starship-design: Freedom city ship

[KellySt@aol.com]

Hey check out

http://www.freedomshipcity.com/index.html

http://popularmechanics.com/popmech/sci/9802STRSAM.html

Its an idea for a floating city ship.  Looks like the project will get funding
and probably launch in 2-3 years.  It cruses around the world as a combination
resort/retirement home, trade center (tariff free) and tourist spot.  25
stories tall, 4300 feet long, onboard airport and marina, and has a population
of tens of thousands.

Its planing to recycle its water and airs not a big step up from there.  So
its functionally very much like a space station on water.  But more important
a self supporting platform that can self fund as  residence & zero tariff
trading port is a very interesting step toward seting up colonies on sea or in
space.  I've heard several times that a floating city is a good testbed for
the economics of a orbiting city, but this is the first project that looks
like its got a practical idea, not just a idealize vision.  (Hey it makes more
sence then colonizing Mars!)  I'm very interested to see how it will come off.

Kelly