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Exterior View of Toroidial Colonies
Credit: NASA Ames Research Center / Don Davis
In the 1970s, scientists at NASA's Ames Research Center conducted three different studies into how humanity might build colossal space colonies in the form of giant stations. See the wild ideas put to form in these vintage NASA artist illustrations.
Here, an artist depicts the exterior view from one wheel-shaped space colony concept.
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Cutaway View of Toroidal Colonies
Credit: NASA Ames Research Center / Rick Guidice
An artist’s depiction of the cutaway view, exposing the interior from space colony summer studies conducted at NASA Ames in the 1970s.
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Interior View of Toroidal Colonies
Credit: NASA Ames Research Center / Don Davis
An artist’s depiction of the interior view from space colony summer studies conducted at NASA Ames in the 1970s.
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Construction on Toroidial Colonies
Credit: space colony, moon exploration, human spaceflight, moon colony, moon settlement, moon meteorite, moon crater, NASA, spaceflight, Mars
An artist’s depiction of construction along the torus rim of the colonies—one of the three space colony summer studies that were conducted at NASA Ames in the 1970s.
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Model of Torus Colony
Credit: NASA Ames Research Center
A model of the Torus Colony, which was one of the three space colony summer studies conducted at NASA Ames in the 1970s.
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Bernal Spheres Exterior
Credit: NASA Ames Research Center / Rick Guidice
An artist’s depiction showing the exterior of Bernal Spheres space colony from space colony summer studies conducted at NASA Ames in the 1970s. The Bernal Sphere is a point design with a spherical living area for a population of 10,000.
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Bernal Spheres Interior
Credit: NASA Ames Research Center / Rick Guidice
An artist’s depiction of the interior view of Bernal Spheres colony, including human powered flight, from space colony summer studies conducted at NASA Ames in the 1970s.
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Bernal Spheres Cutaway View
Credit: NASA Ames Research Center / Rick Guidice
An artist’s depiction of the cutaway view of the Bernal Spheres colony, exposing the interior from space colony summer studies conducted at NASA Ames in the 1970s.
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Agricultural Modules in Cutaway View
Credit: NASA Ames Research Center / Rick Guidice
An artist’s depiction of agricultural modules in a cutaway view from space colony summer studies conducted at NASA Ames in the 1970s.
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Construction Crew at Work on Colony
Credit: NASA Ames Research Center / Don Davis
An artist’s depiction of a construction crew at work on the Bernal Spheres colony from space colony summer studies conducted at NASA Ames in the 1970s.
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Bernal Spheres Model
Credit: NASA Ames Research Center
A model the Bernal Spheres colony from space colony summer studies conducted at NASA Ames in the 1970s.
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Cylindrical Colonies Art
Credit: NASA Ames Research Center / Rick Guidice
An artist’s depiction of cylindrical colonies from space colony summer studies conducted at NASA Ames in the 1970s.
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Cylindrical Colonies Interior View Art
Credit: NASA Ames Research Center / Rick Guidice
An artist’s depiction showing an interior view looking out through large windows at cylindrical colonies from space colony summer studies conducted at NASA Ames in the 1970s.
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Endcap View of Cylindrical Colonies
Credit: NASA Ames Research Center / Don Davis
An artist’s depiction showing an endcap view with suspension bridge in cylindrical colonies from space colony summer studies conducted at NASA Ames in the 1970s.
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Eclipse of Sun View in Cylindrical Colonies
Credit: NASA Ames Research Center / Don Davis
An artist’s depiction showing the eclipse of the sun with a view of clouds and vegetation in cylindrical colonies from space colony summer studies conducted at NASA Ames in the 1970s.
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Multiple Two-Cylinder Colonies Aimed Toward Sun
Credit: NASA Ames Research Center
An artist’s depiction showing multiple two-cylinder colonies aimed toward the sun from space colony summer studies conducted at NASA Ames in the 1970s.
