DOCSLIB.ORG

Artificial Gravity in Mars Orbit for Crew Acclimation

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Artificial Gravity in Mars Orbit for Crew Acclimation Artificial Gravity in Mars Orbit for Crew Acclimation Justin Rowe Jacobs Engineering Advanced Concepts Office NASA Marshall Space Flight Center1 256-544-2427 [email protected] Abstract— NASA’s current baseline plan for a crewed Mars 1. INTRODUCTION mission anticipates a transit time of up to three hundred days in microgravity and 3-14 days on the Martian surface for gravity While many relegate the concept of artificial gravity to the acclimation before the crew can safely perform their first Extra- world of science fiction, it is important to remember that for Vehicular Activity (EVA). While there are multiple options for decades it was assumed to be as integral to long-term how initial surface operations will be performed, all current spaceflight as the rocket itself, but it was ultimately sidelined designs involve acclimation on the surface, and the impacts on due to the increased focus on microgravity research after the the mission schedule, required supplies, and crew lander Apollo moon landings. As early as 1895, scientists proposed systems are significant. using centrifugal force to simulate gravity in space [1], as This paper proposes an alternative option utilizing artificial they recognized the benefits of maintaining a similar gravity, which offers benefits in terms of mission scope, mass environment during spaceflight to that in which humans have savings, crew health, and long-term strategic vision. By moving evolved. Additionally, it resolves many of our most nagging the acclimation requirement to the orbiting habitat’s existing issues with spaceflight which are direct results of systems, rather than adding redundant systems to the lander, microgravity. the Mars Descent Vehicle (MDV) can be a much smaller, simpler, and lighter design. Rather than the lander being This paper draws from more than two decades’ worth of designed to support crew for days, it would be mere hours. research into artificial gravity and bio-acclimation to rotating While ambitious, the concept of pre-acclimation in orbit can frames of reference, and compiles some useful pieces to show be not only safe and feasible, but done with fairly minimal how the use of artificial gravity could be added to the NASA changes to the planned architecture and overall mass Mars Study Capability’s (MSC) Concept of Operations (Con- requirements. The data used draws on decades of established Ops) and the additional safety and crew biological benefits research and demonstrates how this capability can be not only that would derive from its availability. This design has been used for pre-acclimation, but also to support crew during early generated with a focus on mass-neutrality within the existing orbital-only missions, surface abort contingency scenarios, Con-Ops, demonstrating mass offsets and savings available return-to-orbit abort scenarios, and as an early proof of through its implementation. capability into larger and more ambitious artificial gravity designs needed for extended exploration missions in the future. 2. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TABLE OF CONTENTS In March 1952, Collier’s Magazine released an edition of 1. INTRODUCTION ....................................................... 1 their monthly 2. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND................................... 1 magazine that 3. MARS STUDY CAPABILITY CON-OPS .................... 3 would go on to 4. FUNDAMENTAL CALCULATIONS FOR greatly alter GENERATING ARTIFICIAL GRAVITY ........................ 4 the path of the western world 5. DESIGN LIMITATIONS ............................................ 4 and influence 6. LIMITATIONS OF UTILITY ...................................... 5 the course of 7. ARTIFICIAL GRAVITY OPPORTUNITIES ................ 6 geopolitics for 8. ARCHITECTURE COMPONENTS ............................. 7 the next two 9. SPIN-UP AND SPIN-DOWN PROCEDURE ................ 7 decades. Five 10. IMPACT ON SURFACE ARCHITECTURE ............... 8 years before the launch of 11. CONCLUSIONS ....................................................... 9 Sputnik and 6 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .............................................. 9 years before REFERENCES............................................................. 10 NASA was Figure 1. Space station concept design, Colliers Magazine, March 1952 BIOGRAPHY .............................................................. 10 founded, its 1 U.S. Government work not protected by U.S. copyright 1 articles laid out a plan for space travel and introduced the and staging area for Earth-Orbit-Rendezvous (EOR)-based American public to a wide array of new concepts – staged lunar missions [4]. This derivative of Von Braun’s design launch vehicles, in-space assembly of payloads, in-orbit would require a fleet of shuttles, rockets, and specialized observatories, satellites, EVA, Micro-Meteoroid Orbital assembly spacecraft over the next decade. Debris (MMOD), and ultimately the hardware necessary to land on the moon [2]. The massive response to this and the In fact, this concept may have eventually become a reality, at six subsequent Collier’s specials over the next two years least in part, if it had not been for the simmering space race helped convince most skeptics that the frontier of space could between the USA and the USSR, and America’s desperate be tamed. need to keep up with the Soviets’ early successes. While the U.S. had launched a dummy satellite with an inert upper stage In reality, this plan was nothing more than an ambitious goal in 1956 as a precursor for Earth-orbiting satellites, the shared by a few. The U.S. manned space program consisted surprise launch of Sputnik in 1957 coupled with the very of only a small team of American and German scientists public failure of the U.S. Navy’s Vanguard launch in launching experiments in captured V-2 rockets from White response, left America on the back foot early in this race. Sands Test Range. Yet these small bands of visionaries