Megastructure

A Megastructure is a colossally-large structure built for various reasons, but usually for reasons of prestige or technical accomplishment.

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Megastructures have the following basic properties.

• Megastructures can be built on planets or in open space.
• Megastructures are sophont-made.
• Megastructures are a product of technology.
• While some megastructures are static (fixed), others are mobile.
• Megastructures are rare and often unique (They inspire awe), so modern starships are not megastructures despite being the product of "megascale engineering," or "astro-engineering," and their often enormous size.
  • Starships simply aren't that rare in the Third Imperium or the rest of Charted Space.
  • Unique or noteworthy Starships are noted elsewhere.

Description (Specifications)

A Megastructure is a very large sophont-made object.

• The actual definition of a megastructure is highly disputed by Imperial scholars. Some only apply the term to especially large, tall, or otherwise impressive buildings while others only feel that the term should apply to enormous structures built in space such as Highports. Others define a megastructure as a self-supporting artificial construction. And even others only feel that a megastructure should be qualified as a product of "megascale engineering" or "astro-engineering."
• Whatever a megastructure actually is, they are tremendously impressive, and modern, interstellar states (polities) often build megastructures for prestige or to achieve impressive engineering or technical goals.

History & Background (Dossier)

Megastructures can be built a early as TL-1, but these early constructions are not very impressive compared to later megastructures.

Historical Terran Megastructures

Some of the first megastructures built on Terra (Earth or Sol System) in ancient times were called the "Wonders of the World."

These included:

• 1. A Garden Ziggurat (a sort of stepped pyramid)
• 2. A Gigantic Lighthouse
• 3. A Gigantic Statue
• 4. A Gigantic Temple
• 5. A Gigantic Tomb
• 6. A Great Wall
• 7. Several Pyramids

Many of the ancient Terran megastructures were later destroyed in the incessant conflicts that characterize early Terran history.

Megastructure Representative Types

Megastructures are mostly commonly built on terrestrial planets or in space.

• Some structures are not built on terrestrial planets, but are still entered into the Terrestrial (Planetary) Megastructures category.
• Some of these structures might be located on inhabitable moons, or non-terrestrial planets.

All entries also indicate the Tech Level that was required to build the structure.

• For structures using a Tech Level above the (TL-15) capability of the Third Imperium, this TL rating is often estimated, so such TL projections cannot be considered accurate.

Some entries are marked in a bold font.

• These entries represent unique structures or structures specific to Charted Space.
• These unique structures, whenever possible, indicate the builder and/or owner with the preposition "of". (i.e. The Moot Spire of the Third Imperium)
• These entries also typically indicate the location of the unique structure with the preposition "at". (i.e. The Ancients Ringworld at Leenitakot).

Terrestrial (Planetary) Megastructures

Some kinds of terrestrial megastructures include:

• Commercial Megastructures
  • Lowports (TL-9+) (Surface Spaceports)
  • Beanstalk (TL-10+) (AKA Space Elevator, Orbital Elevator, or Orbital Beanstalk)
    • The Beanstalk of Gateway (Dagudashaag Argi) (TL-10+)
    • The Beanstalk of Shigkhu (Dagudashaag Iiradu) (TL-10+)
    • The Space Elevator of Yggdrasil/Yggdrasil (Trojan Reach 0815) (TL-10+)
  • Skyhook (Tl-10+)
  • Space Elevator or Beanstalk (TL-10+)
  • Space Fountain (TL-13+)
  • Please see Megastructures in Space (Vacuum) for Highports (Space-based Spaceports).

