Artificial Gravity

Space Technology Library #20

by Gilles Clément (Editor), Angeli Bukley (Editor)

Protecting the health, safety, and performance of exploration-class mission crews against the physiological deconditioning resulting from long-term weightlessness during transit and long-term reduced gravity during surface operations will require effective, multi-system countermeasures. Artificial gravity, which would replace terrestrial gravity with inertial forces generated by rotating the transit vehicle or by short-radius human centrifuge devices within the transit vehicle or surface habitat, has long been considered a potential solution. However, despite its attractiveness as an efficient, multi-system countermeasure and its potential for improving the environment and simplifying operational activities, much still needs to be learned regarding the human response to rotating environments before artificial gravity can be successfully implemented.

This book reviews the principle and rationale for using artificial gravity during space missions, and describes the current options proposed, including a short-radius centrifuge contained within a spacecraft. Experts provide recommendations on the research needed to assess whether or not short-radius centrifuge workouts can help limit deconditioning of physiological systems.

387 pages, Hardcover

First published December 31, 2006

About the author

Gilles Clément received Doctoral degrees in Neurobiology from the University of Lyon in 1981 and in Natural Science from the University of Paris in 1986. Dr. Clément is currently Professor of Space Life Sciences in International Space University (ISU), Strasbourg, France. Prior to this position, he was Director of Research from the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), Toulouse, France. Research in space life sciences has been his primary focus with experiments on Salyut-7 (1982), MIR (1988), and on more than 25 Space Shuttle flights (1985 – present). His research topics include influence of microgravity on posture, eye movements, spatial orientation, and cognition in humans. To date, he gathered data on more than 100 astronauts, during and after space missions on the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station. Dr. Clément has written more than 100 peer-viewed research papers in scientific journals. His other books include Fundamentals of Space Biology (Springer, 2006), Artificial Gravity (Springer 2007), and Neuroscience in Space (Springer 2008).

He is not to be confused with the French botanist and garden designer Gilles Clément.

Reviews

[Jeff Greason · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good summary of what is known in the artificial gravity field, including some Soviet-era results that are hard to find in the English literature. Unfortunately, the answer is still 'not very much' but for those working in the field of long duration spaceflight, probably a valuable reference.