In the last few years, we’ve been witnessing a resurgence of missions beyond our atmosphere
in what has been called the new Space Race.
From new missions to the Moon and the long-running goal of a colony in Mars, we grow ever closer
to the possibility of a space-faring civilization.
However, with this new space race comes newer challenges, such as the difficulties for the
human body from extended zero-gravity.
This is why the engineers at SpaceX are looking at a futuristic solution, turning science
fiction into science fact.
In this video we’re taking a look at How SpaceX will create artificial gravity in space!
SpaceX Updates We’re all keenly aware of this so-called
new space race.
We’ve been seeing quite a lot of activity from numerous private entities when it comes
to this generation’s missions to space.
From Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin’s successful thrust towards opening up space tourism, to
SpaceX’s manned mission launch, as well as the highly successful Inspiration 4 mission,
the first all-civilian trip outside the Earth’s atmosphere.
While many contend that this is simply a race among Billionaires and their mega-expensive
toys, this era isn’t just a new space race, as much as it’s also an era of innovation
that is pushing the ceiling higher towards achieving what we could only envision in the
past.
Newer technologies, more powerful and re-usable rockets, automated flight controls are just
among the developments towards space flight technology.
And as many are joining the fray to push the limits even further, one private space flight
company has been leading the pack in contracts and achievements.
Yes, we’re talking about SpaceX.
Not only did SpaceX change the game by introducing re-usable rockets that can land back on Earth
with absolute precision, but they’ve also intensified humanity’s goal of reaching
Mars.
The man behind the company, Elon Musk, has had a decades long infatuation with the Red
Planet, and considers Mars as a viable alternative for the human race.
Mars is the most habitable location in our solar system by terrestrial standards, which
is why our most popular idea on the table is to colonize Mars.
Musk believes that this is one of the ways we can further achieve our space-faring future,
to open the possibilities of becoming an interstellar civilization in the much nearer future.
While we can only hope to witness these achievements in our lifetime, many of what was thought
impossible, has already been done by the company and is considered industry standards.
From achieving efficient safety for human passengers, to more durable and sustainable
materials involved in the expensive and complicated spaceship building procedures, SpaceX continues
to innovate the private space technology landscape.
However, as we continue to see space missions become more regular in the last 2 years than
the last 20, there are now issues that must be tackled when it comes to space flight.
One of which, is the human experience when staying for longer durations in outer space.
In more recent times, astronauts have been staying longer outside the Earth’s atmosphere,
staying for months within the International Space Station, for example.
One of the main issues that has been critical for astronauts staying longer in outer space,
is the body’s reaction to the loss of gravity.
What is Gravity and why is it important?
While Gravity is a general concept that almost everyone knows about, it may not be something
that everyone completely understands.
This constant force is something that affects everything you interact with, from the coins
in your pocket to the flying birds above.
Gravity is a fundamental force that attracts objects with mass towards one another.
The bigger the object, the more it tends to attract other objects towards it.
The Earth has quite a lot of mass compared to an individual person, which is why we remain
grounded while standing, because of gravity.
Gravity is very important because it holds everything together.
Not only does gravity provide just the right distance between the Sun and the Earth for
life to flourish, making it not too hot or too cold for survival, gravity also makes
sure that everything stays where they are.
Without it, everything would be floating or bouncing, and life just wouldn’t be the
same.
This is why when here on Earth, gravity is an important aspect of living, which we don’t
even keep too much mind of.
However, the farther you are from the massive object, the less gravity is exerted upon you.
This explains why astronauts in space can float, because they’re not affected by Earth’s
gravity at all.
While the idea of being weightless and floating in space may seem fun and totally out of this
world, it’s actually pretty dangerous for the human body especially when experiencing
extended periods of being in zero-g.
This issue is vital especially since plans for the Mars mission will involve longer durations
of space travel.
Current missions to space may last from days to months, but stay longer and it can cause
devastating effects.
There are many known long term-effects of zero-gravity, from muscle loss, bone density
loss, diminished organ function, eyesight, changes in cardiovascular strength and even
genetic changes.
The most evident of which, is the utter loss of balance.
Astronaut Scott Kelly knows this first hand, as he struggled to walk even after a year
in space.
The American astronaut spent 340 days on the International Space Station between 2015 and
2016, and upon returning back to Earth, needed to learn how to walk again.
Spending that much time in space takes a huge toll on the human body, this is because zero
gravity can mess with our sense of orientation.
Gravity helps us know where is up and where is down.
This isn’t the case up in space.
Sensors within our ears’ vestibular system, the one that controls balance, gets easily
thrown off, which is why most astronauts feel dizzy for the first few days in space.
Once they get back to Earth, they’ll need to take a while for their bodies to find their
bearings and readjust.
Even after two months back on Earth’s gravity, Scott Kelly still felt pain in his legs despite
an extensive exercise regimen and the best treatment modern medicine could provide.
This Zero-G concern is crucial, especially since newer missions would entail staying
for longer durations in outer space especially the planned trip to Mars.
The journey to Mars entails roughly 120 days, with Martian gravity only being 40% compared
to our own.
In order to assure the health and well-being of astronauts, Elon Musk and the engineers
at SpaceX are looking into a solution that could hold the key to carrying passengers
into deep space for extended periods of time: Artificial Gravity.
Artificial Gravity and How it can work In July 2021, Elon Musk was asked if SpaceX
ever considered creating artificial gravity for the trip to Mars, to which he casually
replied with a “Yes”.
While the concept of artificial gravity may seem like science fiction, the concept has
been around for quite a while, more than a century in fact.
The first example of an artificial gravity concept was provided by Konstantin Tsiolkovsky,
one of the founding fathers of rocketry and aeronautics, who published a study called
“Investigation of Outer Space Rocket Devices” in 1903.
In it he suggested using rotational force to create artificial gravity in space.
Since then there have been many variations of the concept, from the Von Braun Wheel,
the O’Neill Cylinder and the Stanford Torus, all with some practical relevance to recreating
gravity through rotational force.
To address the issue of lack of gravity in space, SpaceX has been looking at their stainless
steel spacecraft, the Starship, for a possible solution.
What they’ve been studying, is the process of tethering two spacecraft using a cable,
that would induce a spin for the Starships while travelling in space.
The plan is to spin a pair of Starships around a nose-to-nose tether cable.
While there are plenty of variables to consider, such as weight and fuel considerations, the
distance between the Starships is already estimated at 180 meters with the tether in
between to provide a 3 rpm spin that could provide artificial gravity inside the Starship.
The centripetal force can provide the possibility of stability for the journey, with aims of
achieving just enough velocity to generate a simulated Earth-normal gravity of 9.8 meters
per second squared.
For those inside the passenger ships, this would mean having the sensation of being pulled
down, due to the centripetal force created by the rotation of the starships.
With its sights set for Mars and longer duration space flight, the possibilities are endless
when it comes to finding the solutions that could push humanity’s capabilities further.
And as we await these missions within the next few years, we anticipate the developments
and technological advancements we’re bound to witness, as we create Artificial Gravity
and send humans to Mars.
So, what do you think about How SpaceX Will Create Artificial Gravity in Space?
Let us know in the comments below!
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