[demlosers]

The use of artificial gravity for long duration space missions is regaining serious investigation in laboratories around the world. Shown here is experimental work at MIT's Man Vehicle Laboratory. Image Credit: MIT Man Vehicle Laboratory

[Fiddlstix]

BTTT

[FReepaholic]

Uggg...makes me dizzy just looking at the photo.

[Gumption]

Who would have ever thought something like artificial gravity would be necessary for long term space inhabitation?

[Willie Green]

the Mars Gravity Biosatellite would carry 15 mice into space, spin them up to create artificial gravity.
finding the needed money to complete the estimated $30 million project has been a tough assignment.

Doh.

[demlosers]

A new tool in studying the role artificial gravity may play in countering the impact of long duration space travel on humans. This centrifuge design has been installed at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. Image Credit: Wyle Laboratories

[demlosers]

Student designed and built Mars Gravity Biosatellite would study the effects of Martian gravity on mammals. The research would help evaluate long-term effects of microgravity on human space explorers. Artwork: The Mars Gravity Biosatellite Program (space.com)

[Southack]

"But large meant expensive, and also gave engineers design worries, Young related."

Nonsense.

They are all stuck in the 2001 Space Odyssey worldview of *indoor* gravity. That's complex.

But it's another thing entirely to spin a space-suited astronaut on the end of pole in outer-space. That's not complex. It's not heavy. It's not expensive.

It's just not indoors. The astronaut has to be suited, but we can give her 1 G of centrifugal force in outer-space.

[U S Army EOD]

If a propulsion system could be developed that would consistently accelerate at 1g for half the trip and then decelerate at 1g for the other half of the trip, then the problem would be solved. Of course to obtain the velocity you would need, you could accelerate at 3 or 5 g's for short periods of time. They only problem on this would be finding a propulsion system and a fuel to run it.

This would work if we can come up with the fuel and the motor and some very smart computers.

[punster]

It is also helpful when the astronauts go to the restroom. Considering the most practical approach is the centrifuge idea, it is enough to make your head spin.

[Moonman62]

One issue that has worked against artificial gravity advocates in the past has been the vision of a huge, rotating spacecraft that gives its inhabitants a one-gravity condition like here on Earth. And movies like 2001: A Space Odyssey helped cement that "G-whiz" image into the space psyche. But large meant expensive, and also gave engineers design worries, Young related.

It's Kubrick's fault. If it isn't Bush or Walmart, it's Kubrick.

In recent years, the idea has started to emerge that a short radius centrifuge contained within a spacecraft may be far more attractive. "You go into it for a workout. You get your G-tolerance buildup for a certain period of time, daily or a few times a week. That started to sound attractive to the engineers," Young said.

But wait a minute. There was a much smaller centrifuge inside the Discovery spaceship in 2001. Maybe it isn't Kubrick's fault after all.

For a movie that started production in 1964, 2001 is an amazing work.

[Liberal Classic]