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Beyond the Pale Blue Dot: A Terrestrial Analogue for Spacefaring

Part 2 Project 2013
Scott Porter
University of Strathclyde | UK
'Beyond the Pale Blue Dot' is a multistage concept design for the future of our species in the cosmos. Considering all factors in space which could benefit and threaten us, this thesis explores our potential to colonise other worlds beyond Earth and experiments with a multitude of architectural factors. It focuses on our closest celestial neighbour as the first stepping stone to the Solar System: the Moon. In doing so we must first start building on Earth to prepare for living in the extremely harsh and challenging environments outside the comfort of its delicate atmosphere. The thesis is split into three distinct parts with various stages of the concept in each;

[1] An experimental testbed incorporating a broad compendium of research in fields such as psychology, habitability, sociology, physiology, scientific and engineering systems to mention a few. This was the basis and foundation of the argument that we must start to consider what input architecture has in the future and that we must plan not only short-term solutions to our problems but plan out long-term projects for future generations to contribute to and eventually construct.

[2] A terrestrial analogue in McMurdo, Antarctica as a means of researching life in enclosed and extreme environments. It is the initial construction experiment of a future lunar design built on Earth with a purpose of training a community of 1,000 people from all backgrounds to live and cooperate together in series of enclosed and isolated modules. This stage would be an ongoing and adaptive process which would inform those, of multiple professions working on the analogue, of design failures and potential improvements that are required.

[3] A speculative spacefaring society on the moon, where the experiments and research have informed what such a community might be like, as well as speculating the technology and construction methods we achieve in the coming centuries.

Various media such as blueprint schematics, “Haynes” style manuals, books, models, retro-futuristic artwork and film were used to convey the design and ideas behind the project in order to enthuse the observer about the overall concept of living beyond Earth.

Scott Porter

Tutor(s)


2013
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