Worldhouses (A1-0): Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 14:27, 13 August 2024

Worldhouses, also known as World Roofs, are large, world-sized transparent membrane-like structures, used on worlds with low gravity and weak magnetospheres, that admit starlight in while preventing atmosphere escape.

Structure

Worldhouses have very similar general structures to Dome Habitats, but scaled up hundreds or thousands of times to cover most or all of the surface of a celestial body. However, this often titanic size increase leads to notable differences in the construction and support of said structures, which need to respond to stresses and engineering complexities of much larger scale.

**An Elastic Worldhouse on the low gravity world of Halloph'Gharan, in the Galactyan Empire.**
Image from Copyright Chris Wren.

Elastic Worldhouses

Elastic Worldhouses are the most similar type of worldhouse to Dome Habitats. Their though, flexible membrane is typically made out of transparent elastic diamondoid fiber composites, although any other highly-resitant, elastic material can essentially perform the same function. This flexible membrane is frequently divided into several layers, some of which are filled with substances capable of changing their own shape, such as smart fluids, nanogel or bionanogel, that will actively repair any minor punctures in the membrane. Alternatively, automated or guided repair service bots can be sometimes used as well. While uncommon, manned repairs can also happen, especially in lower-tech worldhouses, or in civilizations and societies that dislike AI automation for a variety of reasons.

Elastic World Roofs also act as physical greenhouses, allowing cooler planets to retain enough heat and atmosphere to become habitable for the constructors' population. If an additional greenhouse effect is needed, specialized heat-gathering materials and channels can also be constructed within the Roof: this may range from the usage of very advanced heat-retaining materials, or simply by covering portions of the worlhouse with radiation absorbent materials. If the opposite effect is needed instead, by incorporating a reflective layer Roofs can be used much closer to the local star by reflecting most of it's radiation, and more advanced materials can be used which permit the transmission of infrared wavelengths to prevent the membrane's overheating and avoid creating problems in its structural integrity.

While many thin and light worldhouses are kept suspended above worlds simply by their own atmospheric pressure, some thicker and heavier worldhouses will need some additional support, that can be given to them through Atlas Pillars, additional aerostatic support, or by Geosynchronous Cable satellites attached to specialized connection points. Depending on their thickness, density and total weight, some of these Worldhouses may just need additional support in some specific locations, while some might be so heavy that atmospheric pressure actually becomes their secondary support, while a network of equally spaced support Pillars acts as their primary.

