A Reduced Gravity Simulator at the Space Analog for the Moon & Mars (SAM) terrestrial habitat analog, Biosphere 2
- Paper number
IAC-24,B3,IPB,2,x87866
- Author
Mr. Kai Staats, University of Arizona, United States
- Coauthor
Mr. Trent Tresch, United States
- Coauthor
Dr. Bindhu Oommen, University of Arizona, United States
- Coauthor
Mr. Matthias Beach, University of Arizona, United States
- Coauthor
Ms. Luna Powell, University of Arizona, United States
- Year
2024
- Abstract
The use of terrestrial analogs has for seven decades enabled astronauts to train in a safe arena, to gain skills and experience necessary for human exploration of space prior to venturing to low Earth orbit and the surface of the Moon. With the return of humans to the Moon and planned ventures to Mars it is imperative that these analogs continue to provide the training required for an expanding assembly of government and private sector professional astronauts, citizen astronauts, and tourists--a far greater diversity than the select few of the Apollo, Shuttle, and early ISS programs. At the University of Arizona Biosphere 2, a team has for three years designed and fabricated a hermetically sealed, pressurized Space Analog for the Moon and Mars (SAM) habitat. Adjacent to the SAM pressure vessel and airlock is a 240 square meter Mars yard and terrain park. This sculpted, synthetic Mars crater includes a reduced gravity simulator (RGS) and various gravity-offload rigs. The engineered apparatus enables the simulation of one-third gravity for the surface of Mars, one-sixth gravity for the Moon, or anything in between and beyond. The third visiting crew to be sealed inside of SAM (March 10-15, 2024) will be the first to use the new RGS as part of their EVAs while encumbered by a fully functional pressure garment with umbilical from the SAM habitat. This paper reviews the use of reduced gravity simulators by NASA and introduces the use of pressure garments (space suits), a fully functioning airlock, and the use of the reduced gravity simulator at SAM as a means to fully immerse visiting crew in the context of their mission. Presented will be an early study of the changing gate of both the unencumbered and pressure suit encumbered human at various degrees of gravity-offload and how this motion challenges exploration of another world, on-foot. The SAM RGS also provides a powerful experiential learning opportunity for visiting schools and students who benefit from the personal experience of applied physics and human space exploration in a world preparing for our species to become interplanetary.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-24,B3,IPB,2,x87866.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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