K-7 Space Station design “epiphany”

[alensatemybuick]

The story goes that Gene Roddenberry was given some models of an experimental space station design By Douglas aircraft, which became the basis of the K-7 space station. For years, the nature of how the external “tank” mounted behind the center pod had been something of a mystery (and indeed, even the existence of the tank was generally unknown until the DS9 Tribbles tribute ep. was made). The Rare Bluscreen screenshot above gives clues To the boxed area behind the center pod, where the tank was mounted, but the exact shape of this area remains elusive.

But what if the singular clamshell Douglas model (with the dish antenna) was the basis for the center pod, and the triple-pod model was the basis For the smaller / outer pods (as already accepted). The boxed area on the singular clamshell model differs from those on the triple-clam model, and seems consistent with the bluscreen cap, in that it extends to the base of the “bezel” upon which the center tower was mounted, whereas the boxed areas on the outer pods seem Lower / seem to fade more into the clamshellS and don’t quite reach to the center area. Also, the boxed area near the dish Antenna seems to have A more curvy aspect that also seems Consistent with the bluscreen cap.

i had always Assumed Datin built the center pod himself, to match the outer ones, only larger - but what if the Model with the dish was larger (to accommodate the inner details), and he simply modified it (or maybe it even came with the outer clamshell parts needed to close it all up?).

 

[Jedi Dade]

OK - I'll admit it. I'm confused. I am familiar with the story that the pods of K7 were based off a real life -0 but never realized design of a lightweight modular space station... But what question/issue are you trying to elaborate on? All of the 3 outer pods are identical with the center pod being an upscaled version of those... All attached to a central hub - Am I missing something?

Jedi Dade

 

[alensatemybuick]

No, that is essentially it; 3 smaller outer pods and an upscaled center pod have always been obvious. Not as obvious has been the area where the “tank” or “hopper” attaches to the large center pod (since it was never clearly shown onscreen). I’ve seen people‘s 3D models and illustrations, even physical models of The original K-7, but none that suggest that the ”boxed” area on the center pod where the tank mounts is the exactly the same as that depicted in the photo of the single clamshell model with the partially exposed interior and the dish antenna. I’m suggesting that this is what the typically unseen area of K-7’s central pod looks like, and in place of the dish, a short tubular section was added to bridge it to the external tank / hopper. To my mind, the bluescreen cap above supports this. Closest I’ve seen anyone get can be found here (where that bluescreen shot also apparently came from (I originally discovered it via a Google image search and had assumed - wrongly - that it was from the Roddenberry vault footage)), but the modeler seems to have incorporated a hexagonal shape to this area:

https://www.trekbbs.com/threads/more-tos-engine-room-pics.294191/page-10

 

[Keiko]

That's a really cool photo/observation. I think even the model makers in 1996 who recreated the mini for DS9's "Trials and Tribbleations" episode missed that detail.

 

[alensatemybuick]

I think they missed that detail because all that was generally available at that time were screenshots. The DS9 K-7 is very cool in its own right, and they had some interesting ideas regarding the "axle carriers" for the outer pods, even if not present on the original. I hope to someday have a physical model of the original, as faithful to it as possible. But unless more photos hit the light of day, the details of the undersides of the outer pods for example will likely remain a mystery.

 

[Keiko]

What do you mean by "axle carriers"?

I think they did a great job on DS9...I guess it's for the pros as it is for the rest of us - the best job possible is done with available references, and then a new reference shows up! If/when I ever do a good K-7 build (I have the AMT kit already), I'd have to try to follow their work, simply because the on-screen presence of their details is so much greater.

 

[alensatemybuick]

It the shot below that shows the underside of one of the outer pods, it looks like a bracket or carrier at the end of each spoke emanating from the center of the Station that holds a center axle, complete with a small axle cap. You can imagine that the outer pods can spin. I think it‘s a logical design element that as you suggested adds to the on-screen “presence” of the station, even if it was almost certainly not to have been found on the original.

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[Keiko]

Ah, okay, I see what you mean. I haven't studied the refs very much yet. It takes building it to really "see" it.

 

[alensatemybuick]

Scouring the net, I found some more images of the original Douglass design; seems (from the last image) it was envisioned as a lander as well.

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[alensatemybuick]

Nm

 

[Joseph C. Brown]

Found another old ad art piece:

 

[Joseph C. Brown]

And from a old, tattered "How and Why" Wonderbook:

 

[alensatemybuick]

And from an early 60s press photo, a rarely seen view of a physical model of a lunar lander version, complete with rocket exhaust.