Artists' Impressions
A few illustrations on the general theme of the site. This section does not include the normal NASA illustrations. I'll put the latter in as separate section(s).
Original caption was 'If lack of gravity proves to have serious physical effects on crew, space station may be built like this. Observatories will be in central hub, living quarters in revolving rim'. Taken from 'By spaceship to the moon', by Jack Coggins and Fletcher Pratt, printed in Britain circa 1953. Note that the rim is not cylindrical in cross section. This is a slightly axially extended torus (to allow greater 'floor' space?). Illustration © Jack Coggins.
Book jacket illustration for 'Rendezvous with Rama' by Arthur C. Clarke, 1973. Perspective of the astronauts descending is a bit questionable, but the rest of the picture shows some of Clarke's ideas about a large cylindrical habitat. Note the three radial sections, separated by lighting strips, the longitudinally central 'sea' and the fact that it is big enough to have 'weather'.
The first stage engine of the Daedalus interstellar probe in action. Detail of illustration from 'Spacecraft in Fact and Fiction' by Harry Harrison and Malcolm Edwards. The proposed engine design was of a pulsed fusion type with electron beam ignition of Deuterium/Helium 3 fuel pellets. The Daedalus study was published by the British Interplanetary Society in 1978.
Structural detail of the Daedalus probe.
Detail from the British Interplanetary Society's Daedalus interstellar probe. A 'warden' automated repair device going about its duties. Image by Matt Irvine, for 'Spaceships of the Mind' BBC TV programme, 1978.
Bussard Ramjet. There are serious doubts about whether these would work as originally envisaged by Bussard in 1960, although variations on the theme are still around. Using the interstellar medium as fuel has obvious attractions, apparently outweighed, so far, by the intrinsic drag of the magnetic scoop and the difficulties of bringing about self sustaining nuclear fusion with this fuel source.
Detail of a Chesley Bonestell illustration for 'Man on the Moon' with text by Willy Ley and Wernher von Braun, circa 1951. The toroidal habitat (rear) being used as a base for assembly of ships (foreground) for a Moon expedition. © Bonestell Space Art, reproduced by permission.
Convair Astronautics concept for a manned Space Station based on the Atlas Missile, circa 1959. The total length would have been about 32 metres (cf Puking or Bouncing) and it would have rotated about its short axis at about 2.5 rpm to give artificial gravity of 0.1 to 0.15 g for occupants of the living quarters. The mass of heavy equipment at the 'aft' end would have moved the centre of rotation further from the living quarters, making this an asymmetric design (cf Geometries).
Detail of the Atlas space station design showing living quarters. Note the sanitary room, cunningly located at the 'lower' extremity. It looks rather primitive, but forty years later we're still no closer to the reality of a space habitation with a decent toilet.
'Photon rocket' illustration from a partially dismembered children's encyclopaedia of unknown author(s) from sometime in the seventies (guess). May be meant to represent antimatter engine, although not certain. Probably wouldn't work as represented, but the general idea of using antimatter as a very high energy density fuel component offers some promise, if we could ever work out how to make it in large quantities. For more recent ideas on antimatter engines see e.g. 'Interstellar Rocketry' site in Links.
80's Concept from Boeing Aerospace of a 'Space Greenhouse'. The three drums would rotate to provide artificial gravity to the crops growing on their inner surface. Light would be provided artificially along the axis of the cylinder. Growing food crops in space could cut the cost for long duration space stations currently being considered. There is an apparent assumption in this design that (some) plants will need (some) artificial gravity, but the people who consume them can manage without.