My next model project for Fantastic Plastic has been confirmed: Space Station V from “2001: A Space Odyssey.” This will be mastered as a CAD model and printed out. The current plan is to include parts for both a *complete* SSV (all resin) and as the *incomplete* SSV as seen in “2001” (with photoetch parts).
Also to be included: Orion III spaceplane. There will, in fact, be *two* Orion III’s, and for a good reason: scale. Since there are no “canon” diagrams of the SSV laying out exactly how big it is, people speculate and make measurements off of screen captures. The closest there is to an “official” diameter was 1000 feet, based on some thing written by tech advisor Fred Ordway. But while the model may have been built to represent that diameter, the story goes that Kubrick thought the station looked too small compared to the Orion III, so he arbitrarily “scaled it up” optically to twice the diameter… 2000 feet. So what the FP kit will do is have two Orion IIIs, one twice the size of the other. The scale of the kit will then be up to the model builder. Current plan is to produce the model at about 8.57″ diameter… meaning either 1/1400 or 1/2800 scale, depending on which Orion III you choose.
Note: the scales listed on the Fantastic Plastic website are a little different from here. At this stage it’s no matter… it’s being built in the computer and can be adjusted with ease. The specifics will be determined a little later.
So.
Does anyone have a BluRay of “2001” and the ability to make full-rez screencaptures? If so, there are some shots that I would really appreciate.
6 Responses to “Space Station V”
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Sounds like a cool project, but why so small?
1) So it can be affordable
2) There are other larger (~30″ dia) SSV’s supposedly in the works by other resin kit companies. While cool, the price would have to be terrifying, and where would you display it???
I have a bluray version, but no capability to screen capture. Sigh.
If you have a computer that can play Blu-Rays then there are several ways you can make screen captures.
…the story goes that Kubrick thought the station looked too small compared to the Orion III, so he arbitrarily “scaled it up” optically to twice the diameter… 2000 feet.
Wow, so the “gravity” is twice as large? Must be hard on the staff of the Howard Johnson’s.
Do you have approval from MGM or whoever owns the film nowadays? Could be sticky.