The Idea
After September 11, the United States began a quick reform of safety and security measures across the nation. This new terrorist threat made us rethink our safety and security conditions. While these conditions continue to improve, so will prison systems. Prisons hold many criminals, all of which are in for various crimes, some more serious than the next. But, what about these terrorists? These people that are a direct threat to humankind? If they are caught, then we would assume that they would go to a maximum security prison where their lives would change drastically. This may seem like a sound punishment for such a heinous crime, but it is not. The problem with sending such criminals to maximum security prisons is that they are still in contact with many people. They will be able to talk to other prisoners, staff, call their loved ones, have some visitation rights. Communication is still operational. Where there is communication, there is the potential for further plots of terrorism. Underground networks are common within prison systems whether it is just for narcotics, or other personal resources, but these underground networks could develop into terrorism plot havens. These criminals need to be driven away from society outside of the prison as well as within the prison. All communication with others needs to be cut off from these criminals. How can this be accomplished with today's standard maximum security prisons? It cannot.
This is where the Outer-Space-Pinecone-Prison comes into play. Instead of reforming old prison systems, we need to build a new one; a prison that will take criminals like terrorists or anyone suspected of ethnic cleansing like Slobodan Milosovich. There needs to be a seperate prison for criminals such as these; to protect our world from such evil.
The Outer-Space-Pinecone-Prison will consist of 48 cells with 16 cells to a level. Each level will house 4 cells in each pod (or quarter section of the housing floor) with a central "Walk About Path" and shower. The "Walk About Path" is the only means of recreation prisoners have. One prisoner will have a designated time to leave his cell and walk around the "Walk About Path." One prisoner at a time will also be able to shower in the core of their level. Once done showering or walking around, the prisoner returns to their cell and is locked in by the computer system. Then another prisoner will be let out, then locked up, and so forth. Prisoners are never able to see other prisoners because there are no windows on their cells. And, there will be no communication between prisoners because each cell is sound proof.
Each cell consists of a bed, a toilet, and a "food pass." The "food pass" is constructed into the wall so that the staff can pass food from the outside of the cells without ever coming into contact with the prisoners. Each cell is equipped with a video camera in the ceiling, which monitors the prisoners at all times. There is also an intercom system, which allows the staff to give orders to the prisoners without ever going inside.
How will the Pinecone Prison get into the Earth's orbit? The best case scenario would be to launch it straight from Earth with all prisoners and staff already secure inside while the petals of the pinecone are retracted. If technology has not developed enough to ensure the safety of the prisoners and staff upon takeoff, then a different scenario could come into play. The Pinecone Prison is launched (closed petals) into Earth's orbit without anyone on board and then a seperate vessel will transfer staff and prisoners to the Prison when it is fully functional in Earth's orbit. Once it reaches orbit, the Pinecone Prison petals will open and the onboard centrifuge will cause the prison to rotate, simulating artificial gravity. This is assuming that technology has grown to the point that artificial gravity is now easy to simulate as well as keeping constant operation without jeopardizing the harmful effects of no gravity.
The purpose of using a pinecone structure for an outer casing of the prison itself is to serve as protection, energy, communication, and storage. When the petals of the pinecone structure open, they will serve as energy and communication for the prison. Some of the petals are solar panels, which collect and convert solar rays to meet the necessary energy requirements of the prison. Energy requirements include the need for communication with Earth based control centers, daily operations, such as controlling each cell's computer locked doors, climate control to keep oxygen levels consistent, the shower, video surveillance, and the centrifuge located in the upper half of the prison, above the cells.
Communication with other space stations and Earth bases is essential for the prison's operation. Some of the pinecone's petals serve as satellite receptors or giant antennas that allow staff within the structure to contact Earth for daily status reports and other space stations when the Pinecone Prison is in need of supplies. A few of these petals will serve as storage units for clothes, food and medical supplies. These storage units will be accessible from within the prison. They act like giant storage closets from within the prison while acting as protection from outside the prison.
The Pinecone Structure also serves as protection from outside forces, man-made space junk, for example, harmful sun rays, such as gamma rays and x-rays, extraterrestrial matter, including comets, space dust, and tiny meteors. In an extreme far-in-the-future event, any attempt at compromising the security of the prisoners, or prison break, can be deterred by the contraction of the petals. In essence, each one them becomes an indestructable "bank vault door" -- impregnable to outside forces.
With the Pinecone Prison fully functional with artificial gravity, staff, and prisoners, what happens when supplies are needed for the Prison such as food or medical supplies? The Outer-Space-Pinecone-Prison is an entity for the future, so I am assuming that when it will be ready for launch into orbit, there will already be a vast number of space stations. With a vast number of space stations with humans aboard, other space stations will have to be invented to provide supplies for other stations. This will be common within space civilization. A "Supplier Space Station" will essentially hook up to other stations and proceed to load supplies in once an air lock between the two stations is accomplished. The "Supplier Space Station" will come to the Pinecone Prison's aid by hooking itself up to a loading dock. This will be common for all space stations with the Pinecone Prison being no different. These stations can also retrieve staff or prisoners with extreme medical conditions that cannot be solved within the Pinecone Prison. A medical team will be part of the prison staff that will monitor prisoners and provide medical aid to any prisoner that needs it. We cannot overlook this because although we are punishing these criminals, it is against the law to deny them medical aid.
Throughout the duration of a criminal's sentence, they will be interrogated to give up information about any terrorist networks they were involved with. Cooperation could lead to a reduced sentence and the capture of more criminals such as these. This prison will also act as a deterrent. Any criminals that have not been caught for a crime that is directly related to the prisoners of the Pinecone Prison will know that if they are caught acting out such crimes, they too will be sent to the Pinecone Prison where they will be shut off from the entire world, literally. There will be no escape. There will be no communication with others. There will be no freedoms. There will be only your cell, a toilet, and a shower for you to reflect upon what you have done.
Original Concept from Project 1