Starship Earth RevisitedRapidly Erectable Geodesic Domes, Pneumatic and

Tensile Structures in the Aftermath of an Asteroid Impact

ASTE 527: Space Exploration Architectures Concept Synthesis Studio

Angella Johnson

December 17, 2013

Asteroid Impact Energy Release

• Planet Earth is a highly complex system. An asteroid strike will

abruptly and severely affect the entire biosphere and all life forms

Asteroid Impact Immediate Effect

• Not fully known but severe

• Large scale devastation affecting all

flora and fauna

• Volcano + Tidal Wave + Earthquake

+Toxic atmosphere

Severe and immediate Impact

on Civilization• Especially on densely populated regions

• Civil unrest and chaos

• Spread of disease

• Lack of food and water

• High level of atmospheric pollution

• No access to power and communication

Natural Disaster TollRank

Death Toll Event Location Date

1 1- 4,000,000 1931 China Floods China July-Aug 1931

2 900,000-2,000,000

1887 Yellow River Flood

China Sept-Oct. 1887

3 830,000 1556 Shaanxi Earthquake

China Jan 23, 1556

4 242,000-779,000

1976 Tangshan Earthquake

China July 1976

5 500,000-1,000,000

1970 Bhola Cyclone East Pakistan

Nov 13, 1970

6 300,000 1839 India Cyclone India Nov 25, 1839

6 300,000 1737 Calcutta Cyclone

India Oct 7, 1737

8 273,400 1920 Haiyuan Earthquake

China Dec 16, 1920

9 250,000-300,000

526 Antioch Earthquake

Turkey May 526

10 260,000 115 Antioch Earthquake

Roman Empire

Dec 13, 115

Recent Natural Disaster Toll

Cataclysmic Events• Asteroid Impacts are a normal geologic

process. Weathering on Earth and Mars

quickly erases evidence

How often ?

• “City killer” are projected to occur every twenty years ! We have been

lucky because Earth is a water planet and most impacts occur over

oceans, away from land and populated regions.

“City Killers”

Barringer Crater

Impact Aftermath

• Shock and heat waves destroys up to a 500 mile radius

• Crater formation

• Tsunami / Earthquakes / Volcanoes

• Suborbital debris on global scale

• Global debris and dust cover

• Tidal Surges affect coastal cities and regions with waterways-

almost all population centers affected immediately

• Forest Fires

• No sunlight for 6 months- 1 year/ temperature plummets

• Nuclear Winter effects

• Imbalance to natural fauna and flora – agriculture affected

• Banda Aceh (2004)

• Tohoku (2011)

Impact on Population Centers

• Power grid and physical

infrastructure broken

• Lack of Food and water

• Loss of Communication

• Public health compromised - Disease

• Civil unrest

Supervolcano &Cataclysmic Events

A supervolcano is capable of producing a volcanic eruption with an ejecta volume greater than 1,000 km3 or 240 cu mi. This is thousands of times larger than normal volcanic eruptions.

VEI-8: events that throw out at least 1,000 km dense rock equivalent(DRE) of ejecta.

VEI-7: events eject at least 100 km or 24 cu mi DRE.

Large hot rock and debris strewn over wide area and fires ignited

Toxic , solar opaque atmosphere similar to asteroid impact

Large Volcanic Eruptions

Rationale

• What to do if we are unable to avoid asteroid impact ?

• Preserve and protect humanity on a global scale(starting with

population centers) for an indefinite period after a cataclysmic

event.

Concept• The “Duck & Cover Concept” is explored. Critical, physical

infrastructure system of city is repurposed in order to protect

dense populations for six months to a year after impact.

Without A Warning

In A Nutshell• Combine engineering technology and

architectural technology to build

critical structures and infrastructures

enabling human beings to survive

cataclysmic events beyond our

control.

Historical Background- VisionariesPaolo Soleri- Arcology (Architecture + Ecology)Visionary architects have designed near

self-sufficient architectures

Jacque Fresco- Venus Project

Buckminster Fuller- “Spaceship Earth”

Nader Khalili- “CalEarth”Ron Herron- Mobile City

Prediction Models vs. Response Models

• No warning – not able to predict and prepare effectively

• Every disaster has different needs

• No location data till after event

• For large scale devastation, evacuation is not possible

• Broken civil infrastructure

• Massive immediate aid request

• Some common needs can be met with preparation.

