Worldhouses (A1-0)

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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.

Sources

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