Automoderated users, Autopatrolled users, Bureaucrats, Comment administrators, Confirmed users, Moderators, Rollbackers, Administrators
214,282
edits
m (remove unneccessary quote box template) |
|||
(20 intermediate revisions by 6 users not shown) | |||
Line 1:
{{trope}}
[[File:
{{quote|"''[[That's No Moon
An artificial structure in space, where people live and work. Unlike the [[Cool Starship]], the Space Station is usually fixed in orbit around a planet or at a particular point in space. It also allows for the construction of a standing studio set and avoids expensive location shoots.
Real-world space stations have existed since 1971 (Salyut 1).
Space stations in fiction have a tendency to be very large, sometimes housing an entire city. Many have adopted a wheel design for a centrifuge-based system of gravity (unless [[Artificial Gravity]] is employed), but this is not obligatory. If sufficiently large to support a sizeable permanent population, a space-station may be referred to as an "orbital habitat" or "space colony". [[Colony Drop|Don't drop it!]] The problem of gas exchange and food production is often solved by incorporating a closed ecosystem and green plants onboard, sometimes in dirt, sometimes hydroponics, sometimes algae aquaculture.
As ''The Tough Guide to the Known Galaxy'' notes, [http://rocketpunk-observatory.com/spaceguideS-Z.htm#station space stations] used to be common in [http://rocketpunk-observatory.com/spaceguideF-L.htm#habitat habitat] role early on - in the context of colonizing Sol System. But between organizational and economic implications (it's essentially a space ship minus ability to move around at will, with the same requirements and expenses) those mostly vanished when interstellar settings with FTL became common. What's left are mostly mining bases attached to asteroids and orbital trade/supply ''ports'' over planets, both of which obviously make sense.
----▼
Please keep these to stations that play a major part in the plot of a show or movie. This trope is pretty much ubiquitous in [[Speculative Fiction]], of all levels on the [[Mohs Scale of Sci Fi Hardness]].
▲----
{{examples}}
== [[Anime]] and [[Manga]] ==
* Very large space-stations are integral to the background of the ''[[Gundam]]'' anime universe(s). The designs are lifted almost verbatim from O'Neill's ''[[The High Frontier]]'', which was new when the first Gundam series was in development.
== [[Fanfic]] ==▼
* [[I Don't Like the Sound of That Place|The Doom Satellite]] from ''[[Calvin and Hobbes The Series (Fanfic)|Calvin and Hobbes The Series]]''. ▼
== [[Comic Books]] ==
* The [[Justice League]] have the Watchtower and its larger, improved successor, Watchtower II. Its position in orbit with a giant laser cannon pointing down become a point of contention with the US government.
** And for many years before the Watchtower, the JLA had an orbiting satellite space station, through the 70s and part of the 80s (until the "Detroit League" era and the Crisis finished it off).
▲== [[Fanfic]] ==
▲* [[I Don't Like the Sound of That Place|The Doom Satellite]] from ''[[Calvin and Hobbes
== [[Film]] ==
* ''[[
* The wheel-like Station Five seen in the opening space scenes of ''[[2001: A Space Odyssey]]'' is perhaps the most famous of all sci-fi movie space stations.
* ''[[Star Wars
* ''[[Project Moonbase]]'' (1953) had the protagonists stop off at a US military space station on the way to the moon. We see people walking along the corridors upside down past people going the other way due to its variable [[Artificial Gravity]].
* ''[[Conquest of Space]]'' (George Pal's 1955 sci-fi flop after his previous blockbusters ''[[Destination Moon]]'' and ''[[When Worlds Collide]]'') had The Wheel, whose design was taken from the famous illustrated book of that name.
* The space station over Solaris in ''[[Andrei Tarkovsky|Solaris]]'' is large, but falling apart due to madness and disuse.
* Disney's ''[[
* Disney Channel "[[Zenon]]" movies, a lot of the action is based in Space Stations.
== [[Literature]] ==
Line 41 ⟶ 42:
** It came back briefly in the ''[[New Jedi Order]]'', when someone tried to use it to fire at Vong worldships but missed and hit some allies. And then they refused to use it again.
