Worldhouses (A1-0)

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Worldhouses, also known as Worldhouse 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 used with permission.

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 is perfectly viable as well. This flexible membrane is often times divided into several layers, some of which are filled with substances capable of changing their own shape, such as smart fluids, nanogel or bionanogel, which will actively repair any minor punctures in the membrane caused by collisions and other events. Alternatively, automated or guided repair droids are sometimes used as well. While uncommon, "manned" repairs can also happen, especially in lower-tech worldhouses, or in societies that repel automation for a variety of reasons.

Elastic Worldhouse roofs also act as greenhouses, allowing cooler planets to retain enough heat and atmosphere to become habitable for the intended species' population. If an additional greenhouse effect is needed, specialized heat-gathering materials and channels can also be constructed: this may range from the usage of very advanced heat-retaining materials, or simply by painting the worldhouse with a very dark black. If the opposite effect is needed instead, by incorporating a semi-reflective layer these worldhouses 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, which would create problems in structural integrity.

While most worldhouses are kept suspended above worlds simply by atmospheric pressure, some thicker 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 connection points. Depending on thickness, density and total weight, some of these Worldhouses may just need additional support in some specific locations, or they might be so heavy that atmospheric pressure actually becomes their secondary support, while a network of equally spaced Atlas Pillars acts as their primary form.

Sources

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