Minimum amount of artificial gravity

[mithridates]

What's the absolute minimum amount of artificial gravity that one would need to make it worth the effort? I know that there haven't been any experiments done on partial gravity and that that probe with the mice is going to be the first one.<br /><br />Nevertheless, gravity isn't useful simply for maintaining bone mass and muscle but also for keeping things in place. How much easier would it be for example to build equipment for and work in a place with something like 2% gravity? At that rate liquids would still conform to their containers, you wouldn't need velcro to attach yourself to the walls, etc. Would it be cheaper to outfit a station with equipment that wouldn't need to be specially designed for zero gravity?<br /><br />So yeah, in short: what's the minimum useful amount of artificial gravity for a station? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>----- </p><p>http://mithridates.blogspot.com</p> </div>

 

[themage]

In my opinion, the optimum amount would be 1G in order to negate any effects space travel would have on the human body. I don’t know if there is an official minimum.

 

[vogon13]

About the lowest demonstrated induced art grav I'm aware of was when the Skylab astronauts raced around the inside of the circular storage locker area.<br /><br />Hard to judge what level they hit but I would suspect in the 5 to 10% range.<br /><br />I don't think they sustained it long enough to judge it's effectiveness.<br /><br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff0000"><strong>TPTB went to Dallas and all I got was Plucked !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#339966"><strong>So many people, so few recipes !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>Let's clean up this stinkhole !!</strong></font> </p> </div>

 

[larper]

The only time we will need artifical gravity for the near future is for manned Mars trips. Therefore, the induced gravity should be about .4g <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong><font color="#ff0000">Vote </font><font color="#3366ff">Libertarian</font></strong></p> </div>

 

[nexium]

The return trip from Mars to Earth should start at 0.4g and increase gradually to perhaps 0.6g. We don't want any broken bones before landing on Earth, so we should likely not risk 0.9g before re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. The craft may also be less strong than it was when built several years earlier.<br />My guess is 0.01g would have no benefits, but could cause considerable mischief. Neil

 

[MeteorWayne]

Why is 1 g a little high for your taste?<br />You should be quite used to it by now <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[kelvinzero]

I dont know the answer to the original question, but there could be uses for gravity beyond personal heath and convenience.<br /><br />I remember some tale about globules of water being found to gather in the internals of the Mir station for example. Also just getting water to flow down pipes isnt totally trivial when there is no down.<br /><br />Convection is another one. It helps distribute heat and creates winds and water currents that provide a circulation system for the biosphere on earth. Without some gravity there is much more oportunity for stagnation.