What if a terrorist tries to blow up the habitat?
The kind of bomb most terrorists are capable of making would probably not be powerful enough to penetrate the metal hull, even if over-laying soil were dug up. If a terrorist could get to the windows, he could certainly blow out several panes. But like the meteor scenario, this would mean a routine repair, not a life-threatening emergency. The life-support system of an orbital habitat would be every green plant growing in sunlight. So there would be no “Life-support Center” that a terrorist could hold hostage. A terrorist armed with a nuclear weapon could no doubt completely destroy a space community, but consider that he could completely destroy an Earthly community just the same. Another point is that since constant sunlight would provide space settlers with all their energy needs, they would never be tempted to build nuclear reactors. Fissionable material for a terrorist’s bomb would thus be much more difficult to come by in the space settlements than on Earth.
