NASA SP-413 Space Settlements - Saint Ann's School

More documents

Recommendations

Info

86 NASA SP-413 — SPACE SETTLEMENTS — A Design Study A glance around the dining area reveals young adults and a few children. Briefings before you left Earth had informed you that the community of the space habitat consists of men and women between the ages of 18 and 40, a few hundred children who came with their parents from Earth, and about a hundred children who were born in the colony. The population mix is that of a typical terrestrial frontier — it is hardworking, concentrating intently on the manufacture of satellite solar power stations and the construction of the next colony, a replica of this one. As you sit down to eat, one of the few colony elders tells you of the philosophy behind the productivity and growth in the colony. Despite the narrow focus of activities in the colony, he explains, there is considerable stimulation and innovation by the new settlers. The rapid growth of the settlement sustains a sense of dynamic change; but he warns that the stabilization of the community upon reaching its full size may result in the dissipation of that sense (ref. 1). A community as small and as isolated as the colony may stagnate and decline in productivity and attractiveness. The answer to the problem is continued growth by the addition of more colonies. Growth is important economically as well as psychologically, because as time passes the population will become more like that of Earth in its age distribution, with the productive fraction of the population diminishing from about 70 percent to between 30 percent and 40 percent. If more colonies are not established, the amount of production will decrease with time. He points out that only if the total number of people grows rapidly can production in space be maintained at its initial level and be increased sufficiently to meet growing demands of Earth’s markets for satellite solar power stations. Furthermore, he explains, the aggregation of habitats into larger communities will enable the colonies to develop cultural and technological diversity similar to that which permits the larger cities of Earth to be centers of innovation and disseminators of cultural and technological change. The colony experiences the egalitarianism of a frontier reinforced by the esprit of a group of people working together with a sense of mission on a common task. His face glowed with enthusiasm as he declared that this spirit, more than heroic adventures or romanticized challenge, is what makes the colony a rewarding place to live. Egalitarianism is tempered by certain realities within the colony. The entire colony has a Figure 5-10 — Section showing distribution of residential and agricultural areas. Chapter 5 — A Tour Of The Colony
NASA SP-413 — SPACE SETTLEMENTS — A Design Study 87 sense of elitism simply because each individual colonist was selected as a settler. A distinction developing between those with clean and “shirtsleeve “jobs and those who work in hazardous, heavy industry, or zero atmosphere jobs, has only small effects and will not produce marked socio-economic differentiation for a number of years. He excuses himself, saying he has a meeting of the “elders” to attend. You continue eating alone. Your meal is satisfying — chicken, peas, and rice followed by apple pie for dessert — hardly the fare which science fiction writers led you to Figure 5-11 — View of the agricultural areas. (See also frontispiece to ch. 3.) Figure 5-12 — Cross-section of agricultural region. Chapter 5 — A Tour Of The Colony
Page 2 and 3:
2 NASA SP-413 — SPACE SETTLEMENTS
Page 4 and 5:
Page 6 and 7:
Page 9 and 10:
NASA SP-413 — SPACE SETTLEMENTS
Page 11 and 12:
Page 13:
Page 16 and 17:
16 NASA SP-413 — SPACE SETTLEMENT
Page 18 and 19:
Page 20 and 21:
Page 22 and 23:
Page 25 and 26:
Page 27 and 28:
Page 29 and 30:
Page 31 and 32:
Page 33 and 34:
Page 35 and 36: NASA SP-413 — SPACE SETTLEMENTS
Page 37: NASA SP-413 — SPACE SETTLEMENTS
Page 40 and 41: 40 NASA SP-413 — SPACE SETTLEMENT
Page 85: NASA SP-413 — SPACE SETTLEMENTS
Page 118 and 119: 118 NASA SP-413 — SPACE SETTLEMEN
Page 136 and 137:
136 NASA SP-413 — SPACE SETTLEMEN
Page 138 and 139:
Page 140 and 141:
Page 142 and 143:
Page 145 and 146:
Page 147 and 148:
Page 149:
Page 152 and 153:
Page 154 and 155:
show all

NASA SP-413 Space Settlements - Saint Ann's School

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?