Supramundane Worlds

Within the Terragen Sphere supramundane planets (also known as supra-planetary habitats and/or shells) can trace their origins back to the Supra-Jupiter concept of the information age visionary Paul Birch. Although others may also have had the idea it was Birch's work that survived the nanoswarms. Because of his early advocacy of Mass Stream Technology * he is well written of, even in current engineering texts.

As part of a general discussion on terraforming projects in the Sol System the gas giant Jupiter was examined by Birch. Birch knew that Jupiter's surface ( if you could call it a 'surface') gravity was far too high for habitation by humans. So he proposed creating a new surface above Jupiter. (at 100,000 km from Jupiter's center of mass gravity is felt at Earth standard). Mass beams, in the form of dynamic compression members and dynamic orbital rings, would be configured into a framework around the planet which would support platforms, which could in turn support a large biosphere. Individual platforms could then be extended into bands which could later be widened into a complete shell. In most ways the details of the biospherics are similar to those of other space habitats. Airwalls at the edges of the platforms keep the biosphere in place until the shell is completed and supporting the shell with orbital rings avoids the need for 'unobtainium'. Jupiter, with a mass of 317 Earths, would have a shell (at 1 standard gravity) with 317 Earths surface area. [a simple calculation shows this ratio holds true for any supra-planetary shell - an 'underbody' with a mass of 100 Earths would have a shell (at 1 standard gravity) with 100 Earths surface area, etc.]

Although Supra-Jupiter would remain only a proposal other supramundane planets would be built in the millennia to come. As Birch pointed out a supramundane planet could be built around any heavenly body, however if a standard gravity was required on the shell then the underbody needed to have greater than standard gravity at its surface, also if the underbody in question is hotter than a small red dwarf star then active cooling systems will be needed. It should be noted that many supramundane planets, built around stars, have been mistaken for Type II Dysons. Although this label is not strictly true the transapients have found it to be a waste of time to correct the NEBs (nearbaseline humans) who use it.

*Mass Stream Technology uses mass particle beams which encircle the planet or star to support structures above it; by exerting thrust magnetically against these beams (known as dynamic orbital rings), suborbital structures can be suspended at any height.
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