• Habitation (Residential) Infrastructure (TL-1+)
  • Underground Cities (TL-4+)
  • Skycrapers (TL-6+)
    • Domed Cities (TL-7+) (Sealed City)
      • The Domed Cities of Arna/Iiradu (Dagudashaag 2601) (TL-7+)
      • The Eco-domes of Ekhor/Zeda (Dagudashaag 0227) (TL-7+)
  • Arcology (Also known as "Hyperstructures") (TL-9+)
    • The Arcologies of Azun (TL-9+)
    • The Arcologies of Cronor (TL-9+)
    • The Arcologies of Irap (TL-9+)
    • The Super-reinforced Arcologies of the Gl'lu (TL-9+)
    • The Arcologies of Lurammish (TL-9+)
    • The Arcologies of Narya (TL-9+)
  • Megacity (TL-10+)
    • The Vargr Megacity at Taknarkag/Kfan Uzagou (Gvurrdon 0630) (TL-10+)
    • Habitation Dome or Dome/hab (TL-10+) (Protected Environment)
      • The Hab Domes of Namidshur (world) (TL-10+)
  • Megascrapers (TL-10+)
    • The Pylon Cities of Bellerophon (TL-9+)
    • The Moot Spire of the Third Imperium (TL-10+)
    • Vertical Farm Towers (TL-10+)
  • Megaships (Seagoing Cities) (TL-10+)
    • The Makranii (Ship Cities) of Dawn (De 1336) (TL-10+)
    • The City ships of Mer (TL-10+)
  • Under-ice Cities (TL-10+)
    • The Ice Cities of Geka (TL-13+)
  • Undersea Cities (TL-10+)
    • The Colony Domes of Sarrad/Drexilthar (Reaver's Deep 2129) (TL-10+)
    • The Domed Arcologies of Maelstrom (De 2522) (TL-10+)
    • Karrigashu Undersea Habitat of Shudusham (Core 2214) (TL-10+)
    • The Sea-bottom Complexes of Bellerophon (TL-10+)
    • The Shoal Ocean Metroplexes of Vincennes (De 1122) (world) (TL-10+)
  • Floating Cities (TL-13+)
    • The Grav Cities of Vincennes (De 1122) (world) (TL-13+)
  • Xenoempathy Dome (TL-16+)

• Hydraulic Infrastructure (TL-1+)
  • Aquaducts (TL-1+)
  • Dams (TL-1+)

• Manufacturing (Industry) Infrastructure (TL-4+)
  • Planetary Nanofac Network (TL-19+)

• Military Infrastructure (TL-1+)
  • Planetary Defense Meson Gun Emplacements (TL-11+)
  • Defensive Megastructures (Great Walls, etc.) (TL-2+)

• National Prestige Megastructures (TL-1+)
  • Pyramids (TL-1+)
    • Ziggurats (TL-1+)
  • The Consortium Trinary of the Third Imperium
  • The Imperial Palace of the Third Imperium (TL-9+)

• Planetary Communications System (TL-7+)
  • Ansible (TL-19+) (FTL Communications System)

• Power (Energy) Infrastructure (TL-4+) (Planetary Power Generation & Distribution System))
  • Planetary Energy Grid (TL-4+)
  • Hydroelectric Power Plants (TL-4+)
  • Core Taps Geothermal Power Plants or Thermal Boreholes (TL-10+)
  • Thermocline Transducer Power Plant (TL-13+)
  • Quantum Converter Complex (TL-19+)
  • Bulk Matter Transmitter (TL-20+)

• Planetary Transit System (TL-4+)
  • Downports (Starports) (TL-7+)
  • Hyperloop (TL-10+)
  • Subsea Trunkline System (TL-10+)
  • Trans-Global Highway (TL-10+)
  • Gravity Train (TL-13+)

• Science (Research) Infrastructure (TL-4+)
  • Supercollider (TL-7+)

• Weather Control (Climate Control) Infrastructure (TL-10+)
  • Atmospheric Scrubbers (TL-8+)
  • Cloud Seeding (TL-8+)
  • The Pesta-wasakeswasa (Weather Control Installations) of Wesaswek (TL-10+)

Megastructures in Space (Vacuum)

Some kinds of megastructures, located in space, include:

• Artificial Worlds (TL-16+)
  • Mobile Artificial Worlds (TL-19+)
  • The Billion-ton Mobile Planetoids of the Lurent
  • Sphereworlds (TL-20+)
    • See Dyson sphere under "Stellar-Scale Megastructures" in this entry.
  • Ringworlds (TL-25+)
    • The Ancients Ringworld at Leenitakot/Kandra (Hinterworlds 1432) (Partially-built or Unfinished)
    • The Northstar Ringworld of Beyond Sector.

