How and Why We Should Test Artificial Gravity

Abstract

We know that sustained 0g is bad for human health. But we know nothing about health in sustained Moon or Mars gravity, except that each has a gravity closer to 0g than 1g. It is far safer, better, and cheaper to test our health in sustained Moon and Mars gravity in artificial gravity (“AG”) in LEO, than in real gravity on the Moon and Mars. But few rotating rooms have tested key effects of spin in AG. Tests seem needed both on the ground and in orbit, to find suitable AG spin rates. Spin rate is critical, because halving the spin rate requires a 4X longer radius for the same gravity. I show AG facility geometries that allow very long radii at low added cost. They can tell us the long-term health and appeal of living in Moon, Mars, or variable gravity. That in turn can tell us whether our future may be multiplanetary, interplanetary, or both.

A short bio

Joe Carroll has worked in aerospace since 1981. He developed the space tether systems for SEDS, PMG, SEDS-2, TiPS, and TEPCE. He is retired now, except for work on rotating space stations.