GENERAL DETAILS

Spaceship Earth is a geodesic sphere that serves as

the symbolic structure of Epcot, a theme park at
the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. It is
also the name of the dark ride attraction that is housed
within the sphere that takes guests on a time machine-
themed experience.
Epcot's icon is the impressive Spaceship Earth
geosphere, affectionately referred to by most as
the giant golf ball

Site area 109,375 sq ft

2
(10,161.3 m )
 IDEA BEHIND SPACESHIP EARTH - CONCEPT

 Walt Disney sketched the original design

concept for Epcot Center, including Spaceship
Earth. Disney wanted a unique structure that
would be instantly recognizable around the
world. The central figure of Disney’s
Millennium 2000 celebration, Spaceship Earth
has become the symbol that Walt Disney
envisioned. While geodesic domes had
previously been constructed, Spaceship Earth
was the first large-scale complete geodesic
sphere ever built. SGH was the structural
engineering and prime consultant for the
project.
CONCEPT OF THE STRUCTURE

 Spaceship Earth, is the only geosphere to sit off the

ground. Though engineers said it couldn’t be done, Disney
did it, suspending the bottom 25%.
 The presenters then took us back to “the Golf Ball” and broke
it down into numbers:
• 165’ in diameter
• 11448 triangles make up the shell
• 3816 pyramids
• 1.63 billion golf balls would fit inside
• A pizza the size of Epcot (165’ in diameter) should feed
everyone in Epcot for 2 meals
• If Tiger Woods were to use it as a golf ball, he would be 1.35
miles tall and could drive it all the way to Fort Lauderdale.
• If Spaceship Earth were Jason’s head (that’s how they
phrased it), he’d be as tall as the (real) Eiffel Tower.
 CONSTRUCTION DETAILS

Geometrically, Spaceship Earth is derived from the Class 2 geodesic polyhedron with frequency of division
equal to 8. Each face of the polyhedron is divided into three isosceles triangles to form each point. In theory,
there are 11,520 total isosceles triangles forming 3840 points. In reality, some of those triangles are partially or
fully nonexistent due to supports and doors; there are actually only 11,324 silvered facets, with 954 partial or full
flat triangular panels.[7]
CONSTRUCTION DETAILS

 The appearance of being a monolithic sphere is an architectural goal that was

achieved through a structural trick. Spaceship Earth is in fact two structural
domes. Six legs are supported on pile groups that are driven up to 160 feet into
Central Florida's soft earth. Those legs support a steel box-shaped ring at the
sphere's perimeter, at about 30 degrees south latitude in earth-terms.[8] The upper
structural dome sits on this ring. A grid of trusses inside the ring supports two
helical structures of the ride and show system. Below the ring, a second dome is
hung from the bottom, completing the spherical shape. The ring and trusses form
a table-like structure which separates the upper dome from the lower. Supported
by and about three feet off the structural domes is a cladding sphere to which the
shiny Alucobond panels and drainage system are mounted.
CONSTRUCTION DETAILS
STRUCTURAL SYSTEM

 MATERIAL
 Spaceship Earth is made out of alucabond, a carbon – aluminum compound, which is
easily cleaned and can withstand the Florida climate. Spaceship Earth is actually 2 spheres,
one inside the other. The outer shell houses the inner core and ride system.
 Sheet neoprene, for example. was deemed to provide the best water resistance but Its
appearance was considered entirely Inappropriate This quandary led 10 Ihe double-skin
solullon lor lhe sphere enclosure An Inner shell. covered by a waterproofing neoprene sheet.
was attached directly 10 Ihe sphere structure AI a radius approximately IWO level greater
than Thai of the miner skin, a purely cos· melle cover was erected This separation permitted
Ihe visible outer shell 10 be fabricated from more aesthetically desirable matinal
 DEVELOPMENT OF THE SPHERE
 The exterior panels do not need weal her proof Joins, and the only structural requirement IS
Ihal Ihey be capable 01 reSlSllng Wind load perpendicular to their surfaces. The outer skin IS
supported from the hub POints of the Inner structure by aluminum pipe oulnggers or
slandofts The Iwo-fOOl space between skins provides access for maintenance 01 the
waterproofing and the inSide surface 01 the cosmetic skin
 The solullon was 10 support Ihe Sphere Structure as uniformly as possible al a
nag of sphere hubs al the approximate elevation of Ihe loops of Ihe SIX legs
Ultimately Ihe Sphere Structure was kepi entirely Independent 01 Ihe legs
 It was necessary 10 develop a major Steel structure to transfer all of the loads
from the Sphere Structure
 The key task In the design of the Utility Structure was to develop a structural sys·
tern which would support the sphere as uniformly as possible while It transferred
the sphere loads to the SIX legs
 Candidates for rings of sphere hubs to be used as support hubs were Identified
The hub elevations necessarily undulate because of the geodesic sphere
geometry and because the Ride Tube penetration requires a rise In the level 01
the adjacent sphere support structure.
STRUCTURAL SYSTEM

 THE QUADRAPODS SUPPORT SYSTEM

 The quadrupeds carry the sphere loads to the Utility Structure and make Ihe clinical
transition from Ihe geodesic sphere geometry to the geometry of the hexagonal
trusses
 Because of symmetry of the structure about the north "south axis. however, there are
only t 4 quadruped types Three additional hangers Similar to quadrupeds but with
only one Strut, proVide additional support for the sphere
 DEVELOPMENT OF OUTER SKIN PANELS
 The final pattern. chosen by WED S John Hench. Senior vice president for creative
development. Was a subdivision 01 the flat triangular facet of the structural steel
geom· entry Into four smaller triangles Each smaller triangle IS covered by a triangular
pyramid of approximately one loot In altitude
 The three generic types of matinal consider d were meal panels, fiberglass panels
and glass
GROUND FLOOR PLAN
CROSS SECTION DETAILS
SERVICES

 The cladding was designed so that when it rains, no water pours off the
sides onto the ground. All water is collected through one-inch gaps in the
facets into a gutter system, and the water is channeled into the World
Showcase Lago
 The way the triangles are put together sync up with an intentional
drainage system that actually drain the rain water into the lagoon at the
World Showcase. It was designed this way so rain water wouldn’t run right
off the sides and onto the guests standing underneath the attraction's