Architectural Considerations for a Minimum Mass, Minimum Energy, Artificial Gravity Environment

Abstract

Adaptation to artificial gravity is easiest when the radius and tangential velocity are large. To minimize mass and kinetic energy, economics pushes in the opposite direction, toward small radius and tangential velocity. To promote adaptation to such an environment, habitat designers must pay particular attention to the arrangement of internal activities, with respect to varying magnitudes and directions of centripetal and Coriolis accelerations. This involves the orientation of habitat modules with respect to the rotation axis, the modules' interior layout, and possibly other visual cues to help inhabitants maintain their own spatial orientation with respect to the spin.

Multigenerational Independent Colony for Extraterrestrial Habitation, Autonomy, and Behavior health (MICEHAB): An investigation of a long duration, partial gravity, autonomous rodent colony

“…If this object is a living being (human or rodent), it can cause nausea, dizziness, and disorientation. 21 Previous studies on the acceptable limits for comfort for humans show that habitats with large radii and lower angular velocity to achieve desired centripetal acceleration are ideal for habitability and comfort. Unfortunately, spacecraft are constrained by mass and volume and make achieving these dimensions challenging.…”

“Space-BEE: Space Biomedical Exercise Environment” A Personal Centrifuge within an Inflatable Structure

“…Orientation system: a signal system with distinctive color schemes, studied specifically for a rotating environment, and indicating the direction of spinning, should be integrated in the interior design. It could enable astronauts to identify orientation and spinning directions relative to the spin axis to help them adapt to Coriolis forces and cross-coupled rotation effects [Young, 1999, Hall, 2002. It should also distinguish right from left and forward from backward, and it should be incorporated in the general interior design without overwhelming the decor.…”

“…In addition, Coriolis force is an undesired effect experienced by a body moving in a rotating frame of reference, with the exception of movements parallel to the spin axis [Young, 1999;Hall, 2002]. Its magnitude is the body mass times twice the product of the spin rate and the astronaut's relative speed in the plane of rotation.…”