Megastructure
Megastructure (Architecture) Synopsis
A Megastructure is a colossally-large structure built for various reasons, but usually for reasons of prestige or technical accomplishment.
Megastructures have the following basic properties.
- Megastructures can be built on planets or in open space.
- Megastructures are sophont-made.
- Megastructures are the 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.
Megastructure (Architecture) Description
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 or tall 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 is, they are tremendously impressive, and modern, interstellar states (polities) often build megastructures for prestige or to achieve impressive engineering or technical goals.
Megastructure (Architecture) History & Background (Dossier)
Megastructures can be built a early as TL-1, but these early constructions are not very impressive compared to later megastructures.
Some of the first megastructures on Terra (Earth or Sol System) were called the "Wonders of the World."
These included:
- 1. A Garden Ziggurat
- 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 (Architecture) 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.
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. (i.e. The Moot Spire of the Third Imperium)
- These entries also typically indicate the location of the unique structure. (i.e. The Ancients Ringworld at Leenitakot).
Terrestrial (Planetary) Megastructures
Some kinds of terrestrial megastructures include:
- Arcology (Also known as "Hyperstructures") (TL-9+)
- The Arcologies of Azun (TL-9+)
- The Pylon Cities of Bellerophon (TL-9+ Arcology)
- Beanstalk (TL-10+) (AKA Space Elevator, Orbital Elevator, or Orbital Beanstalk)
- The Beanstalk of Gateway/Argi (Dagudashaag 1331) (TL-10+)
- Space Elevator or Beanstalk (TL-10+)
- Skyhook (Tl-10+)
- Space Fountain (TL-13+)
- Habitation (Residential) Infrastructure (TL-1+)
- Megacity (TL-10+)
- Domed Cities (TL-7+)
- Habitation Dome or Dome/hab (TL-10+)
- Megascrapers (TL-10+)
- The Moot Spire of the Third Imperium (TL-10+)
- Vertical Farm Towers (TL-10+)
- Megaships (Seagoing Cities) (TL-10+)
- Skycrapers (TL-6+)
- Underground Cities (TL-4+)
- Under-ice Cities (TL-10+)
- 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 on Shudusham (Core 2214) (TL-10+)
- The Sea-bottom Complexes of Bellerophon (TL-10+)
- Xenoempathy Dome (TL-16+)
- Megacity (TL-10+)
- Manufacturing (Industry) Infrastructure (TL-4+)
- Planetary Nanofac Network (TL-19+)
- Military Infrastructure (TL-1+)
- Defensive Megastructures (Great Walls, etc.) (TL-2+)
- Planetary Defense Meson Gun Emplacements (TL-11+)
- National Prestige Megastructures (TL-1+)
- The Consortium Trinary of the Third Imperium
- The Imperial Palace of the Third Imperium (TL-9+)
- Pyramids (TL-1+)
- Ziggurats (TL-1+)
- 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+)
- Bulk Matter Transmitter (TL-20+)
- Core Taps Geothermal Power Plants or Thermal Boreholes (TL-10+)
- Hydroelectric Power Plants (TL-4+)
- Quantum Converter Complex (TL-19+)
- Thermocline Transducer Power Plant (TL-13+)
- Planetary Transit System (TL-4+)
- Downports (Starports) (TL-7+)
- Gravity Train (TL-13+)
- Subsea Trunkline System (TL-10+)
- Trans-Global Highway (TL-10+)
- Science (Research) Infrastructure (TL-4+)
- Supercollider (TL-7+)
Megastructures in Space (Vacuum)
Some kinds of megastructures, located in space, include:
- Artificial Worlds (TL-16+)
- Mobile Artificial Worlds (TL-20+)
- Ringworlds (TL-25+)
- Sphereworlds (TL-20+)
- Galactic-Scale Megastructures
- The Galactic Stock Exchange of the Third Imperium
- The Longbow (Long Baseline Observation Window) Project of the Third Imperium (TL-15+)
- Xboat System of the Third Imperium
- Planetary-Scale Megastructures
- Satelite-Scale Megastructures
- Genetic Ark (TL-9+)
- Soletta or Space Mirror (TL-10+)
- Space Stations or Orbitals (TL-9+)
- Deep Space Habitat (TL-13+)
- Highports (TL-10+) (Orbital Complexes)
- Lagrangian Space Stations (TL-9+)
- Stellar-Scale Megastructures
- Alderson Disk (TL-25+)
- Dyson Spheres (TL-27+)
- The Inheritor Dyson Sphere at Sphere (Nooq 3201)
- Jupiter Brian (TL-23+)
- Matrioshka Brain (TL-23+)
- Starlifting (Stellar Engine) or Shkadov Thrusters (TL-25+)
- System-Scale Megastructures
- Rosettes (TL-15+) (Klemperer Rosette)
- World Megastructures (Built-out planets)
- Agropolis or Farm World (Agricultural [Ag] World) (TL-12+)
- Ecumenopolis or City World (TL-13+)
- Ergostásiopolis or Factory World (Industrial [In] World) (TL-13+)
- Topopolis (TL-25+)
Megastructure (Architecture) References & Contributors (Resources)
- 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
- Author & Contributor: Lord and Master of Sophontology (Marquis) Maksim-Smelchak of the Ministry of Science