Spacecraft with Artificial Gravity Modules

About this technology

Overview

Space travel is becoming increasingly accessible in recent years with the advancement of private space programs as well as NASA space programs such as the Mars Exploration Program. For both space tourism and space exploration, there is an interest in generating artificial gravity in space for entertainment, recreational, and scientific purposes, as well as to counter the health concerns of extended exposure to a microgravity environment. Conventional systems for generating artificial gravity in space involve large rotating space stations that create an inertial force that mimics the effects of a gravitational force. In such examples, the entire space station rotates to generate the artificial gravity that creates several critical engineering and safety issues. NASA Ames Research Center has developed a novel technology that can help provide solutions to these and other problems by a system and approach for creating artificial gravity using a non-rotating spacecraft with connected moving modules, which can be used for habitation and other purposes.