Patent ID: 8047473

Claim:
A connecting node, comprising: a polyhedral structure comprising a plurality of faceted panels configured to be joined together to form a fully-enclosed, sealed spherical approximation, each panel comprising opposing inner and outer planar faces having a polygonal cross-section having peripheral side edges extending at a faceted angle between the inner and outer faces, wherein an edge length associated with each edge of the plurality of panels is equal, wherein each side edge of each of the plurality of faceted panels is abuttingly joined to another side edge of another of the plurality of faceted panels to form a joint, each joint including a seal extending along the entire edge length of the adjoining side edges so as to allow pressurization of an interior volume of the polyhedral structure, at least one of said plurality of faceted panels being constructed to include a passage for integrating with a docking port and at least one other of said plurality of faceted panels being configured to have an opening for integrating with a window; at least one docking port, each said at least one docking port being connected to one of said at least one of said plurality of faceted panels including the passage for integrating therewith; and at least one window, each said at least one window being connected to one of said at least one other of said plurality of faceted panels having the opening for integrating therewith, said at least one window being positioned in proximity to said at least one docking port so as to provide a viewing angle of an element being connected to the connecting node at said at least one docking port.