Author Topic: Human "mars gravity" experiment in orbit  (Read 10562 times)

Offline Warren Platts

Re: Human "mars gravity" experiment in orbit
« Reply #20 on: 09/01/2011 01:31 pm »
No requirement for such missions

How biological systems react to zero, and low g's (less than 1g) is still a big unknown. Of course we know so little, that even doing the experiments on mice would fill in many of the gaps.

If there was no need for this data, Japan would never have built the now canceled ISS, Centrifuge Accommodations Module for smaller bio experiments.

Didn't say that research wasn't needed just the mission defined on this thread.

Do you know alternative methods to gain insights on the effects of long-term Mars gravity exposure to humans?

Sure. Just go to the Moon. If people can survive long-term in 1/6 g, then it's a pretty good bet they'll be able to survive in 1/3 g....
"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return."--Leonardo Da Vinci

Offline Jim

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Re: Human "mars gravity" experiment in orbit
« Reply #21 on: 09/01/2011 01:31 pm »

Do you know alternative methods to gain insights on the effects of long-term Mars gravity exposure to humans?

Why anyways?  There are no missions to Mars for decades.  Need to figure out many other things before worrying about that like:
Propulsion
life support
zero g effects
and finally money.

Offline kevin-rf

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Re: Human "mars gravity" experiment in orbit
« Reply #22 on: 09/01/2011 01:39 pm »
Because we need to fill in the gap between 0g and 1g. We know the effects of 0g and we know the effects of 1g, but we really have no data on partial g's. If 1/3g is as bad as 0g there is no sense in really planning missions that use partial g's.On the flip side if all we need is 1/3 a g, well for long term mission, maybe it should be designed in.
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Offline AlexCam

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Re: Human "mars gravity" experiment in orbit
« Reply #23 on: 09/01/2011 01:52 pm »

zero g effects


Not required if a long-term artificial gravity experiment proves to be successful. 

Offline go4mars

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Re: Human "mars gravity" experiment in orbit
« Reply #24 on: 09/01/2011 03:46 pm »
Do you know alternative methods to gain insights on the effects of long-term Mars gravity exposure to humans?

1)  My preference:  Send some humans to Mars, monitor them, draw inferences.   

2)  If the budget is less than $100M, then try some tether spin-gravity experiments with an upper stage and a recoverable mouse habitat (dare I say, a used dragon that's been tricked out)? 

Of course, just doing 1 instead of 2 and 1 saves $100 megabucks, and gets you lots of other interesting data as well. 
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Offline savuporo

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Re: Human "mars gravity" experiment in orbit
« Reply #25 on: 09/01/2011 04:09 pm »
Have there been concepts of such an experiment/mission yet?

No, but even the proposal to fly mice in martian gravity environment never flew.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Gravity_Biosatellite

Incredible that something so fundamental just keeps getting ignored, it would be a very small investment to answer very important questions about our future, or lack of it, in space.

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Offline Jim

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Re: Human "mars gravity" experiment in orbit
« Reply #26 on: 09/01/2011 09:48 pm »

zero g effects


Not required if a long-term artificial gravity experiment proves to be successful. 

There isn't any and hence the inclusion on the list.
« Last Edit: 09/01/2011 09:48 pm by Jim »

Offline manboy

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Re: Human "mars gravity" experiment in orbit
« Reply #27 on: 09/20/2011 09:11 am »
Have there been concepts of such an experiment/mission yet? Basically a small Salyut-type space station module as a free-flyer that is put into spin with a tether to the upper stage of the rocket that put it in orbit or some other counterweight.

Crew of 2 (or more) dock with the module and start the spinning to simulate Mars gravity. Crew stays there for several months to study the effects of Mars gravity.

Anyone know of any plans for such a mission?
This isn't entirely the same as your concept but it is a proposal for a small A-g spacecraft and the intro has some info that may be relevant to you.

http://www.spacearchitect.org/pubs/NASA-JSC-EX-02-50.pdf
« Last Edit: 09/20/2011 09:18 am by manboy »
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Online Solarsail

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Re: Human "mars gravity" experiment in orbit
« Reply #28 on: 09/22/2011 05:20 pm »

zero g effects


Not required if a long-term artificial gravity experiment proves to be successful. 

There isn't any and hence the inclusion on the list.

...There isn't a long-term artificial gravity experiment in the works?  If that's what you are referring to, that would be the point of the original post (spinning the habitat to 'simulate gravity' from the perspective of the crew on board).

If we know partial g is possible and better for the crew than weightlessness, a mars bound craft should be built to spin.  If it's never studied (or studied and shown to be unworkable) then a trip's probably just going to be extended weightlessness.  All this remains irrelevant with no manned trip to Mars planned, but so is everything else.

Offline jee_c2

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Re: Human "mars gravity" experiment in orbit
« Reply #29 on: 09/24/2011 10:08 am »
Actually, for going to Mars, it is probably a good idea to test the artifical gravity technology, because it would be needed for that (if we are not supposing some nice high energy/speed transfer/propulsion).

I was just wondering, if it would be possible to alter the orbit (could be Sun orbit) of a vehicle, which consists of two large part connected with cables, and rotated to generate enough G to maintain the astronauts health.
So, what should be the requrement for that? More thrusters on the two parts, a very well, computer controlled thrust sequence.

I mean: for course modification, and for acceleration, slowing down the spacecraft system.

How would that be possible? What should be the disadvantages - in efficiency. ARe there any study about this subject?

Offline michaelwy

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Re: Human "mars gravity" experiment in orbit
« Reply #30 on: 10/01/2011 02:57 am »
Have there been concepts of such an experiment/mission yet? Basically a small Salyut-type space station module as a free-flyer that is put into spin with a tether to the upper stage of the rocket that put it in orbit or some other counterweight.

Crew of 2 (or more) dock with the module and start the spinning to simulate Mars gravity. Crew stays there for several months to study the effects of Mars gravity.

Anyone know of any plans for such a mission?

Wasn't there a gravity simulator as part of the suggested Nautilus X plan, which was to start by adding a test centrifuge to the ISS?
The Nautilus plan was really brilliant as it combined the best of what we currently have of space vehicles. There would be several inflatable Bigelow modules to store stuff in, a Canada arm just like at the ISS and a 14 X 6 meter fixed module. The only new thing really was the centrifuge or gravity simulator. The plan was not too expensive either, they say.

But I don't think anyone would put up the money in these recession times.

I would like to see several Nautilus X ships built. Then it could be used to ship people back and forth between bases at mars or in orbit.
I wish there was something in space that didn't exist on earth, some rare metal or something that could justify investment. Are there no rare metals on the moon or on Mars?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sci/tech/401227.stm

« Last Edit: 10/01/2011 03:00 am by michaelwy »

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