The Enterprise
The Enterprise
Unlike common belief, the conception that artificial gravity, or rotational gravity has already been mastered and can be replicated in journeys to space,
this is untrue.
This idea has not yet entered our reality and only still lives in shows like Star Trek and Away.
Artificial Gravity is a very important concept when it comes to space travel for long periods of time.
The long-term effect of zero gravity on the human body is somewhat unknown, but a study was done. One of two astronaut twins, spent about 2 years on the
international space station orbiting Earth, while the other worked from the ground. After those 2 years the brother who was in space and experienced
less-to-no gravity was
taller
, had
less bone and mass density
, and even his
genetic code
was altered making them no longer twins!
"Why haven't we figured out how to replicate gravity?"
To achieve an artificial gravity that is similar to earth’s and what our bodies are used to there, we have to conceptualize
how big our planet is and the speed that it is tuning at. Earth has a mass of 5.972 × 10^24 kg that rotates at a speed of 1037 miles/hr.
So, to replicate that on a smaller scale we will have to exchange size for speed. So, the smaller we make the mass the faster it will
have to spin to maintain our 9.8m/s^2 gravitational pull. To have that orb fit inside the ship means it will turn at a tremendous speed.
But then the conversation comes of "how does one contain and control that gravitational force, so that it doesn't leave the walls of the ship,
but also does not throw the spaceship off course when it is 'turned on'".
For more information visit
Wikipedia .
or
Pop Science .
Coded by Stephanie Warner