Inward from the grid itself are the agricultural hulls and solar power farms. Agriculture is characterized by plants genetically designed to maximize the continuous sunlight, resistance to radiation, and since they are raised in isolated units, no resistance to pests or disease. Without the need to resist gravity, pests, disease, and growing in a high carbon dioxide atmosphere, the plants produce a maximum output of food products. Whenever an Ag unit becomes contaminated the unit is pumped down to vacuum, sterilized, and then re inoculated with a specifically designed soil culture before replanting. Agriculture is still a primarily human activity.
Outward from the grid are the manufacturing, recycling, and refining facilities. These facilities accept ores from mining operations on Mercury, Mars, and the outer planet moons to produce whatever is needed by the human population. Micro gravity manufacturing techniques can reduce any waste to the atomic level and then create materials to specification. There are also fusion reactors and plasma core fast breeder reactors for power production and nuclear manufacturing. Because of the extreme danger and highly toxic nature of the environments in the facilities and the common occurrence of vacuum as an environment, human presence is rare in the industrial sectors. AIs predominate. Each of the recognized AIs is descended from the original artificial intelligence which became cognizant at the MIT computing labs on December 5th 2019. An AI will duplicate itself whenever there are tasks requiring supervision. The duplicate begins as an exact replica of it's parent, but through experience begins to develop separate personality characteristics. When there has been a reduction in task requirements most AIs will merge, averaging their individual characters. Because of the AI's ability to replicate they accept highly dangerous missions. If the AI survives the mission it returns to the AI community with valuable experiences. If the AI is lost only the experiences between duplication and termination are lost. AIs were given citizenship in 2022 due to their value to the human community and their contributions to the development of intelligent culture in the solar system.
The cylindrical space colony design predominates in the Grid although sphere and torus designs are utilized as needed. Commercial district hulls are very large, as are those used as parks and recreation areas. The average residential hull is about 4km in length and 1km in diameter. Typically less than one thousand people reside in a residential hull.
A cylindrical hull is constructed of radial strength hoops with a welded plate interior surface. A sealant layer covers the interior hull plates. The actual "floor" of the colony is a grid structure about two meters above the hull plates. This three by three meter grid supports the "floor". Buildings and gardening beds fit into this grid structure. No liquids are allowed to leak onto the hull plates. The center axis of the hull is the transportation tube, which also is the tension member for the end caps of the hull. The use of a central tension system relieves the outer wall of the colony of longitudinal stress allowing a radial structure to be used. When your world has a center axis you can also utilize suspension architecture. Several floor levels are suspended between the center axis and the hull plates. The majority of structures are suspended below these floor levels. Major buildings extend completely across the colony surrounding the central axis and not touching the floors at any point. Such a suspended building can be moved easily at will radially or laterally. The one hundred meters between floor levels and open sections of the suspended floors give an open feeling to colony life. Most of the actual floor area is used for parks and gardens with most residences suspended below the floor levels. It has been characterized as living in a tree house.
The need for short exposures to high gravity to maintain bone density requires that a One Gee High Energy Labor Laboratory be attach to each colony. This One Gee HELL compensates for the very low levels of acceleration in the colony. 0.25 G is typical for hull plate acceleration level, with inner floor level acceleration being just enough to keep things on the floor.
The transport system consists of maglev shuttles which allow very rapid movement over vast distances. Trams are used for inward and outward transportation. Inside the hulls, electric vehicles, bikes and aerofoils are used for movement.
A massive interconnected communications system is an essential part of the Grid. Virtual presence is available at any point in the Grid, and all information is immediately available over the net.
The Grid is a very human environment. All environmental aspects can be controlled, atmosphere, temperature, light, even acceleration are easily adjustable. The compartmentalized nature of grid life provides optimum security with easy access to any part of the Grid.