A lot has happened since the last Dev Diary. To read these, please go to: https://www.patreon.com/starshipsimulator , with most of the internal decks being rotated by 45 degrees to facilitate the maintenance tunnels, and a brand new Discord server having been set up specifically for the Starsim community. Today, however, I wanted to touch on some specifics regarding air pressure on the ship and how we keep it where it's needed via its airtight doors.
To begin with, the basic framework of the ship is mass-produced with a gap left for whatever type of door will eventually be used in that location:
Next, the door mechanism and track are welded into place to form an airtight seal between the internal room and the corridor beyond:
The track which holds the door could be one of various sizes, with this example being the 5cm version used on crew quarters. Other areas of the ship, such as Engineering, will have much thicker (10cm) reinforced doors for additional security.
Finally, the internal insulation and wall coverings are added, with the only trace left of the titanium framework being the metal doorframe itself. I felt it was important to leave bare as much of the framework as was practical, to help tie it into the ship's design in a very physical way, and also to remind people that there's a lot of detail hidden behind the walls that remain unseen most of the time.
