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Do Humans Have Futures in Moon Or Mars Gravity?

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Do Humans Have Futures in Moon Or Mars Gravity? 6 largest moons, at 0.12-0.18g 2 planets, each 0.38g …or roll your own gravity! Do Humans Have Futures in Moon or Mars Gravity? Commercial Space Telecon Joe Carroll October 21, 2020 Tether Applications, Inc. 619-980-1248 mobile [email protected] Do Humans Have Futures Tether Applications, Inc. in Moon or Mars Gravity? Space Portal Oct 2020, 1 A Remarkable Coincidence 1. 4 other planets have earth-like gravity, but all 4 seem hard to colonize (now…). 2. The only other usable gravity levels in our solar system are ~Mars & ~Moon! 2.702.72 Adapted from ~Earth Polar Gerald Nordley 1.001.00 From 0.09g to 0.88g, Equatorial our solar system has ~Mars 1/e steps 8 bodies, but only 0.370.37 2 gravity levels. ~Moon 0.140.14 Are those 2 levels Io Eris Mars Titan Pluto enough for health? Earth Ceres 0.05 Moon 0.05 Triton Venus Saturn Jupiter Titania Uranus Europa Charon Callisto Neptune Mercury 0.020.02 Ganymede Surface Gravity Levels in All 20 Large Bodies in Our Solar System Do Humans Have Futures Tether Applications, Inc. in Moon or Mars Gravity? Space Portal Oct 2020, 2 What Sustained Gravity Do Humans Need for Health? 1. We don’t know! All data on sustained gravity for human health: 1= good; 0= bad. 2. Getting enough $$ for human exploration may hinge on whether we can live there. 3. Finding out whether Moon or Mars gravity are enough may require stays >1 year! Known Issues in Microgravity Health on earth = Useful Data on 1. Osteoporosis from calcium loss Human Health vs. 2. Loss of heart & other muscle mass Sustained Gravity 3. Eye & brain effects from pressure 4. Immune system anomalies Health Health To learn more, read 5. Apparent “fast aging” effects ISS,Mir, Packing for Mars 6. >2 hrs/day exercise needed Skylab Adapted from and Scott Kelly’s Jon Goff Endurance. Most problems were found after 0g Moon Mars GravityGravity Earth +5 +1 +4 each longer trip. What is next? Do Humans Have Futures Tether Applications, Inc. in Moon or Mars Gravity? Space Portal Oct 2020, 3 Ignoring Health Issues Can Delay or Derail Mega-Projects The Brooklyn Bridge 1. Caisson work triggered “the bends,” and deaths, delays, & cost overruns. 2. The cause was found by 1878, but a cure took another 30 years (Haldane). The Panama Canal 1. France had a good hospital, but ignored mosquitos there and at worksites! 2. ~22,000 died building ~40% of canal, mostly from malaria or yellow fever. 3. 20 years later, the US took mosquitos seriously (but ~5,600 still died!). 2 great books by David McCullough: The Great Bridge, and The Path Between the Seas” Ø Will ignoring gravity needs derail our expansion into space? Do Humans Have Futures Tether Applications, Inc. in Moon or Mars Gravity? Space Portal Oct 2020, 4 Step 0: Test Relevant Spin Artifacts on the Ground! MIT lab Rotating-room tests suggest that artificial gravity designs with short radii and fast spin will work, if they are relevant. But there are big differences: Coriolis sensations differ greatly Effects on the inner ear differ Ames 1. In rotating rooms, weight does not 1. In rotating rooms, spin axis is VMS change. Walk any direction & you parallel with gravity. Effects feel a fixed side-force. You adapt. are fixed as you move & turn. 2. But 2 rpm AG causes Mars weight 2. In AG, the spin axis & gravity to change +15% depending on the are perpendicular. Each turn walk direction. You may stumble, causes a different felt effect, Tilted RV, as in elevators (typ. 0.05g accel). with no consistent adaptation. pulled in circles NASA’s Vertical Motion Simulator Assessing crew queasiness due (VMS) can adjust your weight based to inner ear effects may require on your walking speed & direction. tether tests similar to Gemini 11. Do Humans Have Futures Tether Applications, Inc. in Moon or Mars Gravity? Space Portal Oct 2020, 5 Build Dumbbells Before Donuts! Moon 1. The lightest shape for a set radius is fixed by the pressurized volume: CM dumbbells allow the smallest mass, then donuts, ellipsoids, & cylinders. 2. The only shape whose radius can ? easily be changed is the dumbbell. Length TBD! 3. One dumbbell module + its used booster ? allow useful early tests, & ease revisions. Other shapes aren’t useful until complete. 