had NASA would spend the majority of the 1960s playing catch- been pondering what life would be like for early space up as the Soviets tacked together an impressively long list of pioneers for decades. space “firsts.” The In May 1961, three weeks after America’s first suborbital concepts flight, President Kennedy gave his new agency a very shown in ambitious goal – establish America as a space power and land Colliers astronauts on the surface of the moon by 1970. At this point, were America had fifteen minutes of manned spaceflight, and the pitched to level of audacity to make this challenge verged on either the insanity or hubris. Nonetheless, after speaking to NASA American leadership—many of whom had been authors of the Collier’s Ballistic articles a decade earlier—Kennedy was convinced it was Missile possible, but at a cost. That cost was a large space station. Agency and U.S. In reality, the large toroidal design had many flaws and would Air Force likely have never been launched by NASA. Estimates as an Figure 2. Von Braun demonstrating a space suggested it would require at least a decade to build [5], and orbital station design on "Man in Space," 1955 the emergence of modern computing and improving Earth- communications meant that orbiting telescopes would soon viewing station and potential weapons platform [3]. This not need crew to operate them. With funds needed for Gemini station would have maintained a permanent crew of eighty and Apollo, a tight timeframe, and a diminishing raison people in two decks and would have taken a massive effort to d’etre, the large rotating spacecraft would ultimately remain create, costing the 2018 equivalent of $38 billion, twice that just a concept. of the Manhattan Project [2]. For a time, this concept for an Earth-viewing station was a very real possibility, and it had The push for a smaller space station continued however: a its supporters in Washington as past experience had shown modular design that could be launched in a few flights as a that the “high ground” was strategically critical to winning testbed for further exploration. From 1961-1962, the proposal any future military conflict. for landing on the moon still included EOR, but as the engineers dug into the details, it became increasingly clear In 1955, with public interest piqued and with the concepts of that this was not an option within the limited number of space travel permeating into every aspect of popular culture, launches and with the complexity required. NASA had to Von Braun and Walt Disney agreed to collaborate for the new adjust their plan to a Lunar Orbit Rendezvous (LOR)-type TV series “Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color.” “Man mission and postpone any dedicated space station until after in Space”, an Oscar-nominated documentary in the series, the moon landings. The national focus was on the moon, and featured Von Braun as he demonstrated how humans could once it was clear that a permanent space station in Earth orbit be soon working, living, and exploring space. The primary wasn’t necessary to reach that goal, it was shelved. focus of space station design was crew comfort and long-term habitability, and the logical choice was a rotating torus. Even then, the concept designs did not completely end, they were merely pared down once more. Between 1962 and 1964, Three years later NASA was founded, and these visionaries plans were drawn up for a small space station that would fly joined the civilian agency, turning the proposed weapons co-manifested with a Gemini capsule and could be used for platform into an orbital observation post with a wide array of extended missions. When the Gemini flights ended and telescopes and Earth-viewing weather facilities onboard. In Apollo began, they were again modified and proposed all the 1959, a NASA committee recommended a large rotating way up through 1970 where it finally lost out to the Skylab space station as a logical follow-on to the Mercury program project. 2 [7]. Among other roles, the Gateway will be used as a staging area for initial buildup, outfitting, post-mission renovation, and upkeep of the Deep Space Transport (DST). Its life support systems, airlock, and robotic arm will be available to ensure the DST is fully prepared before each Mars mission.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • PHYSICS of ARTIFICIAL GRAVITY Angie Bukley1, William Paloski,2 and Gilles Clément1,3
    Chapter 2 PHYSICS OF ARTIFICIAL GRAVITY Angie Bukley1, William Paloski,2 and Gilles Clément1,3 1 Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, USA 2 NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, USA 3 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Toulouse, France This chapter discusses potential technologies for achieving artificial gravity in a space vehicle. We begin with a series of definitions and a general description of the rotational dynamics behind the forces ultimately exerted on the human body during centrifugation, such as gravity level, gravity gradient, and Coriolis force. Human factors considerations and comfort limits associated with a rotating environment are then discussed. Finally, engineering options for designing space vehicles with artificial gravity are presented. Figure 2-01. Artist's concept of one of NASA early (1962) concepts for a manned space station with artificial gravity: a self- inflating 22-m-diameter rotating hexagon. Photo courtesy of NASA. 1 ARTIFICIAL GRAVITY: WHAT IS IT? 1.1 Definition Artificial gravity is defined in this book as the simulation of gravitational forces aboard a space vehicle in free fall (in orbit) or in transit to another planet. Throughout this book, the term artificial gravity is reserved for a spinning spacecraft or a centrifuge within the spacecraft such that a gravity-like force results. One should understand that artificial gravity is not gravity at all. Rather, it is an inertial force that is indistinguishable from normal gravity experience on Earth in terms of its action on any mass. A centrifugal force proportional to the mass that is being accelerated centripetally in a rotating device is experienced rather than a gravitational pull.
