Science

hunter

(40,525 posts)

17. All you need to know about spinning spacecraft...

Tue Jul 19, 2016, 12:23 AM

Jul 2016

AUTHOR: RHETT ALLAIN. RHETT ALLAIN SCIENCE DATE OF PUBLICATION: 08.25.15.
08.25.15
TIME OF PUBLICATION: 1:27 PM.
1:27 PM
HOW THAT SPINNING SPACECRAFT FROM THE MARTIAN WOULD WORK

In The Martian movie, astronauts travel to Mars in a large spacecraft called Hermes (also in the novel version). Since the trip to Mars will take a while, the humans need a nice way to stay in shape. Hermes, like many other spacecraft, has a section that spins to make a type of “artificial gravity.” Even though I’ve gone over this several times, let me do a super brief overview of the physics of a spinning spacecraft.

http://www.wired.com/2015/08/spinning-spacecraft-martian-work/

Personally, I'm a robot spacecraft kind of guy even though my grandfather was an Apollo Project engineer.

If humans ever get into space in any big way (which seems increasingly unlikely...) it will be as the guests of our artificial offspring, intelligent robots, or very extreme genetic engineering far beyond our present science.

Mars is a much harsher place than was portrayed in "The Martian."

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The mysterious syndrome impairing astronauts’ sight [View all] Quackers Jul 2016 OP

No kidding, a lot of body systems depend on gravity Warpy Jul 2016 #1

The dream of mankind conquering and occupying space is crumbling in the face of reality. Binkie The Clown Jul 2016 #2

Machines will have to do it for us. thucythucy Jul 2016 #3

Nonsense. bananas Jul 2016 #7

Maybe not, but... Binkie The Clown Jul 2016 #8

Every sentence in your post is wrong. bananas Jul 2016 #10

Every sentence in your post is wrong. Binkie The Clown Jul 2016 #12

Right, because you know the future. GaYellowDawg Jul 2016 #20

Centripetal motion Brother Buzz Jul 2016 #4

To produce one G Stryst Jul 2016 #5

Well, maybe they could just spool it up until they find the level of gravity that suits them Brother Buzz Jul 2016 #6

We'll played, Brother SCantiGOP Jul 2016 #11

Is that assuming a 0G environment? Quackers Jul 2016 #13

At 24 rpm, the Gravitron produces a centrifugal force equivalent to three times the force of gravity Brother Buzz Jul 2016 #14

Good question. Quackers Jul 2016 #15

Even on earth, a carousel employs a remarkably puny motor Brother Buzz Jul 2016 #16

Here's a good overview of the subject. Stryst Jul 2016 #18

Well, it looks like NASA needs to recruit Gravitron carny workers.... Brother Buzz Jul 2016 #19

All you need to know about spinning spacecraft... hunter Jul 2016 #17

just fake it jakeXT Jul 2016 #9