The next two modules delivered to the ISS international space station could each have a ball baring ring several meters in diameter to attach a connecting tether perhaps 100 meters long. One of the modules would need complete life support for one or two astronauts. It would be sort of like a prison cell, but I suppose there would be volunteers. Since the ISS is much heavier, the center of rotation would likely be approximately on the ball baring ring of the modual fastened to the ISS. The ISS would wobble slightly, perhaps enough to mess up the microgravity experiments. Likely we could rotate the life support module fast enough to produce 1/10g without damaging the ISS, but we would have to test for metal fatige and end the rotation, if the ISS or the tether showed signs of possible failure.
My guess is 1/10 th g would not be significantly different from zero gravity as far as bone loss and other zero gravity health problems are concerned, but we would learn how much the corriellis effect harmed humans. Model two might need a lot longer tether than 100 meters (to reduce corriellis effect) plus some beefing up of the ISS where there was even slight evidence of metal fatige. Model 2 could possibly produce 1/6 g Moon or even 0.38g Mars. By now we would have spent perhaps 20 billion dollars, so you can understand NASA is not anxious to run a test like this. Worse, If a micro meterorite or bit of space junk severs the tether abruptly, the life support module would be flung away from the ISS, possibly with eventual fatal results for the occupants of the life support module.
Coerriellus effect will be severe on the mice planned for the MIT bio satellite. Perhaps hamsters or squirrels tolerate (as in hamster wheel) tolerate corrillis effect better than mice. Neil
Last edited by neilzero; 08-July-2008 at 11:41 PM.
Reason: hamster wheel
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