how critical is passive stability? Forum: SSI-List
Thread: how critical is passive stability?
# 21259 byXenophile on July 14, 2006, 2:25 p.m.
Member since 2022-08-22
Well, I have my own doubts that UFog could substitute for gravity over
the long term. But it is different than slapping Velcro on your
shoes. If I walk around my zero-G (yes, I know: micro-G) station in
my best Velcro hiking boots, then I'm stuck to the floor just fine.
But there is no force *pressing* me down. No stresses on the old
bones, only as much muscle as it takes to unstick the shoes with each
step, and to deal with inertia.
floor, *pushing* against my shoulders, *pushing* against me head,
*pushing* on my pot belly (I've started doing sit-ups, but it's still
there for now), and so on, then my muscles and bones get something
very much like they would get on Earth. I'm not even tall, like I
would normally be in freefall.
However, are these itti-bitti robots doing anything about my blood?
If weightlessness has anything to do with observed changes to the
immune system, then I cave to wonder exactly what UFog could do about
that. My guess is "not much." Still, it's something to think about.
Imagine the shapes and forms habitats could assume in such a case.