We have all been awed by the Star Wars. Our jaws have dropped at the stunning shapes straight out of…Future. And we have often wished that the future came real fast! It’s here. The future, I mean. Thanks to Jason Mellard, a masters student at the University of Texas. He went a little beyond being awed by the Star Wars. He went ahead and actually developed an aquatic research and housing facility to be located 50-100 miles offshore.
Scientists studying marine and bird life would stay on the platform with their families in 6-13 month shifts and work in spheres consisting of laboratories, classrooms, computer labs, viewing platforms, holding tanks, offices and storage. The “habitat disks” will house sleeping / living areas, including a group dining and kitchen, a medical clinic, recreational areas, as well as sexy Star Wars-inspired observation decks and docking platform.
The actual research facilities would be submerged below sea level to aid in marine study and the living quarters would float on the surface. Certain portions could even be detached and act as independent vessels. And the whole thing would be powered using a combination of wind energy, solar energy, water currents and electricity collected from lightning.
The Facility At Sea is presently in the conceptual stage. Mallard’s mind-boggling price tag of $500 million to $1 billion might keep this masterpiece from delving deep into the water for a while, unless an angel emerges in the form a lover of whales or George Lucas’ films.
Via: Gearfuse
