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Name: Nicholas Passmore
Status: N/A
Age: N/A
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: 1993 - 1999
Question:
Hi. My partner and I are doing a project on space colonization and we were wondering if anyone could help us with a formula for artificial gravity. Thanks.

Replies:
The only "artificial gravity" I'm aware of is that due to the centripetal acceleration of rotation = v^2 / r = w^2 * r where r = radius, v = velocity, w = angular velocity

So, if your space station had a radius of, say, 100 m (pretty big), then it would have to rotate at w = sqrt( g / r ) to give the same acceleration as gravity at the Earth's surface ( g = 9.8 m/sec^2 ): w = sqrt( 9.8 m/sec^2 / 100 m ) = 0.32 rad/sec = 0.05 rev/sec or 3 revolutions per minute. ( 1 rad (radian) = 1 revolution (circle) / 2*PI rad/circle )

Incidentally, one of the scenarios for the Mission to Mars has the manned spacecraft attached to an auxillary mass with a tether, the whole system rotating about the center of mass, giving the marstronauts some artificial gravity on their long trip to Mars.

Hawley


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