Phil Smith Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 (edited) Here is a project designed to scratch an itch composed of a few parts: 1) my fascination with spaceflight, 2) a box of random parts seeking a home, and 3) fun with miniature lighting effects. The result is the Deep Space Ship Chesley Bonestell, an interplanetary spacecraft one could imagine being built and operated many centuries from now. I'm not an engineer, but I've worked in the industry for many years and can play among engineers for a few hours before it becomes clear I am an imposter. This thing would carry a few hundred people to destinations within the solar system. It is powered by a nuclear engine, perhaps an inertial confinement fusion drive system. Tanks and so forth are located in the propulsion module, which is shielded from the forward and middle sections. The middle stretch is composed of microgravity labs and storage, possibly probes. The habitation module spins, something on the order of 1 RPM to generate just under 1g along the circumference. A dome of thick material shields the section from oncoming debris and radiation. I imagine the forward section having the capability to separate and move on its own in an emergency, so there are tanks and engines inside there, despite being difficult to see. The model is composed of an old gundam kit I picked up for parts, an aspirin bottle, wheels from the crewed rover seen in the movie "Moon", parts of the 1/72 Saturn V kit, a nifty kit from China of the space station in "Wandering Earth," some antenna bits from Tamiya's 1/350 CVN-65 Enterprise, ping pong balls, and parts from a 1/72 Discovery kit (as in 2001: A Space Odyssey). The lights are from Evan Designs - excellent products and service, and I highly recommend that business for your lighting needs. Edited January 5, 2022 by Phil Smith Michael931080, Hartmann352, Rockie Yarwood and 20 others 21 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandiego Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 Absolutely gorgeous. Love your design. Lights are fantastic. Dan Phil Smith 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 Wow, that is awesome! Kev Phil Smith 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael931080 Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 Stellar Job! LSP_K2 and Phil Smith 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rigor Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 That is just to cool great imagination Phil Smith 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tnarg Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 As an engineer (electrical) what you have created looks like it has a solid foundation in reality. Too many people think they can glue some gears on a hat and call it Steampunk, but you have created something that gives more impression of reality than most of the special effects models from the movies. Thanks for letting us see this, and congrats on a great ship design, Tnarg Landrotten Highlander and Phil Smith 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tnarg Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 And the name of the ship is marvelous. Chesley Bonestell's art made space real to so many of us kids in the 50's and 60's. Tnarg Phil Smith and Out2gtcha 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.B. Andrus Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 Outstanding! Cheers, Damian Phil Smith 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted January 6, 2022 Share Posted January 6, 2022 Fabulous. Really looks like it could have come straight out of a sci fi movie effects department. Phil Smith 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockie Yarwood Posted January 7, 2022 Share Posted January 7, 2022 Sweet! Phil Smith 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Landrotten Highlander Posted January 8, 2022 Share Posted January 8, 2022 impressive, very realistic look. Phil Smith 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee White Posted January 8, 2022 Share Posted January 8, 2022 Just incredible. The attention to detail is phenomenal, and the engineering looks both doable and futuristic at the same time. Also, as someone whose given name is Chesley, I wholeheartedly approve of naming it after Mr. Bonestell! Phil Smith 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Smith Posted January 9, 2022 Author Share Posted January 9, 2022 Thank you very much, everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Out2gtcha Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 Can't believe I missed this one! Love everything about it. Well done on all fronts! Phil Smith 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerhard Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 That is stunning. Beyond words.!!!! Phil Smith 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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