For the first time in history space habitats became humankind's primary abode when they settled the Centauri System in the twenty-sixth century.
Humankind has now been living in space habitats for hundreds of years. But the latest versions dwarf the originals. The latest specimen is the great cylindrical habitat circling Procyon in Canis Minor. At one-hundred kilometers in radius and one-thousand kilometers in length the habitat has six-hundred twenty-eight billion square meters of surface area capable of supporting six-billion humans although it was never planned to house that many.
Such a structure could never have been built until molecular nanotechnology (MNT) was perfected. The strength of MNT diamondoid material is forty times that of steel and absolutely necessary for such a huge structure.
The Procyon habitat known as Great Pania rotates to provide eighty percent Earth gravity. It has a companion cylinder rigidly attached to it at the endcaps. The companion, which also rotates, serves for agriculture and manufacturing. The twin cylinder design allows for moment of inertia shedding which facilitates maintaining the system's orbital parameters.
Unlike older habitats, Great Pania was as much “grown” as constructed. Built from diamondoid material by beam walking 3D printers the frame is essentially one piece. The light admitting windows are narrower than in most cylindrical habitats. Only a few narrow strips the entire length of the cylinder are necessary. Light is directed to these strips by adjustable mirrors which automatically track Procyon. At night the windows change in color and transmissivity mimicking an Earth night but without moon or stars.
Though it was never foreseen by economists in the early space era, trade among habitats, facilitated by the wormhole drive, has become quite extensive. Many space habitats have become dependent on that trade . . .
Source:
A History of the Space Habitat, 1st Edition, Dr. Poul Jackson
Copyright 3050 C.E. (A.D.) - Chapter 1, Pg. 1
Introduction
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