** A considerable part of ''[[Legacy of the Force]]'' is about the Corellians, trying to secede from the Galactic Federation of Free Worlds, commanding Centerpoint Station, which was destroyed eventually.
*** ...which [[Nice Job Breaking It, Hero|might have been a mistake]], since in ''[[
* The 1950's sci-fi juvenile ''Islands in the Sky'' by [[Arthur C. Clarke]] is about a teenager who wins a trip to the Inner Station, a manned satellite in low-earth orbit used for repairing and refueling spacecraft. Clarke was famous for predicting the use of artifical satellites for telecommunication (though his were manned).
* Several space stations are featured in ''[[
** Most of the third book, ''The Short Victorious War'', centers around Hancock Station, and the defense of it during the opening hours of the First Haven-Manticore War.
** ''Mission of Honor'' depicts the destruction of {{spoiler|''all'' of the major space stations in the Manticore system, with a death toll in the ''millions'', including civilians.}}
Line 49 ⟶ 50:
* ''Willy Ley'' wrote several books aimed at children describing and illustrating space stations, competely with tug vessels to help large space ships dock.
* The semi-fiction futurist writings of Gerard O'Neill from the seventies and eighties, especially ''[[The High Frontier]]''. All the technologies outlined in the books are based on theory and designs from real academics. O'Neill is often credited for inventing these types of designs; he did not. However, he did move a lot of them ''quite'' far along [[Mohs Scale of Sci Fi Hardness]].
* The ''[[Star Trek: Stargazer]]'' novels introduce the ''Oblivion'', or rather the ''Obl'viaan'' in the original Ubarrak. It's an enormous construction in orbit of a lifeless planet, consisting of hundreds (if not thousands) of ships and stations welded together. In fact, it's not so much a space station as a space city. It is definitely of a [[Wretched Hive]] variety. It's also the place where Picard first meets Guinan, although she's a little upset he doesn't know who she is.
* Part of [[Sergey Lukyanenko]]'s novel ''Competitors'' takes place on a large, disc-shaped station called the Platform or Bun. Nobody knows for sure who built the station ({{spoiler|it was the Bugs}}), but ordinary people keep getting sent there and are given enough funds to purchase a small ship and start their career in space. Occasionally, the Platform undergoes attacks by a race known only as the Bugs. No matter their clan affiliation or criminal status, all gather to defend the station.
Line 56 ⟶ 57:
** Various fluff even call all ''Babylon'' stations ''O'Neill''-class.
** The other human stations are wheel-shaped. Centauri stations look like two pyramids attached at the base.
* ''[[Star Trek
** ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]'' is set on the titular station.
** Also Spacedock in ''[[Star Trek III:
*** Plus Spacestation K-7, which had a problem with Tribbles...
* ''[[
* ''[[
* ''[[Destination Space]]'' (1959). Pilot for a TV series that was never taken up. Involved a space station damaged by a meteorite and efforts to send a rescue mission.
* ''[[Earth II]]'' (1971). Another pilot for a never-filmed TV series about life on a large space station. The cast was led by Gary Lockwood of ''2001'' fame. The plot involved efforts to stop a nuclear weapon launched by the Chinese from reaching the station.
* Ingrid's space colony in ''[[Starstuff]].''
* ''[[Thunderbirds
* ''[[Stargate]]'' showed a few space stations, including the ISS. The only Goa'uld space station shown was in the Hasara system and used as a meeting place for the System Lords. It was later destroyed by the Replicators.
** The Midway station was located [[Exactly What It Says
** ''[[Stargate Atlantis]]'' also featured a moon base.
* ''[[
* Many space stations of various shapes and sizes are shown in ''[[Andromeda]]''. The largest one is the Arcology, a massive space habitat filled with [[Technical Pacifist|Technical Pacifists]]. The Arcology does have a [[Faster
== [[Tabletop Games]] ==
* Most Starports in [[Traveller]] have an orbital component to deal with heavier traffic and a component planetside. Aside from that there are research stations, minor outposts and the like and occasionally (if the jump range is
== [[Video Games]] ==
* [[
* Stations are one of the types of constructs that players can design and build in ''[[Star Ruler]]''. They can carry massive defensive weapons, function as a trading hub, orbital refinery, a dry dock, or any combination of the above. Typically placed in orbit around planets, but it's possible to tow them to a new position using a massive carrier, or by yanking it out of orbit with a tractor beam.
