Pendulum Gravity

I don’t know why this isn’t depicted in science fiction movies. It is such a simple idea.

Let’s look at the situation where a space craft has been boosted out of earths telemetry orbit. The rocket booster that did the work may have been separated from the space craft, but is still traveling at the same speed and heading in the same direction. In the Apollo missions, this booster was purposely crashed into the moon to get rid of it. What if instead, one attaches a long cable between it and the manned space craft and gets the pair spinning around each other like a big bola. The centripetal force would create an artificial gravity for the space craft and its crew.

An artificial gravity like this would solve a lot of problems associated with living is space, especially for a long period of time.

originally posted by: graysquirrel
I don’t know why this isn’t depicted in science fiction movies. It is such a simple idea.

Let’s look at the situation where a space craft has been boosted out of earths telemetry orbit. The rocket booster that did the work may have been separated from the space craft, but is still traveling at the same speed and heading in the same direction. In the Apollo missions, this booster was purposely crashed into the moon to get rid of it. What if instead, one attaches a long cable between it and the manned space craft and gets the pair spinning around each other like a big bola. The centripetal force would create an artificial gravity for the space craft and its crew.

An artificial gravity like this would solve a lot of problems associated with living is space, especially for a long period of time.

Dodgy moving center of rotation.

Using a 'spoked ring' and spinning that would provide a more controlled (and controllable) option.

Many movies & sci-fi stories have 'spinning ring' type deep space ships.

a reply to: graysquirrel

I've wondered why this approach hasn't been taken.
Not sure why it hasn't been done, rotate the spacecraft to get some simulated gravity.

a reply to: graysquirrel

If one has not correlated your name to this attached video, let me be the 1st... it's all I can think of when I read your name!


As far as anti gravity transport as you mention occurs, the human body can't withstand the necessary energy to overcome environmental G's. Now, if a void of gravity is created around an entity, removing the di-electric inertia around them... one could theoretically operate outside the constraints of normal gravity.

I do nothing but throw up when I am spun in circles... I suppose some may presume that they'd call that moving forward.

a reply to: chr0naut

The main objective here is to minimize the weight one has to boost into outer space. The only extra weight here is the cable and some additional fuel.

a reply to: ttobban

I'm sorry, but I have an old system and can not play a you tube video.

Seen lots of documentaries in that regard where that same idea applies as a way to generate artificial gravity in outer space.


Further...

www.personal.psu.edu...

a reply to: Kashai

I'm just intrigued by the fact that billions are spent studying the effects of living in the weightlessness of space when such a simple solution exists.

a reply to: graysquirrel


Say for example you were to attach ion thrusters to the space station for the purpose of generating a rotation. Could one then over time generate an artificial gravity?

Then again could the ISS survive such an experiment?

It exists as a means to generate artificial gravity if one is planning a trip to Mars, Venus and so on.

a reply to: Kashai

The ISS could have been designed to be spun around like this. I believe they purposely wanted a 0g environment.

Again, spending billions on 0g living.

a reply to: graysquirrel


Let me further expand that in relation to Mars we would need to make sure that our Astronauts will during the trip be functional in the Martian gravity. There is plenty if Vids that show the effect upon spacefarers of living without gravity.


Those we would send to Mars would suffer the same effects as they had returned to Earth for months or even years (considering technology that is under consideration) without gravity, when they arrived at Mars?

They would be in the same condition as in they have need of assistance in a wheel chair as they would have trouble moving there arms or legs.

Take a look at this...

a reply to: chr0naut

Using a 'spoked ring' and spinning that would provide a more controlled (and controllable) option.

Many movies & sci-fi stories have 'spinning ring' type deep space ships.

...which will never work as artificial gravity in reality. Who's idea was that to begin with?

a reply to: graysquirrel

utterly impractical " idea " is utterly impractical

Artificial gravity is possible....

This has been thought of before by Robert Zubrin and his Mars Direct mission:

Mars Direct

Essentially, an unmanned return vehicle is sent to Mars, and uses the Martian atmosphere to generate the right chemicals to refill it's fuel tanks. Then a crew is sent, using the booster on a tether to generate artificial gravity.

Here's an interesting documentary

originally posted by: greenreflections
a reply to: chr0naut

Using a 'spoked ring' and spinning that would provide a more controlled (and controllable) option.

Many movies & sci-fi stories have 'spinning ring' type deep space ships.

...which will never work as artificial gravity in reality. Who's idea was that to begin with?

100 meter radius rotating at @ 3 RPM (just over 31 M/s) = 1g

Isaac Newton's idea (it's Newtons 2nd law)?

There are also a number of proposed manned space vehicles that use a cable and two counterweights. There is a centrifuge section of the ISS (outside diameter of 30 feet) planned to become a crew sleep module and, if successful, will stand as proof of concept for building a much larger centrifuge as a future addition to the station.

Using inflatable construction means that a torus ring structure, with an outside diameter around fourty feet, is not inefficient or impractical.

a reply to: Kashai

Off topic but why was that hatch moving and closing at 2:30 (bottom halfway left)?

a reply to: Deaf Alien


To get to the other side

a reply to: ignorant_ape

utterly impractical " idea " is utterly impractical

Neil Stephenson uses the bola-gravity idea extensively in his latest novel, seveneves. Fiction, admittedly, but Stephenson’s work and life exist on the interface between reality and fiction. He is very much part of the extended academic-industrial-military brains trust.

I’m curious to know which part of the idea you regard as utterly impractical.

originally posted by: graysquirrel
a reply to: Kashai

The ISS could have been designed to be spun around like this. I believe they purposely wanted a 0g environment.

Again, spending billions on 0g living.

You have to have a pretty big radius or the acceleration gradient will be horrifying. Also, it puts a huge stress on the structure.