One day, the Earth will no longer be able to support its rapidly growing population. With energy and resources growing thin, humankind will have to leave our world and learn how to live in space. Scientists today are thinking of some ways to survive and live in outer space.

Radiation Protection

One of the problems of space colony construction is the need to shield the colonists from the effects of cosmic rays and solar radiation. It has been estimated that it would take about half a ton of matter per square foot of a colony’s outer surface to provide sufficient protection. Launching this material from Earth would take an enormous amount of energy; a better way would be to mine the materials on the Moon.

Torus (Wheel) Colony

A colony with pairs of giant spinning cylinders that can hold 10,000 people.

Space Elevator

New super strong materials are under development that could be used to build giant elevators connecting the space colonies to the Earth’s surface.

Float Dunk

Gravity-free zones in space colonies that allow you to play sports that are adapted to weightlessness conditions.

Farther into the future, maybe colonies could be built at greater distance from Earth, perhaps around the Sun. These would have to be constructed with materials from the large asteroids that orbit the Sun between Mars and Jupiter.

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Unless otherwise noted, all images courtesy of NASA. Permission for use at http://www.nasa.gov/gallery/photo/guideline.html.

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