Habitats

Source: Your Off-World Home, Post-Fall Edition

Transhumanity has spread to nearly every nook and cranny in the Solar System, and a few brave souls have ventured through the gates and into whatever lies beyond. For those of us who have never journeyed far beyond where we settled after the Fall, it can be difficult to keep track of or make sense of the great variety of habitats. My hope is that this brief overview will fill in some of the gaps and inspire you to dig further, or perhaps even to get out to see a few yourself!

Planetary Habitats

Planetary habitats can exist on any planet, moon, or asteroid where the natural gravity is sufficient to allow for walking without being aloft for an excessive period of time. The lower bound of what is considered a planetary habitat is arbitrary and overlaps with the upper bound of microgravity habitats.

For those who are only familiar with spin gravity and have never been planetside, nor experienced XP or VR of a gravitational world, there are a few things to note. On a gravitational world, it is not readily apparent which direction is prograde or retrograde, or where the axis of rotation is. There is no perceptible change in rotational velocity or gravity when moving up or down in a structure, the elevators never tilt or move in a curved path, and the quixotic curves of thrown or flying objects are at best parabolic. This can all be a bit disorienting and bland if you are unaccustomed to it.

Dome

Domed habitats are an enclosed, pressurized area on the surface of a planetary body. These can range from large tents to cities of thousands. The environment internal to the dome is engineered to be Earthlike. Impact craters, with the crater rim serving as a natural base for the usually tessellated roof architecture, are favorite locations for domes. There are typically airlocks to the surface as well as extensive underground habitation areas. Underground transport between domes and other habitats is not uncommon. Domes are usually made transparent during day cycles; larger cities project video or holographic displays on the dome interior. Dome fabrics are protective and self-repairing but not indestructible. Some are covered with a coating derived from local materials for insulation and protection from micrometeors and radiation.

Subsurface

Subsurface habitats include any kind of underground mineshaft, lava tube, cavern, or other structure, either naturally formed or excavated. The primary advantages of subsurface habitats are protection from radiation and any harsh elements on the surface. Subsurface habitats are common throughout the Solar System and are extensive on Luna, Mars, Mercury, and the Jovian satellites.

Bathyscaphe

First built to explore the deep oceans of Earth, bathyscaphes provide a breathable atmosphere in aquatic environments and are usually pressurized at near-Earth normal. They tend to be heavily built as they must withstand high pressures at depth. Bathyscaphes are common in the subsurface oceans of Enceladus, Ceres, and Europa, and are known to exist with similar function on exoplanets with high-pressure atmospheres as well as the surface of Venus. Larger bathyscaphes are anchored to the floor of the environment (or, in the case of Europa, the crustal ice ceiling), while smaller bathyscaphes are mobile and can explore the depths. Airlocked moon pools allow access to the aquatic environment.

Solarchive Search :: Biological Habitats

Among the many materials and methods of habitat construction is the biological. These habitats do not quite count as a separate type, as they are still planetary, centrifugal, or microgravity based. However, biological habitats reflect a more unique aesthetic, philosophy, or design choice. A few examples follow.

Lorica

The hypercorp Ecologene established this insect-inspired biohabitat on a near-Mars asteroid. A former contract worker has described the environment as having a chitinous aesthetic, with mechanosensory and chemical sensing hairs sprouting from all surfaces. Little else is known. Rumors of connections between Lorica and the insectoid exoglot clade in the Jovian trojans have been declared “baseless and false” by Ecologene.

MeatHab

The most famous biological habitat is undoubtedly MeatHab. MeatHab’s origins are obscure, but it is believed to have begun as an eccentric biodesigner’s art morph. MeatHab’s visitors and residents include artists who bask in its existence, devotees who worship it, and scientists who study it. MeatHab tends to limit its interactions with others, but sometimes seems to revel in a pranksterish overseer role.

Nang Tani

Nang Tani is a comet whose highly inclined orbit has been altered to bring it just within Mercury’s orbit at perihelion and between that of Uranus and Neptune at aphelion. Before the Fall, a group of Southeast-Asian ecodesigners created a Dyson-tree habitat there, establishing a genetically modified organism that could grow out of the comet itself. As of the last communications during the Fall, pockets of thriving ecosystems with breathable atmosphere had taken root within the wooded hollows of the All-Tree. Returning from its orbit high above the outer system, Nang Tani is now approaching the inner system, but its current status remains unknown.

