Stellar Engineering

In terms of the scale of the galaxy, both in space and time, we humans are new comers. Though we are newly on the scene, we are already thinking about how to create large structures in space.

Recently, analysis of data from one of the stars in the Kepler data set has led to speculation regarding huge artificial structures (called Stapledon/Dyson Spheres) constructed by advanced extraterrestrial civilizations. The NASA Kepler space observatory has been observing light curves of about 100,000 stars in the constellations of Cygnus and Lyre.

This star, popularly dubbed “Tabby's Star” after the first name of the astronomer leading one of the data reduction teams, shows intriguing periodic dips in its luminosity.

Stellar Engineering starts by considering terrestrial organisms, and early humans, who have constructed, on their scale, “megastructures,” and continues with a history of the development of the stellar engineering concept. Kepler data on the subject star is reviewed as is observational data on other possible Stapledon/Dyson Sphere candidates.

Possible applications of such enormous constructs are discussed, as well as the intriguing speculation that we might live in a Stapledon/Dyson swarm of alien space habitats within our Solar System's Kuiper Belt. The chapter frontispiece art illuminates the ideas presented.

Gregory Matloff is a leading expert in possibilities for interstellar propulsion, especially near-Sun solar sail trajectories that might enable interstellar travel. He is also a professor with the Physics Department of New York City College of Technology (CUNY), a consultant with NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, a Hayden Associate of the American Museum of Natural History, and a Member of the International Academy of Astronautics.

C Bangs' art investigates frontier science combined with symbolist figuration from an ecological feminist point of view. Her work is included in public and private collections as well as in books and journals. Public collections include MoMA & Brooklyn Museum, artist book collections, Institute for Interstellar Studies, Custer Institute, Library of Congress, NASA's Marshall Spaceflight Center, The British Interplanetary Society, New York City College of Technology, Pratt Institute, Cornell University, and Pace University.