Bernal Sphere Cutaway — Rick Guidice

Rick Guidice’s Bernal Sphere Cutaway presents a vast orbital habitat opened toward the viewer. Inside its curved shell, forests, fields, waterways, roads, and compact neighborhoods form a complete landscape around the settlement’s central hub.

Created for NASA Ames Research Center in 1976, the illustration combines detailed engineering structures with the visual language of a pastoral landscape painting. Deep violet structural elements frame a brightly illuminated interior, while the surrounding sun, stars, and planetary forms place the imagined community within open space.

Artwork Details

• Artist: Rick Guidice
• Title: Bernal Sphere Cutaway
• Alternative archival title: Space Colonization — Bernal Sphere
• Date: 1976
• Organization: NASA Ames Research Center
• NASA image ID: AC76-1089
• Medium: Concept illustration
• Subject: Cutaway view of a proposed Bernal Sphere space settlement
• Primary collection: Space Archive

Framed Print Details

• Fine art printing: Professional 12-color fine art printing technology produces vivid, accurate colors with strong tonal depth and significantly greater nuance than standard 4-color inkjet printing.
• Paper: Smooth premium matte paper with a clean, glare-free finish.
• Paper weight: 200 gsm (80 lb).
• Paper thickness: 0.26 mm (10.3 mils).
• Frame material: Durable pine wood.
• Frame dimensions: Approximately 20 mm (0.79 in) deep and 10–14 mm (0.4–0.6 in) wide.
• Protection: Shatterproof plexiglass protects the print while keeping the framed artwork lightweight.
• Ready to hang: A hanging kit is included, allowing the framed print to be mounted directly on the wall.
• Available sizes: Offered in a range of sizes to suit different spaces.
• Materials: Printed using FSC-certified paper and wood where available.
• Production: Each framed print is produced to order through a trusted international network of professional print studios.
• Shipping: Worldwide shipping is available.
• Made to order: There is no minimum order quantity. Each piece is printed and assembled on demand, reducing unnecessary stock and waste.

Exact frame dimensions, component availability, and production specifications may vary slightly depending on the selected size and destination.