From Planet to Planet with my Celestial Sphere! FINISHED PICTURES PAGE 5!

[Herr Döktor]

You may have gathered from my comments in the Space Helmet thread that I have been intending to produce a Space Vehicle so I may traverse the Airless Void between the worlds, and thusly have a place to wear my Space Helmet! I've managed to get a few days in my laboratory, so have made a start on a scale model of such a device...

So, without further ado, may I present my Celestial Sphere:

Built around a solar powered garden lamp in the form of a large acrylic sphere,
with sheet styrene buttresses and spring loaded brass landing gear.


Portholes and pressure doors cast in resin from a silicone mould; note the round
control cabin at the top of the sphere, which echoes the top of my Space Helmet.


Engines made from a truly bizarre nest of seven plastic flower vases found in a charity shop!

This is just the bare bones, much detail will be heaped upon it: rivets, pressure tubing, more rivets, bolt heads, etc., etc; the three engines will have fuel pipes running from the domed plates above them, the gantry around the engines needs handrails, the control cabin needs its windows drilling out, and more besides.

Incidentally, when I paint it I'm going to mask off the porthole windows so that they will be illuminated by the already extant LEDs in the garden lamp- to that end, the top of the sphere is removable so the solar cell can recharge the batteries!

PS: I think I have been subconciously influenced by the Aries Ib from '2001: A Space Oddesey', what do you think?

[neon_suntan]

For some reason it reminds me more of the vehicles from the Saturn 3 movie starring Kirk Douglas

And that Doug [troy?] Mclure film "Warlords Of Atlantis"

EDITed

[Herr Döktor]

That must be the Troy McClure version, as the flick with Doug was 'Warlords of Atlantis', and the diving bell in that movie does have more than a slight similarity to my Sphere...

As for 'Saturn 3', it's been a loooong time since I saw that, but now you come to mention it...

[neon_suntan]

That must be the Troy McClure version, as the flick with Doug was 'Warlords of Atlantis', and the diving bell in that movie does have more than a slight similarity to my Sphere...

Now edited 

As for 'Saturn 3', it's been a loooong time since I saw that, but now you come to mention it...

I saw this not so long ago and it's far more 'adult' than I remembered...Blue Dreamers etc.

[Armydillo978]

That must be the Troy McClure version, as the flick with Doug was 'Warlords of Atlantis', and the diving bell in that movie does have more than a slight similarity to my Sphere...

By Jove!  Those scoundrels must have a "Way-Forward" machine that allowed them to come forward in time and nick your plans.

[neon_suntan]

Not to mention the awesome looking SSTO designs put forward as viable Space Shuttle alterantives in the 1960s'

See if you can find Edward De Bono's "Frontiers of Space" [pub 1969] for some very Thunderbirds -esque designs that were all genuine  proposals by the likes of Boeing, McDonell-Douglas etc.

http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/sassto.htm

[polyphemus]

Now that you've done the hard part, scaling it up to working size should be relatively trivial...

[Lady Penelope]

You are utterly mad.  I like that in an inventor.   

[Dr. Oliver Cross]

You, sir, are a true danger to civilized society.  Thank you!

[Jakoby T Simmeon]

If you are of the mind.... I have a shrink ray that needs testing. Perhaps we could work out some arrangement so as to save you time with no need to scale up the prototype.

[Dr C P Hornfels]

That really is rather splendid. Looking forward to seeing all the bells and whistles added. You must have a hearty team of stokers to reach escape velocity.

[Torvald_Faust]

Another idea to watch and witness growing into completion

Will you finish it off as being indeed a scale model, e.g. add a plaque and such, or add some scenery? I hope you understand the difference I see and want to point out

[FichtenFoo]

Boy, I really like this. It's almost a shame however to paint over the clear plastic ball. That makes for a great large view area... a gallery of sorts from within. I think it'd look great with that clear as well and adding more internal details if possible. Seats, controls, etc...

[spcglider]

Its a GREAT piece.  Very inspired.  I'm constantly amazed at the calibre of imagination here on the forum!

-Gordon

[Lady Anne]

Your Celestial Sphere is exquisite, and I can't wait to see how it turns out.  Also, I want one.

[Rowan of Rin]

Could this be more Vernian?! I absolutely adore it my good Döktor, and now I want a house that looks like that

[professordevlin]

I saw this, and thought for a minute it was big enough to get into, and really play around in it.

I am disappointed it is not, for the simple fact, that I would use it as an example to those I call friends to show them that I am NOT the only person who thinks of these things.

[Commander Obadiah]

From planet to planet, solar system to solar system, from galaxy to galaxy...

Commander C. Obadiah

[Herr Döktor]

From planet to planet, solar system to solar system, from galaxy to galaxy...

...and to the corner shop for 20 Rothmans.

[Herr Döktor]

Little update: made some steering devices:

And in a possible position:

I need to have a little play around with them to make sure they are just so.

[Commander Obadiah]

The little steering devices are ever-so-cute. Kudos, good döktor.

Commander C. Obadiah

[Capt_Zaphod]

Quite nifty!

[von Corax]

Another splended creation, Herr Döktor!

You might consider another set of those vernier jets below the midline, just to make it a little, um… Vernier?

[Lady Penelope]

Once you're done with the prototype, I really think you need to build a full-sized version in your back garden.

Or, better yet, mine.   

[Herr Döktor]

Linking to the continuation on spare Goggles:

http://sparegoggles.forumotion.net/tactile-f7/celestial-orb-continued-t133.htm