLANTs as seen in the Cosmic Era are basically hourglass shaped that rotate around a central hub to simulate gravity, and that light is reflected through mirrors with one mirror on the central hub while the others are effectively stationary and always facing the sun.

However my simple inquiry is of the non-rotating aspect of the PLANT design, specifically the shaft-like extension of the structure to which both the sun-facing mirrors and the external dock. In short, how is this particular part of PLANT kept rigid? Does it rotate in the opposite direction akin to the Bay Blocks of the Open/Close Type of UC Space Colonies to give them a "stationary" position? Is it made taught by a separate system of high-tension wires that are independent to the rotation of the hourglass habitation region? Or is is basically free standing and have no structural support whatsoever?

I look forward to see this inquiry resolved by the forum.

It is rotating at a 6 min interval, exactly doing the hourglass flip.
They have to continuously aim at the sun and reflect the light on the same surface, you can use smaller mirrors like the Island 3 system so you don't really need to spin the large mirror plate.

The structure though, seems to be cables in tension with glass built on the cables.(I would do a layer on top and a layer under if I am designing)

[Sabersonic]

They did make mention of the cables in the hourglass itself, just not what's keeping the rest of it rigid for those mirrors.

As for the mirrors, it would appear that the outboard mirrors always point towards the sun while the central hub mirror rotates with the hourglass portion.