Space Station Jefferies

[MGagen]

MGagen here, with another 3D project.

Many of you may recall that Matt Jefferies began the task of designing Space Station K7 before he hit on the idea of using components from a rejected NASA habitat model. Here is his original design:

There's no need to guess how big it is; it's one of the few examples of MJ placing real-world dimensions on a design. You probably recognize a few features that were borrowed for Wrath of Khan's Regula One outpost. Even though this design didn't make it to the screen in The Trouble with Tribbles, there's no reason it shouldn't make an excellent TOS-era space station of its own.

So here are the beginnings of my 3D interpretation of this "lost" Jefferies original:

Watch this space for further developments.

M.

 

[Kaiser]

Whered you get the sketch?

Nice work on the station

 

[MGagen]

I don't recall where I got it. I believe it was in one of the auction catalogs, or perhaps an issue of Star Trek magazine.

M.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Great work so far! That open shuttlebay at the bottom is definitely reminiscent of Regula-1, though it was at the top on Regula-1.

Interesting how the starship in the sketch has double engine pylons.

 

[TIN_MAN]

^^ Those double pylons are because MJ evidently changed his mind about the scale and just enlarged the sketch of Enterprise to reflect this.

Notice though, that the "1000 ft" scale bar is another indication the that the 947 ft length is definitely what MJ intended for his ship!

But I’m glad to see someone tackling this station design, I always hoped someone would. In fact I kinda wish this design was used as the station in the remastered "The Ultimate computer".

Incidentally IIRC, I’ve seen pictures of a NASA model that looks suspiciously like this design, and I’ve always wondered if perhaps MJ had access to that model, and had it in mind when he drafted this concept, with the intent of using it instead of the one he eventually ended up using?

Anywho, great work so far, I look forward to the finished product!

 

[B.J.]

How are you envisioning the decks? In the upper half of the picture, it looks to me like the decks are arranged with the floors pointing radially outward, like a centrifugal gravity design would have. However, the bottom half of the picture shows what are probably windows on the outer walls, orienting the decks in the typical Star Trek fashion.

 

[TIN_MAN]

I always thought those outboard pods looked like cargo modules, or maybe some kind of docking mechanism for starships (or both)?

 

[sojourner]

Don't forget Regula -1 is just the office complex spacestation from TMP turned upside down.

Also, the deck layout in the sketch looks to be for the spokes of the wheel, and not the rim.

 

[Robert Comsol]

Also, the deck layout in the sketch looks to be for the spokes of the wheel, and not the rim.

Actually it looks like a pencil line too hastily drawn. Also the Enterprise was apparently much smaller in the beginning.

The "horseshoe" cross-section is a perfect match to the exterior pod in the top left and elsewhere.

What I really love about it is that it suggests artificial gravity by creating a centrifugal effect by means of rotation!

Here is the sketch at Trekcore: http://www.trekcore.com/specials/albums/sketches/STTOS_Sketch_TT_K7.jpg

Bob

 

[MGagen]

At first I wondered if the design was meant to have centrifugal gravity, but then I realized that he was merely showing the cross section of the spokes. There's also the matter of the flat segments, which would not be optimal for a spin-gravity design; also, the artificial gravity oriented windows.

I had also wondered about the double pylons, but I think Tin Man has nailed the explantation: the E was rescaled in reference to the station drawing. Just look at the top view of the ship and you'll see the original, smaller, primary hull outline that is in proper scale with the fore-most pylons.

I like the idea of the extra pods being the storage compartments. I'm leaning toward making the ends of them feature large cargo doors. I think the windows on the outside edges of the pods mean there are at least some habitat areas in them as well.

One of the features that is not shown in the drawing, but makes good sense to me, are windows on the insides of the rings. Outward-facing windows would only show deep space, but imagine the views you'd have of the rest of the station through inward facing windows! I'm taking the rounded inner surface as justification for larger, ceiling to floor windows in these areas. Upper decks in each ring would have windows that allow views "up the stack" and lower decks would open "down the stack."