* Building them is a major part of playing ''[[Sins of a Solar Empire]]'', and they all have different specialized functions.
** The first [[Expansion Pack]] adds starbases, which can be built anywhere, not just in orbit of your planets. The Vasari starbases can even move around the area but lack [[Faster
* The first two acts of ''[[Knights of the Old Republic]] II: The Sith Lords'' take place on two different space stations. Peragus was an asteroid facility, so it may or may not count. The Star Forge from the first game, however, definitely does.
* The orbiting space station in ''[[Cortex Command]]'', called a "Trade Star", plays a central part in the action. From this [[
* ''[[Mass Effect]]'' features two Space Stations as important plot locations. The Citadel is the seat of the Galactic government and generally has an [[Ascetic Aesthetic]], Star Trek look (until you get to the Wards) while Omega is a [[Wretched Hive]] with Cyberpunk [[Used Future]] themes. A number of less important stations crop up in sidequests.
** Omega is an asteroid base, though, so it may not count.
Line 89 ⟶ 91:
*** The True geth build a massive space station in orbit of Rannoch (quarian homeworld) to serve as a giant server to house all geth programs. When the quarians attack in the third game, one of their first targets is the space station. Many programs are destroyed in the process.
** The fleets of the Systems Alliance (human government) are headquartered on the Arcturus space station. Unfortunately, it's one of the first targets of the Reapers in ''Mass Effect 3''. All you find is the debris field.
* Comet Observatory from ''[[
* The GDSS ''Philadelphia'' from the [[Command
* The game ''[[Startopia]]'' is [[Incredibly Lame Pun|revolved]] around restoring abandoned spinning wheel-shaped stations. Strangely enough, all space stations in the galaxy appear to have the exact same design. The stations have 3 decks: engineering, pleasure, and bio. Biodeck is the innermost one and uses "nanosoil" to recreate any planetary environment to the point where you can actually grow plants in it. The pleasure deck is all for the entertainment of tourists and employees. The engineering deck (outermost) includes power stations, factories, docks, security stations, communicators, sick bays, sleeping pods, bathrooms, etc.
* ''[[Star Trek Elite Force|Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force]]'' has several space stations, including the Forge and one made up of various ships trapped there welded together. One of the ships making up the latter is a ''Constitution''-class starship from the [[Mirror Universe]]. Fans of TOS get a nostalgia fix walking through the halls of the ship, albeit with the [[The Empire|Terran Empire]] logo on all doors.
* Two types of stations can be built in ''[[Haegemonia]]: Legions of Iron''. Both types can move prior to deploying, at which point they are unable to be "undeployed", although the [[Expansion Pack]] fixed that. Mining bases are unarmed and position themselves over resource-rich asteroids in order to process them. Military bases can be built of different types, depending on the type of weapons you want them to have (missile, proton, ion, quantum). They cannot use weapons when mobile. They also repair friendly ships in the vicinity. The campaign also has resort and hospital stations, as well as the Darzok HQ, which must be destroyed to win the game. You also find abandoned [[Precursor|Solon]] stations with active defenses.
* You spend the majority of ''[[
* ''[[Sword of the Stars]]'' has orbital defense satellites (it's not clear if they're automated or manned) of various sizes with expansions adding large specialized space stations (e.g. command, industry, science, trade, habitat, sensor). In the sequel, you can also build hidden defense bases in asteroid fields in order to launch system defense boats at unsuspecting invaders.
* Several space stations are shown throughout the ''[[Space Quest]]'' series. Galaxy Galleria is a large circular mall in space with a zero-gravity area in the center. The [[The Federation|StarCon]] Academy is located aboard a large space station. There's also Molly's Chug & Glug SpaceBar, which you end up destroying, Monolith Burger Fast Food Dive, Shar-Pei's station, Xenon Orbital Station 4, Vohaul's Asteroid of Doom, etc.
