• Question: Will we be able to create gravity on space stations one day?

    Asked by hyattc to Rochelle, Michaela, Camilla, Beth, Adrian on 25 Jan 2016.
    • Photo: Camilla Weiss

      Camilla Weiss answered on 25 Jan 2016:

      You can create artificial gravity in space by rotating a spaceship or space station. If you imagine a bicycle wheel shape spaced station – when it starts spinning it creates a centrifugal force which is strongest at the outer rim. In a similar way that on Earth gravity pulls us towards the centre of the planet from our heads to our toes the centrifugal force would ‘push’ people at the outer edge creating an artificial gravity where you can walk around the rim. I think if we were’ ever going to spend long periods of time in space some kind of artificial gravity will be essential in order to keep our bodies’ bones and muscles working properly.

Comments

  • Photo: hyattc

    hyattc commented on :

    If centrifugal force pushes outwards, but gravity pulls inwards, how does spinning a spaceship pull people down onto the space ship rather than push them off?

  • Photo: Camilla

    Camilla commented on :

    Good question hyattc. Centrifugal force is indeed pushing outwards and is actually trying to push people off rather than pull them down. You know I was talking about a bicycle wheel shaped spaceship above? You would experience the artificial gravity on the outer edge – so your head would be pointing towards the centre of the wheel and you’d be walking around the rim with the centrifugal force pushing you out from your head down to your feet, so it’s sort of opposite of what Gravity is doing (pushing rather than pulling) but the effect is the same – you just need to adjust what you think of as upside down!

    Does that help?