ARTIFICIAL GRAVITY & SYSTEM DESIGN

Design, Development & Implementation of System-Human Traveling To Mars

Abstract

Artificial gravity (AG), as a means of preventing physiological deconditioning of astronauts during long-duration space flights, presents certain special challenges to the otolith organs and the adaptive capabilities of the CNS. The key issues regarding the choice of AG acceleration, radius, and rotation rate are reviewed from the viewpoints of physiological requirements and human factors disturbances. Head movements and resultant Coriolis forces on the rotating platform may limit the usefulness of economical short centrifuges for other than brief periods of intermittent stimulation.It is anticipated that the next big step in the U.S. space program is going to be the initiative to go to Mars. This paper focuses on the concerns regarding the exploration of Mars that identifies enabling technologies that construct one vital system to support a crew of five (5) humans traveling to Mars. A significant challenge for human space flight has been recognized for over a century, and the idea of centrifuging a person to substitute for gravitational forces has been toyed with almost as long. Now that a return to the moon seems on hold, and longer duration voyages, to NEOs, Lagrangian points, or even Mars or its moons are in the distant future, we should again consider innovative countermeasures against the debilitating effects of long duration exploration missions. Artificial Gravity (AG) has long been considered a “universal antidote” against weightlessness.

Table of Contents

Abstract2

Introduction4

History Of Artificial Gravity7

Physiological Requirements For Artificial Gravity7

Human Factors Issues11

Design Envelopes14

Spacecraft Design16

Conclusion17

References19

Appendices21

Design, Development & Implementation of System-Human Traveling To Mars

Introduction

“Zero-G and I'm feeling fine,” said Mercury astronaut John Glenn when he became the first American in orbital flight in 1962. “One G and I'm feeling fine,” said Senator John Glenn when he returned from his second space flight, of nine days, in 1998. (Diamandis, 2007) But after the last reentry, when he tried to walk around and balance himself, things were not so fine, although he eventually recovered. It is well known that about 70% of all space travelers experience a form of motion sickness soon after going weightless, and that many of them are either nauseous or have posture and gait instability after landing. The response of the body to weightlessness can lead to serious problems after return. Of particular concern are the loss of bone and muscle, cardiovascular deconditioning, loss of red blood cells and plasma, possible compromise of the immune system, and finally, an inappropriate interpretation of otolith system signals, which are so necessary to avoid falling over upon return to a gravity field. (Grymes, 2005)

Numerous remedies for these effects have been employed, but at this time only a few seem to have any documented beneficial effect. These few are the ingestion of ionically balanced water before reentry, inflation of an anti-g suit during reentry, and the maintenance of a vigorous and time-consuming exercise regimen nearly daily while in orbit. Despite the successes to date of life support for shorter missions, the space traveler coming back to Earth after a year ...