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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.
E-mail me!
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