Space Settlement Computer Animations

This computer animation by Eric Bruneton is actually intended to depict the Rama object from the Arthur C. Clarke sf novel “Rendezvous with Rama”, but I think it also doubles nicely as an illustration of what the inside of a cylindrical space habitat of human manufacture might be like. At ten miles in diameter, Rama is over twice the size of an O’Neill Cylinder, but Gerard O’Neill had calculated that if titanium is used, a spherical habitat twelve miles in diameter would be possible. Thus, a ten mile diameter cylinder might not be out of the question.

Sometimes space habitat detractors say, “Who would want to spend a lifetime cooped up inside a metal can?” or assert that living in an orbital habitat would be “like living in a shopping mall”.   But I think this video does a good job of conveying the scales possible even within the limitations of current material strengths.  Such critics probably simply fail to grasp the vast scale of what’s being proposed.

Eric Bruneton’s Rama page has a high-resolution version of the video, hi-res stills, and a document detailing how he created this elaborate computer model.

Steve Gunn produced this simple animation of a pair of O’Neill Cylinders for the British Interplanetary Society’s Colony Project Group.

YouTube user fragomatik has created a couple of videos of a habitat design which is based on the Stanford Torus. “Habitat Fly-thru” takes you on a high-speed flightpath throughout.

“Habitat 2” provides interior and exterior views, and details the various structures.

Uzi Berko’s Space Habitat animation is a sweep through the interior and exterior of a toroidal habitat, providing outstanding visuals and special effects.

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This content is a part of the Mike Combs Space Settlement collection and is provided as a courtesy of the Chicago Society for Space Studies and Mike Combs.