New Conch Republic

This “island escapism”-themed centrifugal habitat is constructed of coral-inspired biomaterials and devoted to the pursuit of pure happiness and inner peace. Constructed from the moon of the asteroid Atira, it is located in the inner system within the orbit of Earth. Relatively unscathed by the Fall, it is touted for its Caribbean culture aesthetic and endless sandy beaches.

Aerostat

Aerostats are voluminous structures that float in a dense atmosphere. Their distinguishing features are lightweight structures and large internal spaces that are at a lower density than the surrounding atmosphere, thus providing lift. To provide stability, the expansive chambers that provide lift are located towards the top of the structure, with the bulk of the habitation space and docking facilities typically positioned on the underside, though some are known to have landing platforms or synthmorph living areas on the roof of the structure. Aerostats are common on Venus and also present in the clouds of Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Most aerostats drift with the currents, though some are tugged or tethered to the surface.

Centrifugal Habitats

There are many varieties of and philosophies behind centrifugal habitats. Their defining feature is rotation. A person on the interior surface of a rotating hab will experience a force that simulates gravity (usually Earth or Mars standard). This force will always be perpendicular to and away from the axis of rotation (meaning that you stand on the inside of the rim with your head pointing up towards the axis). The faster the rotation, the stronger the force. As you climb nearer to the axis, thus reducing your angular velocity, the force decreases until reaching zero gravity at the axis. Spin habitats include engineering features such as large internal momentum wheels, which are used to spin up or down the habitat, and balancing masses, which are autonomously adjusted for stability. Docking ports are stationed at one or both ends of the axis, allowing ships to dock without needing to match the rotational velocity. Elevators provide access down to the interior surface.

Despite retro depictions of spin habitats, they rarely include windows on exterior walls outside of observatories and tori. Interior surfaces are capable of displaying any kind of imagery with exquisite fidelity and the spectrum of the sun can be precisely reproduced. Windows are also structural weak points and the exterior surface area better dedicated to solar energy collection.

Modern centrifugal habs can be broadly classified into three major types based on geometry, as well as various sub-types based on construction method or other feature. There is no real functional difference as the centrifugal principles are the same.

Torus

Toroidal habitats resemble a wheel, with spokes connecting to a central docking station. They tend to be more simply made and have lower populations than other centrifugal habitat types. It is not unusual to see a double torus with counter-rotating sections. Tori are most common in low planetary orbits and often have many windows for viewing the planet below. When standing on the interior surface of a torus with large open areas, the habitat seems to curve upwards in two directions, until eclipsed by the ceiling. Tori are sometimes referred to as von Braun wheels or Stanford tori, based on early 20th-century conceptions.

Cylinder

Cylindrical habitats of various sorts are the dominant type of centrifugal habitat. Useful classifications include:

O’Neill Cylinder: Large cylindrical habitats that are built to particular fixed dimensions are so named in homage to the 20th century physicist Gerard K. O’Neill. They tend to be large megaprojects and are known for having less internal segmentation, fewer habitation levels, and a vast internal space that recreates an Earthlike ecosystem. However, O’Neill’s design is considered antiquated by current standards. No habitat based on his original design has ever been built, though various modern variations exist.

When standing on a cylinder’s interior surface, the environment arcs up on either side, so that the far side of the habitat is directly overhead, on the opposite side of the cylinder. Cylinders are typically large-enough to hold cities and vast sculpted landscapes. Many run a solar electrochemiluminescence tube along the axis that provides an internal day/night cycle.

Fisher Hab: The prototypical modular-independent cylindrical habitat, named in honor of the prolific 21st century space architect C.F. Fisher, consists of shorter cylinders, sometimes called disk habitats, which are commonly joined together as new units are completed. This allows for reasonably large internal spaces with complex ecosystems — smaller versions of the megaproject O’Neill type habs, but with the advantage of faster construction times and the ability of each unit to have its own unique ecosystem or even be its own polity. Some units remain very independent of the others, with the only connection being through the central thoroughfare, while others open up spaces through the hulls and permanently fuse together. Unless the modules have been fused, it is not strictly necessary for each unit in a group to have the same rotational speed, nor is it necessary for each unit to have the same radius. As these units are theoretically independent, it is possible for them to leave a particular agglomeration and go fully independent, or to join another Fisher group. Fisher units often have a large number of habitation levels, sometimes extending from Earth gravity to Mars gravity or beyond, with parks and recreational spaces distributed throughout. While there is some variation, the length and radius of Fisher units tend to be standardized at about one kilometer each, and are rarely seen with radii greater than two kilometers. Fisher habitats tend to exist in confederations with each unit retaining relative independence.