    [Show full text]
  • Human Adaptation to Space
    Human Adaptation to Space From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Human physiological adaptation to the conditions of space is a challenge faced in the development of human spaceflight. The fundamental engineering problems of escaping Earth's gravity well and developing systems for in space propulsion have been examined for well over a century, and millions of man-hours of research have been spent on them. In recent years there has been an increase in research into the issue of how humans can actually stay in space and will actually survive and work in space for long periods of time. This question requires input from the whole gamut of physical and biological sciences and has now become the greatest challenge, other than funding, to human space exploration. A fundamental step in overcoming this challenge is trying to understand the effects and the impact long space travel has on the human body. Contents [hide] 1 Importance 2 Public perception 3 Effects on humans o 3.1 Unprotected effects 4 Protected effects o 4.1 Gravity receptors o 4.2 Fluids o 4.3 Weight bearing structures o 4.4 Effects of radiation o 4.5 Sense of taste o 4.6 Other physical effects 5 Psychological effects 6 Future prospects 7 See also 8 References 9 Sources Importance Space colonization efforts must take into account the effects of space on the body The sum of mankind's experience has resulted in the accumulation of 58 solar years in space and a much better understanding of how the human body adapts. However, in the future, industrialization of space and exploration of inner and outer planets will require humans to endure longer and longer periods in space.
    [Show full text]
  • Exploring Artificial Gravity 59
    Exploring Artificial gravity 59 Most science fiction stories require some form of artificial gravity to keep spaceship passengers operating in a normal earth-like environment. As it turns out, weightlessness is a very bad condition for astronauts to work in on long-term flights. It causes bones to lose about 1% of their mass every month. A 30 year old traveler to Mars will come back with the bones of a 60 year old! The only known way to create artificial gravity it to supply a force on an astronaut that produces the same acceleration as on the surface of earth: 9.8 meters/sec2 or 32 feet/sec2. This can be done with bungee chords, body restraints or by spinning the spacecraft fast enough to create enough centrifugal acceleration. Centrifugal acceleration is what you feel when your car ‘takes a curve’ and you are shoved sideways into the car door, or what you feel on a roller coaster as it travels a sharp curve in the tracks. Mathematically we can calculate centrifugal acceleration using the formula: V2 A = ------- R Gravitron ride at an amusement park where V is in meters/sec, R is the radius of the turn in meters, and A is the acceleration in meters/sec2. Let’s see how this works for some common situations! Problem 1 - The Gravitron is a popular amusement park ride. The radius of the wall from the center is 7 meters, and at its maximum speed, it rotates at 24 rotations per minute. What is the speed of rotation in meters/sec, and what is the acceleration that you feel? Problem 2 - On a journey to Mars, one design is to have a section of the spacecraft rotate to simulate gravity.
