Now being discussed with Fantastic Plastic is a scale model of the 2001 Space Station V. How big to make it is the main question. Several SSV models seem to be in works, but they seem to be LARGE (30 or more inches diameter) and thus expensive. The goal here is something affordable and in the 7 to 10 inch diameter range, to be determined in part by being of a recognizable scale. But the question is… just how big was SSV?
Many long years ago, I had the hare-brained notion that what the world needed was a 1/288 scale model of the SSV. So I worked out its dimensions, based in part on size comparisons with the Orion III spaceplane. I went with the assumption that Aurora got their model right when they said it was 1/144 scale. That makes the spaceplane 165 feet long, and based on some kinda handwavy comparisons with screencaptures, I figured the station was 1200 feet in diameter. Stargazer models, however, cranked out their own new, high-quality 1/144 Orion III about that time, and showed reasonably convincingly that the Orion was larger than 165… Stargazer settled on 213 feet long. This would jack up my estimate of the SSV diameter to 1550 feet. But Stargazer estimated a diameter at over 1800 feet.
Since there are no clear scale references in the movie or in any of the official dosumentation that has come to light, it can be argued that any diameter that’s not outright stupid is as good as any other. However, I’d prefer to get it as close to right as I can… both for reasons of professional pride, and to minimize the fanboy attacks if I get it wrong.
So… 1550 feet? 1800 feet? Something else?