Polykatoikia: A cylindrical habitat where the modules are dependent on each other is known as a polykatoikia. They consist of pods, rings, ring segments, or other interlocking shapes that are gradually built up, both along the axis of rotation and outward from it. A rotating assembler system allows for the addition of new segments without interrupting the rotation of the habitat, with the primary requirement being that new segments are added in a manner that is balanced across the axis of rotation. Segments are not normally designed to function independently of the habitat, and engineering and life support systems are typically part of the substructure of the habitat, which is itself built out as the habitat grows. Polykatoikia are known for fast construction times, smaller open spaces, and an often labyrinthine internal layout.

Reagan Cylinder: The Jovian Republic’s version of a cylindrical habitat is the Reagan Cylinder. A large cylindrical space is carved out from within an asteroid, and the excavated material is affixed to the outside in an attempt to create stability during rotation. This construction method is great for protecting against the high radiation environment near Jupiter, but the bioconservative republic’s fear of advanced technologies make these habitats far less pleasant than they could be. Chronic problems with stability, structural integrity, and the reliability of life-support systems have earned these habitats the derisive moniker of “sarcophagus habs” by the other factions.

Hamilton Cylinder: The latest incarnation of the cylindrical habitat, Hamilton cylinders are the embodiment of the cutting edge, incorporating advanced nanotech, materials science, neuroscience, and computational technologies. A silicate composite exterior shell provides a skeleton structure and protection from space. An interior middle layer collects waste and resources harvested by drones from nearby planets, moons, or asteroids. Nanofabricators and bioreactors in this layer maintain an infrastructure of nanosystems that sustain environmental cycles. A layer of distributed nanocomputers functions as a neural strata — the brain of the cylinder — controlling various habitat systems. Hamilton cylinders are aware of their surroundings, both internal and external, and are living, growing machines. There are currently only three Hamilton cylinders in existence — one in the Uranian system and two at Saturn.

Spheroid

Sometimes nearly perfect spheres, but more commonly a prolate shape, spheroidal habitats are often referred to as Bernal spheres in honor of the scientist John Desmond Bernal, who first conceived of such habitats in 1929. The main habitation level is typically built on a band extending across from the same degree lines north and south of the equator. This gives a living surface like that of a cylinder. Beneath the main habitation level are further, progressively smaller habitation levels and engineering sections. Larger spheroids may have multiple stepped levels at progressively lesser gravities going out toward the poles.

Ad-Hoc

Though uncommon, it is possible to jury-rig a centrifugal habitat by linking modules and rotating them around a center of mass. These structures tend to be unstable and less-than-ideal, as the modules are not designed for this purpose, but it is a cheap option for Belters and brinkers who need spin gravity and have limited options.

Microgravity

A microgravity environment exists whenever an object is in free-fall, as in orbit or when the gravity is very low, such as on most asteroids. A microgravity environment can also be referred to as weightless or near weightless. Micrograv habs have no restrictions as to shape, size, architecture, construction method or material. While maneuvering in free fall can be challenging for those used to gravitational environments, weightlessness is ideal for certain tasks and processes.

Beehive

Beehives are tunnels, caverns, and excavated spaces in microgravity asteroids and moonlets. Most beehive habitats are created when squatters take over abandoned asteroid mines. With a bit of work, such as sealants, airlocks, and the addition of life-support and environmental controls, a biomorph can have a comfortable living space, whereas a synthmorph can get by with few or no modifications at all. Residents will often tunnel out additional spaces and passageways as the population grows. Beehives have similar advantages, disadvantages, and requirements to subsurface planetary habitats. Comets, loosely held-together rock piles, or very rapidly rotating asteroids are generally not suitable for beehives, and very small asteroids typically have stability issues that make them unsuitable.

The abandoned mines that most beehive habitats are built from are fast becoming relics as the advances in materials science and mining technology of the latest generation of mining operations allow for the processing of an entire asteroid directly into bulk resources, fabber feed-stock, habitats, ships, radiation shielding, solar panels, or other manufactured products.