    [Show full text]
  • NEAR of the 21 Lunar Landings, 19—All of the U.S
    Copyrights Prof Marko Popovic 2021 NEAR Of the 21 lunar landings, 19—all of the U.S. and Russian landings—occurred between 1966 and 1976. Then humanity took a 37-year break from landing on the moon before China achieved its first lunar touchdown in 2013. Take a look at the first 21 successful lunar landings on this interactive map https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/interactive-map-shows-all-21-successful-moon-landings-180972687/ Moon 1 The near side of the Moon with the major maria (singular mare, vocalized mar-ray) and lunar craters identified. Maria means "seas" in Latin. The maria are basaltic lava plains: i.e., the frozen seas of lava from lava flows. The maria cover ∼ 16% (30%) of the lunar surface (near side). Light areas are Lunar Highlands exhibiting more impact craters than Maria. The far side is pocked by ancient craters, mountains and rugged terrain, largely devoid of the smooth maria we see on the near side. The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Moon 2 is a NASA robotic spacecraft currently orbiting the Moon in an eccentric polar mapping orbit. LRO data is essential for planning NASA's future human and robotic missions to the Moon. Launch date: June 18, 2009 Orbital period: 2 hours Orbit height: 31 mi Speed on orbit: 0.9942 miles/s Cost: 504 million USD (2009) The Moon is covered with a gently rolling layer of powdery soil with scattered rocks called the regolith; it is made from debris blasted out of the Lunar craters by the meteor impacts that created them.
    [Show full text]
  • ARTIFICIAL GRAVITY RESEARCH to ENABLE HUMAN SPACE EXPLORATION International Academy of Astronautics
    ARTIFICIAL GRAVITY RESEARCH TO ENABLE HUMAN SPACE EXPLORATION International Academy of Astronautics Notice: The cosmic study or position paper that is the subject of this report was approved by the Board of Trustees of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA). Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsoring or funding organizations. For more information about the International Academy of Astronautics, visit the IAA home page at www.iaaweb.org. Copyright 2009 by the International Academy of Astronautics. All rights reserved. The International Academy of Astronautics (IAA), a non governmental organization recognized by the United Nations, was founded in 1960. The purposes of the IAA are to foster the development of astronautics for peaceful purposes, to recognize individuals who have distinguished themselves in areas related to astronautics, and to provide a program through which the membership can contribute to international endeavors and cooperation in the advancement of aerospace activities. © International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) September 2009 Study on ARTIFICIAL GRAVITY RESEARCH TO ENABLE HUMAN SPACE EXPLORATION Edited by Laurence Young, Kazuyoshi Yajima and William Paloski Printing of this Study was sponsored by: DLR Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Cologne, Germany Linder Hoehe D-51147 Cologne, Germany www.dlr.de/me International Academy of Astronautics 6 rue Galilée, BP 1268-16, 75766 Paris Cedex 16,
    [Show full text]
  • Artificial Gravity: Will It Preserve Bone Health on Long-Duration Missions?
    Artificial Gravity: Will it Preserve Bone Health on Long-Duration Missions? Janis Davis-Street, MS University of Houston Houston, TX and William H. Paloski, Ph.D.1 NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX 1Corresponding author Human Adaptations and Countermeasures Office Mail Code SK NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX 77058 Tel: 281-244-5315 Fax: 281-483-2888 [email protected] 1 Summary Prolonged microgravity exposure disrupts bone, muscle, and cardiovascular homeostasis, sensory-motor coordination, immune function, and behavioral performance. Bone loss, in particular, remains a serious impediment to the success of exploration-class missions by increasing the risks of bone fracture and renal stone formation for crew members. Current countermeasures, consisting primarily of resistive and aerobic exercise, have not yet proven fully successful for preventing bone loss during long-duration spaceflight. While other bone-specific countermeasures, such as pharmacological therapy and dietary modifications, are under consideration, countermeasure approaches that simultaneously address multiple physiologic systems may be more desirable for exploration-class missions, particularly if they can provide effective protection at reduced mission resource requirements (up-mass, power, crew time, etc). The most robust of the multi-system approaches under consideration, artificial gravity (AG), could prevent all of the microgravity-related physiological changes from occurring. The potential methods for realizing an artificial gravity countermeasure are reviewed, as well as selected animal and human studies evaluating the effects of artificial gravity on bone function. Future plans for the study of the multi-system effects of artificial gravity include a joint, cooperative international effort that will systematically seek an optimal prescription for intermittent AG to preserve bone, muscle, and cardiovascular function in human subjects deconditioned by 6o head-down-tilt-bed rest.
