04-15-2023, 07:15 PM
(This post was last modified: 04-15-2023, 07:22 PM by stevebowers.)
I suspect that some of the smaller, earlier ones were quite densely populated. An 'urban' cylinder with lots of layers and lots of habitable space could support a large population, although they might feel a bit cramped. I know I would suffer from claustrophobia in a crowded hab. Also a crowded urban habitat would need to import food or manufacture it from recycled materials within the hab. But you might get used to it, especially with sophisticated design and social engineering.
A rural design could grow at least some of its food agriculturally, although I suspect most of the interior would be used for recreational purposes rather than food production. O'Neill's original design incorporated a series of external food production units, collecting sunlight for plant growth in greenhouse habs; a rural habitat would have a lower population, but would still probably need external greenhouse habs to supplement the food supply.
A rural design could grow at least some of its food agriculturally, although I suspect most of the interior would be used for recreational purposes rather than food production. O'Neill's original design incorporated a series of external food production units, collecting sunlight for plant growth in greenhouse habs; a rural habitat would have a lower population, but would still probably need external greenhouse habs to supplement the food supply.