Variable Gravity Research Facility

[danhezee]

Selenian boondocks has an article about the use of tethers to control the rotation of a habit in orbit. In doing so, scientist can study the effects of lunar or mars gravity without actually going there.

http://selenianboondocks.com/2010/11/va ... lity-xgrf/

http://selenianboondocks.com/wp-content ... spinup.png

http://selenianboondocks.com/wp-content ... indown.png

 

[neutrino78x]

Well, we definitely need to do that research. However, I don't want to wait until it is done before trying to establish colonies. A colony implies that the majority are there to stay. I do think they should have the option to go back to Earth, of course, just like North American colonists sometimes went back to Europe. So, it would be good to test leaving things in a Mars gravity simulator for long periods of time, then take them back to Earth and see how they do...

--Brian

 

[docm]

Recent work done by the Australian Center for Astrobiology indicates that long stretches in microgravity has another deleterious effect: it changes the behavior of stem cells.

If this is born out it has major medical implications for long-term spaceflight in low-G conditions, few of them good. I don't even want to think about what it would mean for an embryo or tumor growth.

Discovery News story....