    [Show full text]
  • An Artificial Gravity Space Station at the Earth-Moon L1 Point
    Clarke Station: An Artificial Gravity Space Station at the Earth-Moon L1 Point University of Maryland, College Park Department of Aerospace Engineering Undergraduate Program Matthew Ashmore, Daniel Barkmeyer, Laurie Daddino, Sarah Delorme, Dominic DePasquale, Joshua Ellithorpe, Jessica Garzon, Jacob Haddon, Emmie Helms, Raquel Jarabek, Jeffrey Jensen, Steve Keyton, Aurora Labador, Joshua Lyons, Bruce Macomber Jr., Aaron Nguyen, Larry O'Dell, Brian Ross, Cristin Sawin, Matthew Scully, Eric Simon, Kevin Stefanik, Daniel Sutermeister, Bruce Wang Advisors: Dr. David Akin, Dr. Mary Bowden Abstract In order to perform deep space life sciences and artificial gravity research, a 315 metric ton space station has been designed for the L1 libration point between the Earth and the Moon. The station provides research facilities for a total of eight crew in two habitats connected to their center of rotation by 68 m trusses. A third mass is offset for stability. Solar arrays and docking facilities are contained on the axis perpendicular to rotation. A total of 320 m2 of floor space at gravity levels from microgravity to 1.2g’s are available for research and experimentation. Specific research capabilities include radiation measurement and testing, human physiological adaptation measurement, and deep space manned mission simulation. Introduction Space is a harsh and unforgiving environment. In addition to basic life support requirements, radiation exposure, cardiovascular deconditioning, muscle atrophy, and skeletal demineralization represent major hazards associated with human travel and habitation in deep space. All of these hazards require special attention and prevention for a successful mission to Mars or a long duration return to the Moon. Greater knowledge of human physical response to the deep space environment and reduced gravity is required to develop safe prevention methods.
    [Show full text]
  • The Effect on the Crew and Design Implementations of Artificial Gravity Transportation Systems
    Refer: RFI Focus Area – Design Principles, Objectives, and Guidelines Topic: Reliability & Safety Refer: RFI Focus Area – Crosscutting Design Drivers and Architecture Elements Topic: CEV and Other System Concept Options and Variations Title: The Effect on the Crew and Design Implementations of Artificial Gravity Transportation Systems The Effect on the Crew and Design Implementations of Artificial Gravity Transportation Systems Michelle Kamman/SM, William Paloski/SK, B. Kent Joosten/EX Summary Many of the human responses to space flight are related to loss of the loading and stimulation provided by gravity on the surface of Earth. In fact, 24 of the 50 biomedical risks identified in the Bioastronautics Critical Path Roadmap result in part from absence of gravity during transit and/or reduced gravity during surface operations in planned exploration class missions. The artificial gravity (AG) generated by a rotating vehicle could provide simultaneous, passive mitigation of these risks, and thereby reduce the uncertainties, complexities, and development times of alternate countermeasures currently under development. It is a concern that lunar or Martian gravity levels will not provide sufficient loading and stimulation to protect humans from risks similar to those expected for transport. Thus, some level of gravity replacement therapy may be required during surface operations phases of exploration class missions, most likely in the form of intermittent, short-radius centrifugation, perhaps supplemented by exercise and/or pharmacological countermeasures. An intermittent, short-radius solution may also be required during transit phases should engineering cost, schedule, or technical considerations preclude vehicle rotation. Critical questions regarding the optimal application of AG as a multisystem biomedical countermeasure for exploration class missions still remain unanswered.
    [Show full text]
  • Inhabiting the Solar System
    Cent. Eur. J. Eng. • 1(1) • 2011 • 38-58 DOI: 10.2478/s13531-011-0004-y Central European Journal of Engineering Inhabiting the Solar System Research Article Brent Sherwood∗ Strategic Planning and Project Formulation, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA Received 8 January 2011; accepted 19 February 2011 Abstract: The new field of space architecture is introduced. Defined as the “theory and practice of designing and building inhabited environments in outer space,” the field synthesizes human space flight systems engineering subjects with the long tradition of making environments that support human living, work, and aspiration. The scope of the field is outlined, and its three principal domains differentiated. The current state of the art is described in terms of executed projects. Foreseeable options for 21st century developments in human space flight provide a framework to tease out potential space architecture opportunities for the next century. Keywords: Architecture • Space architecture • Human space flight • Space exploration • Offworld • Space tourism • Space manufacturing • Habitation • Habitat • Habitability • System engineering • System architecture • ISS • Moon • Mars • Orbital • Simulator • Analogue • NASA • Commercial space • Passenger travel • Space solar power • Space settlement • Space colonization • Planet • Inner Solar System © Versita Sp. z o.o. 1. What is Space Architecture? of NASA’s first space station Skylab, incidentally estab- lishing the field of space architecture (Figure 1). Long- duration Earth-orbital missions forced the American and Soviet space agencies to address real problems posed by Humans have been using permanent materials to make humans living and working–not just camping–in space. architecture–the willful shaping of the physical human In the last two decades of the 20th century, diverse environment–for about ten millennia.
