Remembrance 1
"Since space travel was made possible, space technology has improved greatly over time. If we were to look back at what we made possible, we would surely be amazed. Sending humans to the moon, launching a rover to land on Mars, and having satellites orbit the Earth, space technology has never failed to surprise us. But, there has never really been a certain robot or AI that is specifically designed not to partake in dangerous missions or fix the space station, but to simply be there for the astronauts when they miss their home. Sure, we can send astronauts to the moon, to Mars or even beyond, but have we really cared about how they felt all the way out there, with little sight of what remains of Earth, our planet and home, and just floating around in a tiny spacecraft for months? I cannot imagine any human, no matter how strong of a mind they have, to endure this kind of test.
The purpose of my design is to create a sense of home away from home in a lonely, tiny spacecraft. Hence the name, “Remembrance 1.” Remembrance 1 is a dome-like room, where there are trees, grass, animals and essentially tiny and interchangeable ecosystems. Upon entering, astronauts can choose from different habitats, like plains, deserts, forests, bogs, ponds, etc. These plants, animals and grounds are like props on a stage and can be switched on and off anytime by Artificial Intelligence. Animals or plants that are not needed would be put in a safe, unseen room. The sky would be a screen, like a dome movie. The sun would change based on Earth’s time and the habitat the astronauts chooses, as daytime on one side of the Earth can mean night time on the other. There is also a dispenser for artificial rain and snow that would coincide with the habitat the astronaut chooses. For example, it would snow in the arctic or a tundra, but definitely not in a desert. The ground can be changed using a chain and switching the ground under Remembrance 1. Artificial Intelligence would also have to sync with Earth’s weather resorts, to be as accurate and connected as possible."