– Disaster assessment, stocking medicine, speedy comm. setup

Rationale-Space Station Regenerative ECLSS Flow Diagram

Energy SupportA major challenge is finding and utilizing alternative energy sources that will support the maximum population post-disaster.

Nuclear Energy: fusion or fission technology for energy

Solar Energy : Preferred but due to impact this might not be feasible

Environmental Support System

Water and Air

Extracted from the outside polluted air filtration, recycling

From plants in the manmade biosphere

Atmosphere regeneration - by decomposing water and chemicals,

gas mixtures as in spaceship

Food

Intensive farming - Algae and other plants grow inside the shelter

CEAC Antarctica food chamber

Hydroponics, Aeroponics, Aquaponics, physico chemical foods

Bacteria-Based Water

Filter

• The filtration system is portable and purifies water in less than 24 hours. The bio-reactor system uses dirt-dwelling bacteria to clean water and munch the resulting toxic sludge.

The OutbackTM Water Purification System

• This four stage gravity powered water filtration system. It eliminates harmful bacteria and viruses (E.coli,Cholera, Hepatitis and Polio)

Vertical hydroponic garden system for food source – Controlled Environment Agriculture Center

3D Printing & Dehydrated Foods

• Due to terror threats around 2011, FEMA ordered

1 billion in dehydrated food.

• Emergency Food Rations- prepared 2400 and

3600 calorie food bar (Quakekare).

• Ingredients are analyzed, product is synthesized

using 3D printing.

Emergency Medicine

• National Center for Disaster Medicine & Public Health

• Immediate assistance to prevent the spread of infectious

disease.

• Post traumatic stress could compromise the immune

system of many survivors which will lead to illness.

• Quarantine those who might pose a threat to the majority

• Center for Disease Control(CDC)

Triage/Emergency Assistance

Triage-sort and assist the wounded and ill in an emergency fashion after asteroid impact.

ICE/ Postdisaster Psychological Stress• Architectural solution should address the socio-psychological concerns

(ICEs-Isolated and Confined Environments) due to the extreme conditions

• “Trends of Probable Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in New York City after

the September 11 Terrorist Attacks”-American Journal Epidemiology (Vol.

158, No 6)

• “The Epidemiology of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder after Disasters” –

Epidemiologic Reviews (Vol.27, 2005)

Communications

• Satellites for global coverage

• Portable VSATs

• Cell infrastructure broken

• Radio for local coverage

Repurpose Tunnels & Train Stations

Underground Dwellings

Pop-Up Structures

Buckminster Fuller- Spaceship Earth

Architectural Design Concept: Geodesic domes can be used to offer an initial line of defense against the elements (dust, pollution, etc. ) after an asteroid impact.

Tensile Structure

Earthbag Dome Dwelling

Cal-Earth Institute, Hesperia

Fabric Draped Structure

Merits/ Limitations• Merits

– Take advantage of existing space technology and generate profit

– Reduce dependence on natural resources for sustainable development

– Supplement Planetary Defense Strategies

• Limitations

– Large amount of investment in a short period, for US

400K*0.3Billion/4=30 Trillion,

– Global, national consensus Reliable shielding materials and methods that

can withstand large impact shock and after effects over long periods

– Rapid, large population evacuation strategies

– Only applicable to city centers

References1. “Asteroid Threats: A Call for Global Response." Astronomy Jan. 2009

2. Bronstert, A. (2003), Floods and Climate Change: Interactions and Impacts. Risk Analysis,

23: 545–557. doi: 10.1111/1539-6924.00335

3. http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/

4. Atmospheric science: Enigma of the recent methane budget, Nature 476, 157–158 (11 August 2011)

5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arcology#Development

6. D.F. Doerr, Interaction between exercising humans and growing plants in a closed ecological life

support system, Acta Astronautica, Volume 36, Issues 8-12, October-December 1995,

7. Extreme Climate Control Membrane Structures, 2006, Volume 54, 151-174, DOI: 10.1007/1-

4020-4604-9_9

8. Sui Pheng Low, & Xiu Ting Goh. (2010). Exploring outer space technologies for sustainable

buildings. Facilities, 28(1/2), 31-45

9. Shaping Climate Resistant Development report

10. "Climate costs." Nature 461.7261 (2009): 150. Academic OneFile. Web. 13 Dec. 2011

11. Frank Ackerma, The Cost of Climate Change, NRDC REPORT 2008

Questions ??

• Thank you for your time & attention!