2004 Version
Core of Curiosity
Approaching
Alien Artifact

CONCEPT

Category 7 Galactic Traveler Core of Curiosity is a large exploration vessel from a far future era where Humans are working together with other sentient species to explore the galaxy. In this fictional universe, the advanced starships and star-faring habitats directed by sentient computers and populated with multi-sentient species crews are members of Galactic Travelers, a loosely organized mutual aid society and collective security pact. Galactic Travelers star-faring technology borders on the fantastic with capabilities akin to those displayed by The Culture in the science fiction of Iain M. Banks. Core of Curiosity is crewed by Humans, T'lar, Cyberenthi, and is directed by one or more sentient computers. Its home base is Category 8 Galactic Traveler Radiant Dawn. Radiant Dawn is one of the smallest vessels that fit into my definition of a star-faring habitat: a large starship that has big bays for various ship functions replacing the smaller rooms and decks used on more traditional starships. At 4 kilometers (roughly two and a half miles) in its longest dimension, Radiant Dawn is about the size of a small metropolitan suburb.

COMMENTARY

Category 7 Galactic Traveler Core of Curiosity was done as a tribute to fellow speculative spaceship designer Jeff Robb as thanks for all his wonderful and inspired contributions to my various fictional universes over the years. Category 8 Galactic Traveler Radiant Dawn is unusual for me in that it is much wider than it is long. The shape of the giant vessel with its two wing-like side hulls is deliberately meant to evoke the image of a giant bird. I am also using this bird-like shape to allude to the following quotes from the Writings of the Baha'i Faith:

"Religion and science are the two wings upon which man's intelligence can soar into the heights, with which the human soul can progress. It is not possible to fly with one wing alone! Should a man try to fly with the wing of religion alone he would quickly fall into the quagmire of superstition, whilst on the other hand, with the wing of science alone he would also make no progress, but fall into the despairing slough of materialism."

- Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 143

"The world of humanity is possessed of two wings: the male and the female. So long as these two wings are not equivalent in strength, the bird will not fly. Until womankind reaches the same degree as man, until she enjoys the same arena of activity, extraordinary attainment for humanity will not be realized; humanity cannot wing its way to heights of real attainment. When the two wings or parts become equivalent in strength, enjoying the same prerogatives, the flight of man will be exceedingly lofty and extraordinary. Therefore, woman must receive the same education as man and all inequality be adjusted. Thus, imbued with the same virtues as man, rising through all the degrees of human attainment, women will become the peers of men, and until this equality is established, true progress and attainment for the human race will not be facilitated."

- Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 374

"For man two wings are necessary. One wing is physical power and material civilization; the other is spiritual power and divine civilization. With one wing only, flight is impossible. Two wings are essential. Therefore, no matter how much material civilization advances, it cannot attain to perfection except through the uplift of spiritual civilization."

- Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 11

DIGITAL RESOURCES

Modeling - Rhino 4 and TrueSpace 6.6
Rendering - Flamingo 1.1 and TrueSpace 6.6
Textures - Renfield Textures
Backgrounds - Custom Photoshop brushes and Hubble Space Telescope website
Running Lights - Universe Image Creator
Miscellaneous - CorelDRAW, Corel Photo-Paint and Adobe Photoshop
Alien Registration Markings - Based on a font created by Michael Mobes
Alien Artifact - Serge Robin whose artwork can be seen on www.renderosity.com under the name Eres.

PRIMARY DESIGN INFLUENCES

1. Core of Curiousity - Star Destroyer from the "Star Wars" series of science fantasy films

2. Core of Curiousity - Grand Leviathan Type-IV Starcruiser originally created by fellow speculative spaceship designer Jeff Robb for use in an earlier fictional universe. That vessel has been reworked as Galactic Explorer Empyrean.

3. Radiant Dawn - Spaceship designs from the 1985 science fiction film Dune.

4. Radiant Dawn arcology - Paolo Soleri's arcology Babel IIB from his book Arcology: The City in the Image of Man.