Russia to build domed city in the arctic

[bananas]

The article implies its based on technology developed for the ISS and space habitats,
recycling waste, etc.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2052862/Russia-plans-build-frozen-community-1-000-miles-North-Pole.html

Welcome to Ice City: Russia plans to build frozen community 1,000 miles from North Pole... as race for Arctic minerals heats up

By Will Stewart
Last updated at 3:44 PM on 24th October 2011

Russia is to build an ultra-modern city on a frozen island deep inside the Arctic Circle - in the Kremlin's latest move to back its claim to vast oil and gas reserves under the polar ice cap.

Named Umka, after a popular Soviet polar bear cub cartoon hero, the initial 5,000 residents will live under a vast dome to protect themselves from temperatures sinking below minus 30C in winter.

<snip>

Sources say it is likely to house soldiers, border guards and secret service officers, as well as scientists and explorers, as Moscow gets serious about claiming Arctic mineral riches.

<snip>

Electricity will be supplied by a floating nuclear power station. Food wise, it will be totally self-sufficient with fish and poultry farms, greenhouses, a wheat processing factory and bakeries.

<snip>

'This project is designed to work on any surface, even on the Moon if needed,' said Rzhevskiy, one of Russia's top architects.

<snip>

[NV Whino]

1. Ooo, floating nuclear power station

In the arctic. What could possibly go wrong there?

[FBaggins]

8. There have been floating nuclear power stations in the artic for decades.

They're called submarines

[CJvR]

12. That and the big ice breakers...

...and a few Cruisers, IIRC.

[TheMadMonk]

20. Subs, icebreakers and many other nuclear powered vessels...

...are used every winter to supply Arctic costal communities when their power is cut by storms.

IIRC Russia also holds the record for transmission loss minimisation over extreme (trans-Siberian) distances.

Russia is actually very knowlegeable about managing big projects under extreme conditions.

[FSogol]

2. Will it be called the Fortress of Solitude or Santa's Workshop?

крепость уединения or Santa' мастерская?

[slackmaster]

3. Add a mysterious alien with which the Russians are unable to communicate, and you have...

...Solaris.

[HereSince1628]

4. I suppose Ice Station Zebra was already taken...

Minus 30 C isn't so bad. Fahrenheit and Celsius scales cross pretty close to -40.

We are talking temperatures available to those who live in Bemidji MN. in January. It's too cold to ice-skate (runners won't run) but it's ok for ice-road trucking.

[Bragi]

5. They should build it on Canadian claimed territory

I say that as a Canadian. Our environment-unfriendly neocon government claims everything up there, meanwhile we do nothing to make good on our claims. Harper is the stalking horse up there for the U.S oil industry.

[The Croquist]

21. Good point Bragi

The Soviet Union / Russia has always been an environmental and workers paradise. Sure they've dumped nuclear waste in the sea of Japan. OK, the whole Chernobyl thing including the attempted cover-up may not have been the best move. Maybe the deliberate starving to death of tens of millions of their own people left allot to be desired. The poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko using radioactive polonium-210 may be considered to have been a bit of a faux pas. Lets not over react to the Aral sea losing 90% of it's size because they diverted the water flowing into it. The important thing is that it will be different this time!!!!!

Help me out here Bragi. Exactly what has the environment-unfriendly neocon government done that compares to this?

[Bragi]

22. It won't be Russia who directly wins the North

It will probably be whoever China and Russia support. Since Canada is basically owned by the U.S oil industry, we aren't a favorite, and I'd put my money right now on Denmark.

More likely, though, the territory Canada claims will be declared as an international protectorate. I'm fine with that.

As for the great contribution Canada has made to global environment of late, I offer two words -- tar sands.

- B

[The Croquist]

23. Tar sands

The Soviet union dumped nuclear waste in the sea of Japan.
No comment from Bragi
Chernobyl.
No comment from Bragi
The deliberate starving to death of tens of millions of their own people.
No comment from Bragi
The poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko using radioactive polonium-210.
No comment from Bragi
The Aral sea losing 90% of it's size because they diverted the water flowing into it.
No comment from Bragi

Tar sands. Lets surrender part of our country because of tar sands!

Now you bring in China. If there is any country that has been even more environmentally unfriendly then Russia it is China.

Please explain how Denmark is going to who directly wins the North.

[Bragi]

24. How about I don't

Yeah, you got me pegged. I secretly cheered for dumping nuclear waste in Japan, I thought Chernobyl was great, I applaud the starving of millions wherever it occurs, and you just cant divert enough water for me.

There's just no end to my badness.

Have a nice day.

- B

[The Croquist]

25. I can understand

It's tough to defend stupid comments.

[Nihil]

28. ... but you seem to have a lot more experience in that field ...

:P





(Sorry - couldn't resist! :evilgrin: :hi: )

[TygrBright]

6. Funny... I first read the headline as "Russia to build doomed city..." n/t

[bananas]

27. It could easily be that if the air conditioning fails... nt

[asjr]

7. What--no movie theater?

[napoleon_in_rags]

9. "even on the Moon if needed"

This is actually really cool, because what you are talking about is a model for totally sustainable living.

[CJvR]

14. Provided...

...you have an atomic reactor around, external supplies of people and spareparts etc...

[napoleon_in_rags]

17. Hehe. Yeah, I was going to add the edit right after I wrote that...

that mentions the solar panels. But still, the art of figuring out how to make self sufficient living spaces like this really is tied to the bigger picture of sustainable living... So geopolitics aside, I still do think its pretty cool.

[OKIsItJustMe]

15. Aside from the nuclear fuel of course…

…oh, and the waste…

[napoleon_in_rags]

16. Won't they be composting their waste? nt

[CJvR]

18. I wouldn't...

...recommend composting nuclear waste unless you want to do a re-enactment of Dune!

[napoleon_in_rags]

19. LOL! I misread your post. nt

[Tesha]

10. No one over 30 allowed!

[txlibdem]

11. Cool!

Literally.

[tridim]

13. Will Paulie Shore be there?

[The Croquist]

26. Put in a theater showing Paulie Shore 24/7/365

I guarantee you that there will be a waiting list for that carousel in Logan's Run.

[GliderGuider]

29. I think the title is misspelled. It's missing the second "o". /nt