Site Map

Basics

• Who? Pioneers at first, billions of ordinary people later.
• What? Artificial ecosystems inside gigantic rotating, pressurized spacecraft shielded from radiation.
• Where? In orbit; near Earth at first.
• How? Solar energy, lunar and asteroidal materials, and lots of hard work.
• Why? To grow.
• When? Good question, when do you start working on it?
• How much will it cost? If you have to ask, you can't afford it ... unless

Student Design Contest

• Contest information.
• Space colony designer's corner for students.
• Teacher's page.
• Space Settlement Quiz
• Continuing Education. A list of colleges and universities where you can prepare for space colonization work.
• Student Employment Opportunities at Ames Research Center

Online Space Settlement Books

• NASA Ames/Stanford 1975 Summer Study. (tar.gz file)
• Space Resources and Space Settlements NASA Ames 1977 Summer Study. (tar.gz file)
• Space Resources Overview NASA-California Space Institute 1992 Summer Study. (tar.gz file)
• Space Resources Volume 1, Scenarios NASA-California Space Institute 1992 Summer Study. (tar.gz file)
• Space Resources Volume 2, Energy, Power, and Transport NASA-California Space Institute 1992. (tar.gz file)
• Space Resources Volume 3, Materials NASA-California Space Institute 1992. (tar.gz file)
• Space Resources Volume 4, Social Concerns NASA-California Space Institute 1992. (tar.gz file)
• CoEvolution Book on space settlement edited by Stewart Brand and published in 1977. This work contains arguments for and against space colonization, very interesting.

Offline Books

• Entering Space by Robert Zubrin.
• The High Frontier by Gerard K. O'Neill.
• The Millenium Project by Marshall Savage.
• The Complete Book of SpaceFlight by David Darling
• Orbital Space Colonies by Al Globus.

Images

• NASA Ames summer studies (1970's).
• Space Studies Institute slide set.
• Images of the moon from the National Space Science Data Center.
• Asteroids and Comets Fact Sheets.
• Asteroids. Includes schematic of the main Asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

Miscellaneous

• Bootstrapping Space Communities with Micro Rovers and High Tensile Boot Laces (Tethers) [PDF file]. How to Start Building Cities and Factories Thoughout the Solar System, for What We Are Now Spending on Space, authored by Bruce A. Mackenzie, Space Studies Institute - Senior Associate, and National Space Society - Director.
• Centripetal Vivarium Space Habitats by Andrew Thompson. Includes pictures and 3D model.
• A Futurist Perspective For Space by Dr. Kenneth J. Cox, (kenneth.j.cox1@jsc.nasa.gov), June 2001. (PDF file)
• Distant Space Travel Better Conducted As Family Affair. University of Florida Daily News article.
• SpaceSettlers. A site devoted to space settlement discussion.
• Astrobiology Web
• Space settlement contest NAS highlights. These are highlights associated with the design contest that were reported to NAS management.
• Videos of weightless living.
• Annotated bibliography.
• Ringworld: a Java applet to interactively explore some aspects of living in a rotating environment, particularly jumping off high platforms and throwing balls.
• Links to solar sail web sites.
• Lewis One space settlement design: intended to improve on the 10,000 inhabitant designs of the mid-70s depicted in the artwork (see above). The new design features large shielded micro-g construction bays, low-g agriculture near the rotation axis to reduce the length of cylindrical settlements, large micro-g visitor and recreation areas, space viewing, and low-g recreation.
• The Space Show. The Space Show focuses on timely and important issues influencing the development of outer-space commerce and space tourism, as well as other related subjects of interest to us all.
• Space Settlement papers
• "AsterAnts: A Concept for Large-Scale Meteoroid Return and Processing Using the International Space Station," Al Globus, Bryan Biegel, and Steve Traugott.
• Space playgound a zero-g playground designed by four, five, and six year olds at the Santa Cruz Children's School.
• General Public Space Travel and Tourism
• Related web sites.

Other Space Settlement Web Sites

• The Artemis Project to establish a self-sufficient lunar colony.
• Issac Asimov on space settlements.
• Cygo Space Initiative. CYGO's Space Initiative has to do with planning and deliberate action towards mining near earth asteroids, molding and casting of interlocking pieces, assembly of private interconnectable space vehicles, assembly of space platforms in various configurations (incl. settlements and quarters for residents and tourists) and assisting in the setting up of new commercial and industrial operations in space.
• BIO-Plex Information Exchange. NASA Ames Research Center In-House LIfe Support Technology Review Databook.
• Biosphere 2 was able to support 8 people for two years in a (almost) materially closed system, although many problems were encountered. See the FAQ. Such closed systems are essential for space colonization.
• Burning the Cosmic Commons: Evolutionary Strategies for Interstellar Colonization.[PDF file] A paper by Robin Hanson
• Mike Combs' Space Settlement FAQ.
• Mike Combs' space settlement page.
• Freeluna.com dedicated to the proposition that the colonization of outer space is critical for the long term survival of the human species, and that colonization of the moon and the exploitation of the moon's natural resources is one of the very best first steps in that incredible journey off planet.
• Adaptation of Stereolithography to the In-Situ Construction of Lunar Basalt Structures A novel method of basalt casting with applications towards semi-autonomous robotic processing is presented by William Clawson.
• First Millennial Foundation.
• P.E.R.M.A.N.E.N.T. the Projects to Employ Resources of the Moon and Asteroids Near Earth in the Near Term.
• Space ColonyH. Try this psychologically-based, problem-solving leadership game set in space.
• The Space Frontier Foundation.
• Spaceflight or Extinction A civilization restricted to the surface of a single planet has inevitable threats to its long-term existence. Natural threats such as epidemics and impacts from space objects, and man-made threats such as nuclear and biological war, will be joined by new threats from emerging sciences and technologies.
• Space Quotes to Ponder What famous people (and some not famous) have said about why humankind must expand into space.
• Space Studies Institue. This organization hosts a space settlement conference every two years.
• National Space Society. Join the vision and put Space in your future.
• Space Future for everyone who wants to go to space.
• Spacesettlers. "Space Settlers" is the group for people who think that space settlements - huge rotating orbital habitats, or space cities - are a better option for human colonization in space than planetary colonization and terraforming. If you agree with this idea, come and discuss with us the better ways to make it a reality someday. If you don't agree, come and expose what you think are the weak points of that idea. Everyone who thinks that space colonization is the next great step for Humanity is welcome! Join the email group.