Abstract

Artificial Gravity: Small Steps on the Journey to the Giant Leap

Author(s): Martin Braddock

The adverse effects of prolonged exposure to microgravity can be predicted by observations in astronauts and animals on short duration space flight. Long term space travel to Mars and beyond will demand countermeasures to microgravity habitation and theoretically the most promising is living in an environment in the presence of simulated or artificial gravity. An international roadmap for artificial gravity research clearly sets a bold ambition for the next 8 years plus and one small step, namely proof that artificial gravity generated in space can attenuate soft and hard tissue atrophy in mice has just been taken.