• Galactic-Scale Megastructures
  • The Galactic Stock Exchange of the Third Imperium
  • X-Boat System of the Third Imperium
  • The Longbow (Long Baseline Observation Window) Project of the Third Imperium (TL-15+)

• Planetary-Scale Megastructures
  • None known.

• Satelite-Scale Megastructures
  • Genetic Ark (TL-9+)
  • Soletta or Space Mirror (TL-10+)
    • None known.

• Space Stations or Orbitals (TL-9+)
  • Lagrangian Space Stations (TL-9+)
  • Highports (TL-10+) (Orbital Complexes)
  • Deep Space Habitat (TL-13+)
    • The Space Cities (Manned Habitats) of Enrique/Keum (Massilia 0212) (TL-13+)
    • The Space Cities of Vincennes (De 1122) (world) (TL-13+)

• Stellar-Scale Megastructures
  • Jupiter Brian (TL-23+)
  • Matrioshka Brain (TL-23+)
  • Starlifting (Stellar Engine) or Shkadov Thrusters (TL-25+)
  • Alderson Disk (TL-25+)
  • Dyson Spheres (TL-27+) ["Sphereworld"]
    • The Ancients Sphereworld of Sphere (Nooq 3201) inhabited by the Inheritors

• System-Scale Megastructures
  • Rosettes (TL-15+) (Klemperer Rosette)
  • Ancients Rosette at Tireen (Knaeleng 2910)

• World Megastructures (Built-out planets)
  • Agropolis or Farm World (Agricultural [Ag] World) (TL-12+)
  • Ecumenopolis or City World (TL-13+)
    • Irap/Oasis (Zarushagar 2630)
    • Tobia/Tobia (Trojan Reach 3215)
  • Ergostásiopolis or Factory World (Industrial [In] World) (TL-13+)
  • Topopolis or Deep Space City (TL-25+)

Worlds & Sectors (Astrography)

No information yet available.

World Listing: 1116

There are known Megastructures located in the following systems and on the following worlds:

47 of 47 World articles in Megastructure

Afeakter  •  Arkiirkii  •  Azun  •  Banasdan  •  Bellerophon  •  Capital  •  Chronor  •  Dawn (De 1336)  •  Drinax  •  Ekhor  •  Enrique  •  Forine  •  Gateway (Da 1331)  •  Geka  •  Harlequin  •  Irap  •  Irshe  •  Kanorb  •  Kubishush  •  Kukulcan  •  Leenitakot  •  Lilad  •  Lurammish  •  Maelstrom (De 2522)  •  Mainserai  •  Mer  •  Mondome  •  Mora  •  Muan Gwi  •  Namidshur  •  Narya  •  Northstar  •  Platon  •  Sarrad  •  Serpent's Reach  •  Shigkhu  •  Shudusham  •  Sphere  •  Taknarkag  •  Tireen  •  Tobia  •  Vard  •  Varen's Planet  •  Vincennes (De 1122)  •  Vland  •  Yaskoyloyt  •  Yggdrasil  •  

startbacknext(47 listed)

References & Contributors (Resources)

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This list of sources was used by the Traveller Wiki Editorial Team and individual contributors to compose this article. Copyrighted material is used under license from Far Future Enterprises or by permission of the author. The page history lists all of the contributions.

• Classic Traveller Adventure 9: Nomads of the World Ocean (Seagoing & Undersea Cities)
• Classic Traveller Double Adventure 1 Shadows/Annic Nova
• Classic Traveller Supplement 11 Library Data (N-Z)
• Classic Traveller The Traveller Book
• GURPS Traveller
• MegaTraveller Imperial Encyclopedia
• MegaTraveller Rebellion Sourcebook
• Periodical: Classic Traveller Journal of the Travellers Aid Society No. 23
• Article: 'Orbital Complexes' Periodical: MegaTraveller Travellers' Digest No. 1
• Author & Contributor: Lord and Master of Sophontology (Marquis) Maksim-Smelchak of the Ministry of Science