Pressurized, geodesic or cylindrical structures designed to provide a shirtsleeve environment for humans on an otherwise uninhabitable world. They are the first homes on the frontier, combining life support, radiation shielding, psychological space, and structural integrity against alien weather (or vacuum). Advanced versions may have transparent panels for external viewing, multi-layered membranes for redundancy, and integrated systems for water recycling, air revitalization, and food production. A hab-dome is more than a tent; it's a fragile bubble of Earth normalcy in a hostile cosmos.
Example: In countless sci-fi visions, from Total Recall to The Martian, the initial colony bases are clusters of interconnected Hab-Domes. A real-world prototype might be NASA's proposed inflatable habitats for the Moon, which expand to create large living volumes from a small, launchable package, shielded with a layer of regolith for protection.
by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal February 3, 2026
Get the Hab-Domes mug.