Thread: Space Station Artificial Gravity.

With a cylindrical habitat orbiting Earth to create Artificial Gravity (AG), how does a human experiencing AG not become nauseous. I imagine looking at any part of the structure which is not rotating (e.g. the ends) would be a problem. How would this be avoided if indeed nausea or some other physical disturbance would be induced.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by Allex

With a cylindrical habitat orbiting Earth to create Artificial Gravity (AG), how does a human experiencing AG not become nauseous. I imagine looking at any part of the structure which is not rotating (e.g. the ends) would be a problem. How would this be avoided if indeed nausea or some other physical disturbance would be induced.

Thanks.

Nausea and disorientation is a major problem for centrifuge style pseudo- gravity but it isn't so much the visual mismatch between seeing part of the structure (or a view of the sky or Earth) not rotating when you are that is the problem - you could just close the blinds on the windows if that were the case. The problem is a mismatch between the apparent non-motion of the structure you are within and what your inner ears - the semi-circular canals that give us our sense of balance and orientation - are telling you. Unless the rotation rate is very slow ie, a very large diameter structure, the human sense of balance will tell you you are spinning and that causes the disorientation and nausea. It sounds a lot like the sensations of lying down drunk on alcohol. Whilst the precise conditions can't be tested on Earth there have been experiments using people in centrifuges and revolving rooms that demonstrate the effect.

Originally Posted by Allex

I imagine looking at any part of the structure which is not rotating (e.g. the ends) would be a problem.

Just as a point of interest - it would be an enormously difficult problem to make non-rotating end caps.

Originally Posted by Allex

I imagine looking at any part of the structure which is not rotating (e.g. the ends) would be a problem.

This brings to mind a Ferris wheel. How does such a large wheel manage to rotate with what must be fixed points somewhere in the structure. Giant bearings?

As for a cylindrical habitat orbiting Earth, it would not need any rotation "ends" if it were rotating all by itself.

Docking with supply ships etc. could simply require their matching rotation to the end points of the main structure.