* The final levels of the ''[[Mega Man (
* ''[[Vega Strike]]'' has a lot of orbital installations... which is a good thing, since ports in planetary gravity wells take a lot of time to visit even with very easy simulation. All 3 major spacefaring species and some of the others have Agricultural Station, Mining, Gas Mine, Refinery, Factory, Shipyard and Medical, plus military Fighter Bases and heavy fortresses; Human, Rlaan and Uln also have Commerce Center; Humans and Aera have dedicated Research stations, Humans-only (so far) installations include Outpost (habitat), Relay and (Shaper faction only) Bio-adaptation station. Also, there are occasional "Diplomatic Center" stations.
== [[Web Original]] ==
* There are two very important space stations in the ''[[Global Guardians PBEM Universe]]:'' the orbital headquarters of the Global Guardians itself, and the Stronghold Orbital Super-Maximum Detention Center.
* These are implied to exist in the universe of [[Nexus Gate]] though none have been officially named.
* ''[[Fenspace]]'' has over two dozen space stations at the Earth-Luna L5 point, and others elsewhere. They know in-universe about all the pitfalls described in ''The Tough Guide to the Known Galaxy'' (as mentioned above), but they don't care.
=== USSR ===
* There were two different designs of the Salyut<ref>"Salute"</ref> series- the DOS and OPS (Almaz<ref>"Diamond"</ref>) designs. The Almaz stations were experiments into military applications of space stations, and secretly carried antiarcraft guns (suitably modified for space).
** Salyut 1/DOS-1 (1971): Only two crews went up to this. The first (Soyuz 10) couldn't open the door. The second (Soyuz 11) got on board and spent 23 days there, but died during reentry when a malfunctioning valve caused their capsule to depressurise.
** Salyut 2/OPS-1 (1973): An Almaz station. Depressurised on launch after being hit by debris from the Proton launcher, followed by an unknown explosion that destroyed the solar panels less than two weeks after reaching orbit. No attempts to visit.
** Salyut 3/OPS-2 (1974-5): Only had one crew visit. The only Almaz mission to actually do anything military related, it shot off its gun and destroyed a couple of satellites.
** Salyut 4/DOS-4 (
** Salyut 5/OPS-3 (
** Salyut 6/DOS-5 (
** Salyut 7/DOS-6 (
* Mir (1986-2001): "Peace". This included a core module (DOS-7) that could take four other modules on one end, with another (Kvant) attached on the other end. Later became capable of having the Space Shuttle dock through the use of a universal adapter. One of those modules, Spektr, was rendered unusable after a crew member, attempting to remotely dock an unmanned cargo craft, instead crashed into it, nearly killing everyone on board. First permanently manned station.
* Polyus<ref>"Pole"</ref> (1987): A planned Almaz station, carrying a CO<sub>2</sub> laser designed for anti-satellite warfare. Launched upside down due to space restrictions in the Energia, the intention was to yaw the station 180 degrees before firing rockets to place it in permanent orbit, but a failure in the inertial guidance system caused the maneuvering jets to rotate the craft 360 degrees, sending it careening into the atmosphere over the South Pacific.
===
* [
* Skylab (
=== China ===
* Tiangong-1<ref>"Heavenly Palace"</ref>
* Tiangong-2 was launched on 15 September 2016.
* Tiangong-3 has not been launched, and its launch date has been pushed back more than once. It is intended to form the core of a modular station, somewhat like the ISS.
=== International ===
* ISS (
** [http://heavens-above.com/ If you want to see where it currently is, go here]
=== Privately Owned ===
* Bigelow Aerospace
** Genesis series. These stations are based on NASA's TransHab design for an inflatable space station or moonbase (you heard me right). Thus far, they have been crewed by no organism more complex than a cockroach.
*** Genesis I (
*** Genesis II (
{{reflist}}
[[Category:
[[Category:Futuristic Tech Index]]
[[Category:
[[Category:Speculative Fiction Tropes]]
[[Category:
|