Mankind quickly level the population occupies the globe. What is next? NASA contractor, space expert Dr accommodation. Alas the globe believe that the next logical step - to colonize the Earth's orbit. According to him, if not global catastrophe, huge orbital cities over our heads already ing this century.
Ames Research Center working A. the globe for many years with the space telescope Hubble project, improvements to the International Space Station (ISS), has contributed to a reusable spacecraft Space Shuttle and participated in the creation of a tremendous amount of other space projects. However, several decades ago, has captured the attention of the orbital housing opportunity. New areas of interest led the inventor to organize an annual creative competition "Space Settlement Contest, which is involved in its orbital cities and colonies presenting the ideas of students.
A. the globe are now sworn accommodation space enthusiast and supporter. He believes that the orbital cities above the Earth's atmosphere will begin to rise in the very near future.
"Does the cosmos will start to accommodate? - It's hard to say. Is this principle implemented? Without a doubt, yes, - convinced Mr Globuss. - If we, the people, we decided to take to really be able to implement the project. We have the scientific skills, financial opportunities - therefore no question arises. we could be able to do that. Coming if mankind for centuries to drain global disaster, I'd be very surprised if the orbital cities there wouldn't be. "
"The first housing space we have in a few decades - certainly less than a hundred years old - says the engineer, supporting not only the Earth's orbit, but other solar system bodies, such as., Mars colonization. Regard to the colonization of the Earth's orbit, it could be orbital cities and metropolitan areas - they are humanity's ability to expand the territory of the first phase of trying to live not only on Earth. "
Orbital cities to live, raise children, with relatives and friends to celebrate Christmas or Easter, during the holidays to visit Earth - A. imagines the globe. - Orbital cities all goes as alternative to terrestrial cities. Threat to the species sometimes arise due to the limited area of residence. Mankind born in East Africa, and now lives in virtually every continent - even Antarctica. Admittedly, this has been achieved not so long ago and still held a relatively short period of time. Paying to live in snow, jungles, deserts, savannahs, forests and mountains. People around the world are much more common than we imagine . the next step - space. "
What would the first housing space? Many illustrations are fantastic authors draw orbital housing as a cylindrical object that rotates around its own axis. This rotation creates an artificial gravity space so you can move the entire building as well as on Earth.
"This means that the orbital of the same children grow strong bones and muscles, - A. explains the globe. - Even though they spent most of his life in orbit, descend to Earth any inconvenience thrust is exposed. Truth, rotating cylindrical building in the center of gravity is not - there prevails weightlessness . The fact we could use for recreation or making movies. "
"In all other areas the orbital station could grow agrarian cultures, and the orbital component of the exterior part should be covered with solar panels. Nevertheless, we have to admit that the orbital projects would cost a quite considerable, and now they are almost impossible. Then you ask them how much it would cost, answer: both can not afford - laughing NASA expert. and adds: - There is a real and viable factor - people should stop killing each other, and all the time, knowledge and money
for the colonization of space. "
However, the orbital civilization proponent of the idea believe that the orbital cities to start building now is a poor idea - Technology and Infrastructure
is not yet sufficient. Progress on the road we are missing a few more steps - to colonize space, we can only begin when we will take them.
One of these steps - space tourism. Several companies (Boeing, SpaceX) which piloted spacecraft, and other companies (Bigelow Aerospace) design hotels orbital structures, their construction plans. While these orbital projects are not as good as Mr imagines the globe, they still encourage people to go into space not only for scientific purposes.
Space Olympics
A. According to the globe, the orbit can be produced "Cosmic Olympics, where athletes compete in a whole different set of circumstances - a state of weightlessness.
"This is a whole new sport - after all, no one knows, and not trying to emulate a state of weightlessness. This could be extremely interesting - intriguing engineer. - I think in the next two to three decades will have a number of small orbiting space hotels, where people visit on a regular basis . then maybe someone will notice that the older age or weakened, comfortable hotel to live in a space where there is no gravitational clutches. Needless There wheelchair, no crutches or walkers.
"Already I can imagine that in the future will be built in orbit primarily something like care homes. Accept passed through a few years back to Earth would be impossible. But if the Earth is waiting for the prospect of 15 years in a wheelchair, it may well be that you try orbital weightlessness advantages . Once this step is taken, and the people will live permanently in orbit, the time will come to take the next step - to build a larger orbital centers. and all of this - not centuries, and the issue of the coming decades. "
Orbital - no limit
Life should not be confined to the orbital space cities. A. According to the globe, the construction of the first large orbital colony would be put into operation, and other areas of the solar system - asteroids, neighboring planets, their satellites.
"I have no difficulty imagining that a few centuries, mankind will have the first colony to create a system with an asteroid - says A. the globe. - The grave of the solar system will require accommodation at the Millennium. Probably more. Accommodate When all the solar system, not much to humanity to stop neighboring accommodation spaces of the Milky Way. "
"Imagine that the orbital life of the city for 10 thousand. Years - suggests enthusiast. - There are already hundreds of thousands or even millions of people. If people decide to travel to Alpha Centauri, although the trip will last a hundred years or another, it is no longer an obstacle - it anyhow, orbital space people will have spent at least a thousand years. Anyway, I did not go to such a big difference, you rotate around your city orbit - around the sun or around Alpha Centauri?