    [Show full text]
  • Iac-10-D1.1.4 Design Concepts for a Manned Artificial
    IAC-10-D1.1.4 DESIGN CONCEPTS FOR A MANNED ARTIFICIAL GRAVITY RESEARCH FACILITY Joseph A Carroll Tether Applications, Inc., USA, [email protected] Abstract Before mankind attempts long-term manned bases, settlements, or colonies on the moon or Mars, it is prudent to learn whether people exposed to lunar or Martian gravity levels experience continuing physiological deterioration, as they do in micro-gravity. If these problems do occur in partial gravity, then it will also be important to develop and test effective countermeasures, since countermeasures could have drastic effects on manned exploration plans and facility designs. Such tests can be done in low earth orbit, using a long slowly rotating dumbbell that provides Martian gravity at one end, lunar gravity at the other, and lower values in between. To cut Coriolis effects by half, one must cut the rotation rate of an artificial gravity facility by half. This requires a 4X longer facility. The paper argues that ground-based rotating room tests have uncertain relevance, so allowable rotation rates are not yet known. Because of this uncertainty, the paper presents 4 different structural design options that seem suited to rotation rates ranging from 0.25 to 2 rpm. This corresponds to overall facility lengths ranging from 120m to 8km. The paper also discusses early flight experiments that may allow selection of a suitable rotation rate and hence facility length and design. For most design options, “trapeze" tethers can be deployed outward from the Moon and/or Mars nodes. This allows capture of visiting vehicles from low-perigee orbits, and also accurate passive deorbit.
    [Show full text]
  • Neuroscience in Space
    Neuroscience in Space Gilles Clement´ · Millard F. Reschke Neuroscience in Space 123 Gilles Clément Millard F. Reschke Centre de Recherche Cerveau et Cognition Neuroscience Laboratories UMR 5549 CNRS-Universit´e Paul Sabatier NASA Johnson Space Center Facult´edeM´edecine de Rangueil Mail Code SK-272 31062 Toulouse Cedex 9 2101 NASA Parkway France Houston, Texas 77058-3696 [email protected] USA [email protected] ISBN: 978-0-387-78949-1 e-ISBN: 978-0-387-78950-7 DOI: 10.1007/978-0-387-78950-7 Library of Congress Control Number: 2008927058 c 2008 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC All rights reserved. This work may not be translated or copied in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher (Springer Science+Business Media, LLC., 233 Spring Street, New York, NY10013, USA), except for brief excerpts in connection with reviews or scholarly analysis. Use in connection with any form of information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed is forbidden. The use in this publication of trade names, trademarks, service marks, and similar terms, even if they are not identified as such, is not to be taken as an expression of opinion as to whether or not they are subject to proprietary rights. Cover illustrations: Design by Sean Collins, NASA Johnson Space Center. Images: Nebula, courtesy of NASA; Neuron Forest, provided by Alzheimer’s Association, artist: Stacy Janis. Authors’ photograph: Angie Bukley. Background image: Aurora Programme, courtesy of ESA, AOES Medialab. Printed on acid-free paper 987654321 springer.com PREFACE Why write this book? Of all the intricate components of the human body, the central nervous system is the most responsive to the environment, detecting and responding to changes immediately.
    [Show full text]
  • Artificial Gravity Countermeasure Evidence Report
    Human Research Program Human Health Countermeasures Element Evidence Report Artificial Gravity Version 6.0 12 May 2015 National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center Houston, Texas 77058 Artificial Gravity AUTHORS: Gilles Clément, PhD With contributions from: John B. Charles, PhD Peter Norsk, MD William H. Paloski, PhD 2 Artificial Gravity Table of Contents I. ARTIFICIAL GRAVITY FOR PROTECTION OF HUMAN HEALTH DURING LONG-DURATION SPACEFLIGHT ........................................................ 5 II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................................................................................... 5 III. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 6 A. Why Artificial Gravity? ............................................................................................... 6 B. Principle of Artificial Gravity ...................................................................................... 8 1. Definitions ................................................................................................................ 8 2. Gravity Level ........................................................................................................... 9 3. Gravity Gradient ....................................................................................................... 10 4. Coriolis Force ........................................................................................................... 11 5. Cross-Coupled Angular
    [Show full text]