4. Other shapes with useful radius cost so much that you must fly a dumbbell first, Mars to size your design and test your market. Do Humans Have Futures Tether Applications, Inc. in Moon or Mars Gravity? Space Portal Oct 2020, 6 Step 1: Gemini-like Crewed Dragon 2 Spin Tests 1515tt Scenario (during phasing, on crew flights to ISS) Gemini 11-12 tether tests were designed 1. Separate from stage, turn, & grab end of stowed seatbelt. after Gemini 7 crew 2. Dragon posigrade pulses cause spin, & raise MECO orbit. spent 2 weeks in µg. nd NASA interest was CM 3. Release at apogee can target deorbit of Falcon 2 stage. focused on low-DV Might partial gravity ease crew adjustment to free fall? station-keeping, not on artificial gravity. Resembles Gemini 11 rotation test, but with: 1. 6-10X faster spin (Mars = 1.5 rpm, 148m from CM). 2. Longer & stronger seatbelt, 700m vs 30m; ~100 kg. 3. 3-point bridle & seatbelt capture device on nose cap. 4. Nose cap reinforced, & camera in nose aids capture. 44tt Note: if a longer AG radius doesn’t weigh or cost much, then use it, to allow lower spin! Do Humans Have Futures Tether Applications, Inc. in Moon or Mars Gravity? Space Portal Oct 2020, 7 Step 2: Test Moon & Mars Gravity Using 2 Starships & Tunnel Possible scenario 3 key questions: 1. Starship launches an uncrewed “Mars module” to 400 km. 1. Can Starship nose mate 2. Then crewed “Moon Starship” launches to Mars module. with an inflatable tunnel? 3. Nose of Mars module has a 470m tunnel stowed there. 4. Moon Starship nose mates with free end of stowed tunnel. 2. Can Mars crew evacuate 5. Moon Starship backs away, to deploy tunnel to full length. quickly to Moon Starship, 6. Mars module thrusts sideways to spin dumbbell to 1 rpm. in an emergency? 7. During spin-up, the tunnel is pressurized & leaK-tested. 3. What interfaces should 8. Crews live at both ends & get health data for 6-12 months. the Mars module include, 9. Mars crew returns to Moon Starship, which then reenters. to ease later reuse? 10.Mars module can later become part of a larger dumbbell. Moon Mars 470m CM ~100 t ~10 t tunnel (Solar arrays are not shown, but hang outward from the modules.) ~240 t Do Humans Have Futures Tether Applications, Inc. in Moon or Mars Gravity? Space Portal Oct 2020, 8 Step 3: Far Longer Moon-Mars Health Tests in LEO Moon 1. Goal: see if sustained Moon or Mars gravity allow good human health, quicker, cheaper, better, & safer than putting crews on Moon & Mars. CM 2. This uses Mars & Moon modules as counterweights for each other. (0.06g ) 3. Inflatable “airbeam tunnels” allow shirtsleeve transfer between levels. ? 4. Earlier steps can find a suitable spin rate, which fixes tunnel lengths. Length TBD! 5. Access to free fall + 3 partial gravity levels may attract space tourism. ? 6. A module at 0.06g is the next ~1/e step down after earth-Mars-Moon: Ø Neal Pellis suggests that 1/e steps are useful, for basic biology studies. Mars Ø 0.06g may not require free-fall adaptation, or may possibly even aid it. Basic Possible Concept Design Do Humans Have Futures Tether Applications, Inc. in Moon or Mars Gravity? Space Portal Oct 2020, 9 How About Other Gravity Levels & Spinrates? Moon ~Mars 0.06 gee is the next ~1/e step: Earth - Mars - Moon - 0.06 1. It is easy to add (just another copy of same cabin design). CM CM 2. 0.06 gee may be near the lowest level for intuitive actions: - Sitting, using a desk, eating, hygiene, even rolling over in bed. 0.06g ~Moon - Levels like this may be popular with tourists & crew (unique sports?). Faster spins with the same facility allow other useful tests ? nd Length Ø 1.6X spin gives Earth, plus Mars & Moon at a 2 spin rate. TBD! Ø 1.25X spin gives 3 “half step” levels: ~0.6, 0.26, and 0.1 gee. ? Ø Do faster-spin tests before full outfitting, to limit peak loads. Cycling crew between ends & CM tests “part-time gravity” Mars Earth Ø This can test the viability of part-time gravity as a countermeasure. Ø It can also mimic repeated EVAs to NEOs from spinning vehicles. Do Humans Have Futures Tether Applications, Inc. in Moon or Mars Gravity? Space Portal Oct 2020, 10 Step 4? Low Radiation in “ELEO” Allows Multi-Year Tests 1. Multi-year tests require meters of shielding, except in Equatorial LEO. 2. Developing settlements of any type will require many long R&D tests. 3. The SpaceX StarShip could launch & supply “cruise ships in ELEO.” 4. ELEO “dumbbells & donuts” can do R&D tests & get staff health data. Map of Radiation Doses predicted by OLTARIS Measured on ISS (1cm Al/Li + 10cm water, 2016) Do Humans Have Futures Tether Applications, Inc. in Moon or Mars Gravity? Space Portal Oct 2020, 11 Step 5? Two Operational Derivatives Spinning exploration cruise stage Crew - Uses spent departure stage as ballast vehicle - Retain stage into Mars orbit & return, with flat spin becoming conical then. - If tether cut: lose gravity, not mission Spent stage High-deltaV spinning LEO tether - 1.2-3.2 km/sec above and below VLEO - Similar trapeze accelerations (0.3-1g) - Facility must be >50X payload mass; The tether & rocket use 2:1 spin/orbit mean rotation ratio.
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