Cruithne Station

An experiment in both more complex materials (the asteroid surface shader), as well as station design. This also remains a canon element in my setting. 

Starting with the basics, asteroid 3753 Cruithne is what's known as a quasi-satellite, a body that orbits the Sun, but whose orbit is consistently close to Earth and traces a predictable pattern around it, despite not orbiting it directly. Cruithne is a relatively small asteroid, but nonetheless makes an interesting locale for a research station that's relatively close to Earth.

This station is anchored into the surface of Cruithne with a series of tethers surrounding a central shaft, which leads to a series of subsurface structures, likely used for radiation shelters and experiments requiring isolation from things like cosmic rays, which can impede certain measurements. Above the surface, the main shaft contains a nuclear fission reactor that runs primarily on thorium, a safer alternative to the uranium isotope used in most modern reactors today. Continuing further up, a pair of counter-rotating rings provide artificial gravity to the occupants of the station without destabilizing it, as each ring's angular momentum cancels out the others, resulting in no motion imparted to the asteroid itself. Above these is a large microgravity module, which is also the place where the main radiators are mounted. Connected to this segment is the docking hub where visiting spacecraft would attach to transfer crew and supplies. While in this render it is empty, during normal operation at least one ship would be docked at all times in the case of an emergency evacuation.

 Now, as it relates to the story of my sci-fi setting, Cruithne Station takes on an unlikely role as a sort of space-Sealand. During the late 2080s, the station is hijacked by pirate radio crews dissatisfied with increasing corporate dominance of the solar system and used to broadcast anti-corporate messages across the Earth-Moon system and the inner Solar System. This event comes hot on the heels of the Europan Last Stand (which will be elaborated on later), and becomes another rallying cry for the rapidly-strengthening anti-corporate movement in the inner Solar System.