One of the many problems I’ve always had with the majority of science-fiction is space.
No, not outer space, but, rather, the space they use on spaceships and the like. Something like the [amazon_link id=”1451621299″ target=”_blank” ]U.S.S. Enterprise[/amazon_link] is fantastic and fun, but, frankly wholly unrealistic in their use of available space on a star ship. Those high ceilings and vast gardens are wonderful, but, really, they add so much mass to a deep space vessel that I have to wonder if they’re really a good use of materials, not to mention the fuel to move it all and maintain it.
Even [amazon_link id=”B0036EH3UC” target=”_blank” ]Battlestar Galactica[/amazon_link] seems to have incredibly high ceilings for a military vessel. I mean, compare it to, say, an aircraft carrier, or, perhaps more reasonably, a submarine. Granted, modern submarines have vastly more space available to them than their predecessors from World War II, but, still, space is at a premium.
In our only actual space installation, the International Space Station, space is certainly at a premium. Granted, it’s not something that we still seem to be spending a lot of money on to improve or expand or even replace or duplicate, but it is the only real off-planet installation we currently have. As such, it’s all we have to use as a guide for how future space craft or space stations might use their space. So, if you’re a science-fiction writer, a future or hopeful science-fiction writer, or even just a fan, you owe it to yourself to check out this tour of the ISS. Trust me on this, it will be an “eye opener” for many people seeing it for the first time.
Also? I think it’s incredibly cool that people are living in space, even in cramped quarters, even for relatively short periods of time.
We live in the future.