M.

 

[Potemkin_Prod]

I really like where you're going with this. What program are you using?

 

[sojourner]

Also, the deck layout in the sketch looks to be for the spokes of the wheel, and not the rim.

Actually it looks like a pencil line too hastily drawn.

Pure conjecture unless you have some supporting evidence. Based purely upon the drawing, it's a section view of the spoke.

 

[Robert Comsol]

Also, the deck layout in the sketch looks to be for the spokes of the wheel, and not the rim.

Actually it looks like a pencil line too hastily drawn.

Pure conjecture unless you have some supporting evidence.

"The "horseshoe" cross-section is a perfect match to the exterior pod [edit: ring] in the top left and elsewhere."

You can see in the top left that the ring section features the exact same vertical slicing as the cross-section on the right side does, yes?
The shape is also a match, isn't it?

Of course, the scale in the cross-section would no longer match the scale of the Enterprise, therefore the cross-section became a cross-section of the spokes and the Enterprise was enlarged in size.
This is just a theory but it would explain the observable facts, IMHO.


Are these exterior pods containers or storage room for Federation vessels' containers (e.g. white rectangular bottom "hatch" of the Enterprise)?
And are the ring segments a permanent structure or do these also consist of container pods (except for those segments that permanently attach to the spokes)?

According to Jefferies' design concept for the Botany Bay he did envision container of fuel modules there, so it wouldn't surprise me if he had similar ideas for "his" space station (which is coming along great, by the way).

And, of course, why didn't we see this space station in "The Ultimate Computer" TOS-R?!?

Bob

 

[TIN_MAN]

I don't think the ring segments were intended to be modular, but the outrigger modules almost certainly were.

It's possible that what we have here is Jefferies own version of FJ's transport/tug type cargo containers? They’re even about the same diameter, but just a about a third the length.

In fact, they remind me a lot of Warped9's "mini" cargo/equipment modules he designed to go with his 22nd century star clipper in this thread; http://www.trekbbs.com/showthread.php?t=219334&page=9

 

[Praetor]

Nifty.

 

[sojourner]

Actually it looks like a pencil line too hastily drawn.

Pure conjecture unless you have some supporting evidence.

"The "horseshoe" cross-section is a perfect match to the exterior pod [edit: ring] in the top left and elsewhere."

You can see in the top left that the ring section features the exact same vertical slicing as the cross-section on the right side does, yes?
The shape is also a match, isn't it?

Of course, the scale in the cross-section would no longer match the scale of the Enterprise, therefore the cross-section became a cross-section of the spokes and the Enterprise was enlarged in size.
This is just a theory but it would explain the observable facts, IMHO.

But it does not support your original statement of "too hastily drawn".

 

[Robert Comsol]

But it does not support your original statement of "too hastily drawn".

I stand corrected, please disregard my hastily remark. Apparently he had a good idea first and a better one next (and I do mean that).

Bob

 

[MGagen]

Here are a couple of views that you would have out of the inner ring windows I'm planning. First, a view from the lower half of the upper ring, looking down the stack toward the docking bay:

Next, a view from the upper half of the lower ring, looking up the stack:

As you can see, an office on the inner ring would feature spectacular views; especially once the model is finished.

In answer to Potemkin Prod's question: I'm using Strata Design 3D.

As for Mr. Comsol's point about the cross section: I believe them to be the spokes. As you can see, they are only three decks thick; but based on the size of the rings, I make the rims of them out to be six decks thick. The spokes are dimensioned in the drawing as only 35 feet thick; while the complete rings are called out at 100 feet thick.

M.

 

[TIN_MAN]

Kewel! It'd be nice to see some of Jefferies "dockyard craft" zipping around in there, when you get to an appropriate point in your project, of course.

 

[MGagen]

That's a great idea, Tin Man. I think I'll do that.

M.