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Development of a Rotating Human Research FacilityA unique facility has been developed at the NASA Ames Research Center to provide scientists with unusual research opportunities at greater than Earth's gravity. In addition to its use for basic research, this facility will help provide answers to many of the questions posed by proponents of rotating human space vehicles. This paper describes the design and planned use of this facility, the Spaceflight Environmental Simulator. Using an existing 52-foot diameter cylindrical rotating platform design centrifuge, the revised facility design includes the provision of two human habitats for long duration studies of the effects of hypergravity. Up to four humans (per habitat) will be able to live at up to 2 G for as long as one month without stopping the centrifuge. Each habitat, constructed of lightweight honeycomb sandwich panels, is nominally 9 ft high x 11 ft wide x 25 1/2 ft long. A radial positioning system provides for positioning each habitat at a distance of 15 to 21 feet from the centrifuge's axis of rotation to the midpoint of the habitat's interior floor. As centrifugal acceleration changes with rotation rate, a habitat floor-mounted accelerometer signal provides automatic servo controlled adjustment of each habitat's angle of inclination to provide an environment for the habitat's crew and cargo in which the resultant gravity vector is normal to the habitat floor at all times. Design of the habitats and modifications to the centrifuge are complete, and are currently under construction. Design philosophy and operational rationale are presented along with complete descriptions of the facility and its systems.
Document ID
20010048897
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Mulenburg, Gerald M.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Caldwell, William F.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Tucker, John
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Wade, Charles E.
Date Acquired
August 20, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1994
Subject Category
Research And Support Facilities (Air)
Meeting Information
Meeting: 18th Space Simulation Conference: Space Mission Success through Testing
Location: Baltimore, MD
Country: United States
Start Date: October 31, 1994
End Date: November 3, 1994
Funding Number(s)
PROJECT: RTOP 199-08-12
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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