Habitat

A fanciful conception of a multi-generation star-ship/habitat. Probably not very realistic or feasible - just playing with the idea...

The generation-ship concept involves generations of colonists living out their lives aboard the star-ship, and centuries later their descendants arrive at the destination.

The concept doesn't rely on exotic technologies such as faster-than-light travel, hyperdrive, etc. Its not a new idea. Several well-known science fiction writers have dealt with the subject, most notably Robert Heinlein in "Universe", Arthur C Clarke in "Rendezvous With Rama", and Van Vogt in "Far Centaurus".

Heinlein's colonists lived in an enclosed habitat. Their society declined over time, and eventually they forgot that they lived on an artificial structure.

Rama's aliens, their nature and motives were never fully revealed but Clarke hinted at suspended-animation techniques used to survive the long journey.

Van Vogt's colonists finally arrive at their destination after centuries in flight only to find the system already colonised by Earth, with the aid of advanced technologies.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Space-Travel
• Sci-Fi
• Science-Fiction
• Colonies-in-Space
• O'Neill
• L-5
• L5
• Island-One
• Island-Two
• Island-Three
• Space-Colony
• Habitat
• Stanford
• Torus
• Ringworld
• Halo

[trakkaton]

A torus may be a habitat. But a starship? Where's the light coming from that makes those plants green?

[fragomatik]

@trakkaton

At about 20s in - see that bright-white tube? It's a "sun-tube", ie. an artificial light source. Now, before you berate me for using such a cop-out solution, I didn't invent the idea. Clarke uses it in "Rendezvous With Rama", Bear uses it in "Eon" & virtually every SF author writing about space colonies has used some form of sun-tube, whether it is High Intensity Discharge lighting such as that used for Earth hydroponics, or whether it is fusion trapped within a magnetic "bottle".

[trakkaton]

@fragomatik

The question is: Where is that huge amount of constant energy coming from, just in the middle of two stars?

[fragomatik]

@trakkaton

Nuclear fusion. It's a Bussard Ramjet - just like it says in the text on the video itself.

It scoops up interstellar hydrogen using magnetic fields and then "compresses" it until it fuses. That's what produces the thrust and the energy for other stuff. If you're really interested, just do a wiki search on "Bussard ramjet". Invented by physicist Robert W Bussard in 1960. Great idea, but has its problems, too...

[Zurround100]

@trakkaton this whole "generation ship" thing will never happen. But it is a great staple for sci fi. My favorite type of story for generation ships is when the future descendants are not even aware that they are on a ship.

[fragomatik]

@Zurround100 said "this...'generation ship' thing will never happen"

Chances are that a gen ship would be overtaken mid-voyage by later, more advanced ships, so you're probably right, *BUT* never say never ;)

For example, Nasa's 100-Year Project is a serious attempt to quantify & define how we'd undertake such a monumental voyage.

@Zurround100 said "the future descendants are not even aware that they are on a ship."

Sure! Heinlein's "Orphans Of The Sky" comes to mind.

[fr4nbl]

The spacecraft rotating habitats must wear a second ring with the same mass rotating in the opposite direction. Only then would cancel the angular momentum. Otherwise be very difficult to maneuver in space, because turning the ship would be a motion of precession.

[b257]

I like the design, *sigh* if only it were reality though, I would be willing to be passenger on a ship like that.

[aFemale1]

@fragomatik Oh thank you..

[fragomatik]

@aFemale1

Yep. Building it in space is the only way, as it would be very impractical & expensive to launch everything from Earth. Such a humongous project would require a space-based economy and society to be well-established before attempting it. Perhaps, one day...

[aFemale1]

ok ok.. BUT how do you put this thing in space , Construct it ? 

[SailorBarsoom]

@fragomatik

Sorry I haven't answered this. The thing I read just stated that it was a bad idea, something about getting more energy from the body heat of the colonists. Didn't say how or why or where the author got it, just stated it as if it were settled. This sort of thing always makes me suspicious.