Worldhouses In Sector A1-0

Sources

Orion's Arm: https://www.orionsarm.com/eg-article/484746e824a3a

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-''[[Infrastructures And Megastructures In The Galactyan Empire (A1-0)|<small><u>Go back to the main List</u></small>]]''
+{{update|reason=Missing categories, non-standard formatting and questionable canonicity|date=May 2024}}
-'''Worldhouses''', also known as '''Worldhouse Roofs''', are large, world-sized transparent membranes used on low-gravity worlds that admit starlight in while preventing atmosphere escape.
+''<small><u>[[Infrastructures and megastructures in Sector A1-0 (A1-0)|Go back to the main List]]</u></small>''
-== '''Structure''' ==
+'''Worldhouses''', also known as '''World Roofs''', are large, world-sized transparent membrane-like structures, used on worlds with low gravity and weak magnetospheres, that admit starlight in while preventing atmosphere escape.
-Worldhouses have very similar general structures to [[Dome Habitats (A1-0)|'''Dome Habitats''']], but scaled up hundreds or thousands of times to completely cover the surface of a planet. However, this size increase leads to notable differences in the construction and support of said structures.
-=== '''<u>Pandifico Worldhouses</u>''' ===
+== Structure ==
-'''Pandifico Worldhouses''' are the most similar to Dome Habitats. They are mostly supported by air-pressure, but support columns can also be added where necessary. Their though, flexible membrane is made out of Transparent '''Elastic Diamondoid Fiber Composites''', more commonly known as '''Pandifico''', and is divided into several layers, some of which are filled with smart fluids or gel which actively repair any minor punctures.
+Worldhouses have very similar general structures to [[Dome Habitats (A1-0)|'''Dome Habitats''']], but scaled up hundreds or thousands of times to cover most or all of the surface of a celestial body. However, this often titanic size increase leads to notable differences in the construction and support of said structures, which need to respond to stresses and engineering complexities of much larger scale.
+[[File:Worldhouse.jpg|thumb|600x600px|'''''An Elastic Worldhouse on the low gravity world of Halloph'Gharan, in the Galactyan Empire.'''''<br>Image from Copyright Chris Wren.]]
-Such a worldhouse roof acts as a greenhouse as well, allowing cooler planets to retain enough heat and atmosphere to become habitable for the intended population type.
+=== Elastic Worldhouses ===
+'''Elastic Worldhouses''' are the most similar type of worldhouse to Dome Habitats. Their though, flexible membrane is typically made out of transparent elastic diamondoid fiber composites, although any other highly-resitant, elastic material can essentially perform the same function. This flexible membrane is frequently divided into several layers, some of which are filled with substances capable of changing their own shape, such as '''smart fluids''', '''nanogel''' or '''bionanogel''', that will actively repair any minor punctures in the membrane. Alternatively, automated or guided repair service bots can be sometimes used as well. While uncommon, manned repairs can also happen, especially in lower-tech worldhouses, or in civilizations and societies that dislike AI automation for a variety of reasons.
-By incorporating a semi-reflective layer these worldhouses can be used closer to the local star, and modern materials can be used which permit the transmission of infrared wavelengths to prevent overheating.
+Elastic World Roofs also act as physical greenhouses, allowing cooler planets to retain enough heat and atmosphere to become habitable for the constructors' population. If an additional greenhouse effect is needed, specialized heat-gathering materials and channels can also be constructed within the Roof: this may range from the usage of very advanced heat-retaining materials, or simply by covering portions of the worlhouse with radiation absorbent materials. If the opposite effect is needed instead, by incorporating a reflective layer Roofs can be used much closer to the local star by reflecting most of it's radiation, and more advanced materials can be used which permit the transmission of infrared wavelengths to prevent the membrane's overheating and avoid creating problems in its structural integrity.
-=== '''<u>Canopy Plants</u>''' ===
+While many thin and light worldhouses are kept suspended above worlds simply by their own atmospheric pressure, some thicker and heavier worldhouses will need some additional support, that can be given to them through [[Atlas Pillars (A1-0)|'''Atlas Pillars''']], additional aerostatic support, or by Geosynchronous Cable satellites attached to specialized connection points. Depending on their thickness, density and total weight, some of these Worldhouses may just need additional support in some specific locations, while some might be so heavy that atmospheric pressure actually becomes their secondary support, while a network of equally spaced support Pillars acts as their primary.
-The '''Canopy Plant''' is a '''neogen''' terraforming plant with bionano capabilities. The plant's growth follows this basic outline:
+== Worldhouses In Sector A1-0 ==
-* Hardened '''Seedpods''' are dropped from planetary orbit. They may be decelerated by parachute or balloon cushion depending on the atmosphere of the target body.
+== Sources ==
-* Pods penetrate the surface or burrow down to their optimal depth.
+* '''Orion's Arm''': https://www.orionsarm.com/eg-article/484746e824a3a
-* Each seedpod begins to extend a root system through the ground and a stellar energy collecting canopy bud to the surface.
-* The plant extends its canopy, utilizing material mined from the air and ground. It sends up to three fast growing runners that are separated from one another by approximately 120 degrees. When they reach a preset distance they set down new root systems. The canopy membrane grows out from the taproot and the edges of the runners. As it grows it is initially anchored to the ground by temporary rootlets.
-* New root systems produce their own canopy buds and send out their own runners until they begin to link up in a roughly hexagonal network according to local terrain.
-* The canopy continues to grow from the vertices and runner edges until it covers an entire hexagon. The air pressure beneath the canopy rises as atmosphere is processed, causing the canopy dome to inflate. Curtain membranes grow between each canopy and runner, sealing each hexagonal cell off from the others. Tailored biota and bionano are then introduced into the cells to further prepare the developing biome.
-* As ceiling height increases the curtain walls may be detached, creating ever-greater continuous space beneath the canopy which remains anchored to the surface by the original stems.
-* Atmospheric processing and terraforming may continue in the air outside of the canopy domes till the desired composition and pressure are achieved. Air pressure under the canopy may then be equalized with that outside, and the cell canopies rent to expose the cell interiors. The plant's biomass can then be recycled into the new environment. This can be done progressively if adjoining cells remain sealed off by the curtain walls and are kept under higher pressure.The speed of Canopy Plant growth is dependent upon insulation and the composition of the regolith and atmosphere from which the plant draws material. Once the runner network is in place, needed feedstock may be transported through it to where it will be most useful. Starlight can be augmented by orbital mirrors or magnifying solettas and required nutrients and volatiles may be imported if they are deficient in the native environment, unless slower growth or more limited coverage is not an issue to those in charge of the project. Under optimal conditions the area covered by canopy '''can double every two weeks''' and an Earth sized planet can be covered in less than '''2 years''' from an initial planting of '''10,000''' uniformly spaced '''Seedpods'''.
-=== '''<u>Brunivaian Worldhouses</u>''' ===