Cluster

Clusters are congregations of specialized modules, directly interconnected or latticed together in orbit. With high quality construction and integrated support for modern technologies, a cluster can have all of the conveniences and opportunities of any other habitat. Individual modules have distinct functions: habitation, storage, agriculture, manufacturing, docking, etc. Most clusters have dedicated environmental and life-support modules distributed around the network. Larger clusters may be subdivided into neighborhoods that share power and other resources, or may even function as distinct polities. Hypercorp clusters tend to be regimented and symmetric, while autonomist clusters are more haphazard and chaotic. Centrifugal habitats and cluster habitats will often be in close proximity or interconnected within the same conurbation.

Nuestro Shell

Several variations exist of the Nuestro shell, but the principle design consists of multiple rigid spars radiating outward symmetrically from a central point. Additional ringed structures connect across the spars, allowing for movement between them and providing stability. Various modules are connect with the spars, rings, and each other either directly or via floatways. It is, in essence, a large stable framework for a cluster hab. Spars and rings typically have internal passageways and intermittently spaced airlocked docking structures that larger habitat modules will permanently attach to. The entire structure is contained within and attached to a geodesic sphere covered with a flexible, selfhealing mesh designed to protect against micrometeoroid impacts.

Tenmai Shell

The base structure of a Tenmai shell is made from the outer shell of a cylindrical or spheroid centrifugal habitat, but does not house the expected interior structure. Instead, it contains a vast, protected, usually pressurized, microgravity area that can be several cubic kilometers in size. From the outside they look much the same as a centrifugal habitat of the same shape and typically have similar docking ports at what would have been the axis of rotation. The interiors are as diverse as bare-bones empty shells, a literal jungle of microgravity-adapted plants, the chaos of a three-dimensional, haphazardly created labyrinth with few right angles, or the disciplined order of a cubicle worker’s nightmare.

Other Habitats

A few habitat types cross boundaries or defy classification.

Processor Locus

While communities of infomorphs can be found within other habitats, a processor locus is a dedicated computational environment designed exclusively for the disembodied. Also referred to as a noosphere, the most notable features of a processor habitat are a massive computational core, extensive power generation facilities, and research centers related to the architecture, engineering, programming, and evolution of computing systems. Loci run multiple massive simulspace environments capable of hosting tens of thousands of infomorphs. Regarded with suspicion by some for their potential to harbor AGIs or become spawn points for ASIs, as well as claims of engaging in banned AI and cognitive research, processor habitats are heavily shielded and defended.

Egocasting into a processor locus is encouraged by its inhabitants, as familiarity diminishes fear. Any type of environment can be experienced in simulspace: flawless recreations of pre-Fall Earth, fantasy realms from fiction, heavenly retreats, or even bizarre and sometimes disturbing experiences generated on the fly from the memories and desires of everyone in the simulspace.

Scum Swarm

A Scum swarm is less a habitat and more a way of life. They originated with spacecraft that helped evacuate Earth. Laden with refugees, they were unable to find anywhere that was willing to accept them and essentially became nomadic refugee camps. Many clustered around sections of partially destroyed habitats and other structures that were damaged in the Fall. As the swarms traveled, these structures were towed by barges, retrofit with engines, or interlaced with spacecraft in what are known as LaFrance rig lattices. Over time, these refugees joined together with pre-existing nomadic peoples, becoming the Scum. These communities vary greatly in culture, language, organization, and wealth. They include everything from overcrowded cesspools to egalitarian anarchist communes to the gaudy opulence of organized crime gangs and everything in between. As roving carnivals of the dispossessed, they are hubs of lawlessness, piracy, black markets, and the bizarre. If you’re searching for the forbidden, the dangerous, or the deviant, you can find it here.

Tin-Can Habitat

Tin-can habitats are small modules of simple construction and only the most basic support systems. Many are nothing more than converted shipping containers. They can be solo or connected to large networks of tin cans or other microgravity habitats. They harken back to the earliest days of space flight and are disfavored by most who can afford something better. There are a few tin cans that have been in near continuous use for over a century. Curiously, these timeworn relics have become prized by certain antiquarians and retrophiles who ardently upkeep them and become experts in their ancient systems.