Sep 11
26
The Dynamics of Spaceship Earth
Spaceship Earth, in all it's glory
The 18 story geodesic sphere is the main focal point of Epcot and welcomes guests into the park at the main gate. The Sphere is raised 18 feet off the ground approximately 18 feet by big silver pylons. These pylons are sunk approximately 160 feet into the ground to keep the structure stable, even in the most vial of weather conditions. The posts support a steel-box shaped triangle at the spheres perimeter.2 halves, an upper and lower, sit and are supported by this triangle.
About 3 feet off of the structure is a cladding sphere in which a drainage system and the Alucobond isosceles triangles are mounted. The cladding was built this way as to not have water pouring down off the structure when there is rain. Instead, water is channeled into a drainage system where it eventually ends up in World Showcase Lagoon. In size, the structure should be covered by 11,520 isosceles triangles that make up the outer shield, but with the entrance and supports, the total number is only 11,324.
The structure was designed by Ray Bradbury, who not only helped with the design, but with the interior story of the dark ride. It took about 26 months to build.The ride was named by Buckminster Fuller. Fuller also developed the mathematical structure for the geodesic sphere. The structure weighs approximately 15,520,000 lbs with a circumference of 518.1 feet.
Crazy huh?!?
