NEWS:
Project published in 2018 as a book at Risoprint Publisher ISBN: 978-973-53-2146-8 Physics: Research Group Foams Trinity College of Dublin |
#1 Weaire-Phelan Settlement is a modular space settlement which offers great flexibility in terms of upgrading, collision avoidance, sustainability and expanding. The number of inhabitants may vary throughout time, as well as the settlements form which needs to shift accordingly. The overall structure must fit all physical requirements, meaning that the modules are able to move over one another.
#2 The purpose of using modules is spatial mobility and a result of fluctuating financial opportunities. The possibility of both addition and removal of modules can lead to better flexibility in case of damage, in the interest of recovery and replacement. Modules represent an all-time opportunity of human resources management.
#3 The Modules are shaped to be able to fill in any spot in the settlement. There are two recently discovered types of modules, one in the shape of a tetrakaidecadron and the other in the shape of a dodecahedron. The fact that these two structures can fill out any space has been observed by Irish physicist Professor Denis Weaire and his student Robert Phelan in 1993. Their research was based on the the Kelvin conjecture, and aimed at finding a better solution than the bi-truncated cubic honeycomb.
#4 Life aboard is adapted to the modern day, and benefits of easy transportation facilities between earth and the settlement, and may even offer some sort of tourism once the settlement has evolved to a large scale. One's activities throughout the day are similar to the ones on earth, and can once benefit of most earthly resources. But, for now I think we should consider getting all needed for a normal humans long stay on a single module, even sending supplies for a lifetime.
