So You Want to be an Astronaut, do ya?

[Chuckiechan]

Blindness, Bone Loss, and Space Farts: Astronaut Medical Oddities | Wired Science | Wired.com

[Epidemic]

I am always amazed that they have not made simulated gravity yet. I don't know the design challenges but it would seem like a rather simple thing to spin a capsule at the end of a tether and emulate gravity. This would solve about 90% of the problems, leaving only radiation.

your farts would remain normal, your feet still having their skin, bone mass would not change.

hell you might even be able to increase gravity a bit and get some health benefits.


My assumption as to the engineering reason they don't do this is that the capsules are too weak to endure the 1 G physical strain. But even that does not make sense since they experience 3 G take offs.

I kinda think the hourglass design is the most practical

or a tethered pod and counter weight The teather could be a gangway between two habitat pods.
Coriolis Force - Space Stations

[Chuckiechan]

I think it has to do with size. It would have to be really big to have enough space for the equipment, plus a 360 degree walk area.

[CERuppel]

I think that the last time I looked at centrifuge gravity simulation the model involved using two modules tethered together by cables. By spinning this around a central point a simulated gravity could be generated. But... the cable distance needed to make the centrifugal force "even" (keeping the force from being vastly different between the floor and the ceiling) needed to be at least 100 meters, and that was only one of stumbling blocks. There is, among many others, the effect that the spin has on virtually everything that the space craft does: sensors of almost every sort, lab tests, maneuvering... Then there is the problem of getting from one module to the other. Oh, and the force of 'gravity' that was projected was only approx 10%, not a full gravity. And even at that the engineers were talking about the stress of the spin being to much for modern materials (the cables mostly).

And the previous was from memory, and is probably a mix of several articles and may (probably?) contains errors.

Just read Epidemic's post and link. It explains what I was failing to.

[Chuckiechan]

I could see one cable breaking... errrrrp..

[Epidemic]

I know that a relatively average cable or cables are capable of carrying any module. Hell that is how cranes transport the modules in the first place to place them on the launch vehicles.

I was thinking that they would use some sort of gangway between modules. Although from my link it would appear as if it would be an elevator that you lie down in to make the unpleasant trip between modules.

[Chuckiechan]

Wouldn't you stop in the middle?

[Epidemic]

Wouldn't you stop in the middle?

No Why?

I kinda picture an elevator, you lay down in it and it pulls you to your destination through the 0G zone to the 1 g on the far side. you would probably ride in something like a hammock so that when you got to the other side you are not hanging from the ceiling.