Worthy of survival

rand declared ""more irrelevant cites, since they have no information
about simulated
one-g environments."

But yet rand has not cited his rebuttals, mmmm ego...
Anyway, the unknown effectiveness of the spinning AG capsule
countermeasure must demonstrate that it allows humans safe and
successful interplanetary missions to be conducted while allowing the
astronauts to return to a normal life back on earth. So fully
understanding what changes occur to the human body during space travel
such as the sleep research at the NSBRI is a logical step in developing
effective countermeasures for a space craft.

Sleep research continued.
National Space Biomedical Research Institute
Publications
Human Performance Factors Research Team
Articles

Cajochen, C., J. M. Zeitzer, C. A. Czeisler, and D-J. Dijk.
Dose-response relationship for
light intensity and ocular and electroencephalographic correlates of
human alertness.
Behav Brain Res 115(1):75-83, 2000.

Callini, G., S. M. Essig, D. Heher, and L. R. Young. Effectiveness of
an expert system
for astronaut assistance on a sleep experiment. Aviat Space Environ Med
71(10):1023-
32, 2000.

Czeisler, C. A., and E. N. Brown. Commentary: Models of the effect of
light on the
human circadian system: current state of the art. J Biol Rhythms
14(6):538-543, 1999.

Czeisler, C. A., and E. B. Klerman. Circadian and sleep-dependent
regulation of
hormone release in humans. Recent Prog Horm Res 54:97-132, 1999.

Czeisler, C. A., J. F. Duffy, T. L. Shanahan, E. M. Brown, J. F.
Mitchell, D. W. Rimmer,
J. M. Ronda, E. J. Silva, J. S. Allan, J. S. Emens, D-J. Dijk, and R.
E. Kronauer.

Stability, precision and near 24-hour period of the human circadian
pacemaker. Science
284(5423):2177-2181, 1999.

Davidson, A. J., B. London, G. D. Block, and M. Menaker. Cardiovascular
tissues
contain independent circadian clocks. Clin Exp Hypertens
27(2-3):307-11, 2005.

Davidson, A. J., A. S. Poole, S. Yamazaki, and M. Menaker. Is the
food-entrainable
circadian oscillator in the digestive system? Genes Brain Behav
2(1):32-39, 2003.

Davidson, A. J., O. Tataroglu, and M. Menaker. Circadian effects of
timed meals (and
other rewards). Methods Enzymol 393:509-23, 2005.

Dijk D-J. Circadian variation of EEG power spectra in nonREM and REM
sleep in
humans: dissociation from body temperature. J Sleep Res 8(3):189-195,
1999.
Dijk, D-J., D. F. Neri, J. K. Wyatt, J. M. Ronda, E. Riel, A. Ritz-De
Cecco, R. J. Hughes,

A. R. Elliott, G. K. Prisk, J. B. West, and C. A. Czeisler. Sleep,
performance, circadian
rhythms, and light-dark cycles during two space shuttle flights. Am J
Physiol Regul
Integr Comp Physiol 281(5):R1647-R1664, 2001.

Dinges, D. F. Critical research issues in development of
biomathematical models of
fatigue and performance. Aviat Space Environ Med 75:A181-191, 2004.

Dinges, D. F., and P. Achermann. Future considerations for models of
human
neurobehavioral function. J of Biological Rhythms 14(6):598-601, 1999.

Doran, S. M., H. P. A. Van Dongen, and D. F. Dinges. Sustained
attention performance
during sleep deprivation: evidence of state instability. Arch Ital Biol
139(3):253-267,
2001.

Duffy, J. F., D. W. Rimmer, and C. A. Czeisler. Association of
intrinsic circadian period
with morningness-eveningness, usual wake time, and circadian phase.
Behav Neurosci
115(4):895-899, 2001.


Tom
"Maintaining optimal alertness and neurobehavioral functioning during
space operations is critical to enable the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration's (NASA's) vision and quota extend humanity's
reach to the Moon, Mars and beyond and quota to become a reality."
(Mallis, M. M.; DeRoshia, C. W)

Rand Simberg wrote:

Even if that were a reliable source, it says nothing about the glue
holding the tiles on.

Yes, a fairy tale.

What the article did indicate was a growing oblivion to safety issue by
the Management of NASA. Do you deny this?

NASA, as an organization, is an abomination. It would be an abomination
even if it were private. Management arrogance costs lives and impedes
progress.

Bob Kolker

What I do find interesting is calling me a troll, when it is obvious
once you were faced with real science in debating me, you couldn't
produce credible source backing you're opinions, then like you used
every arguing tactic in the book to save face. But rand it is really
obvious by the endless rhetorical subjective debates that you would
rather partake that you are in fact "self stimulating your
intellectual insecurities by attempting to boost up you're own ego at
the expense of others", which is not science, so don't think
you're fooling anybody but yourself. (ie your declarations of
irrelevance, who's a troll, or what is science needs real backing
otherwise you are just tooting your own horn.

The unknown effectiveness of the spinning AG capsule countermeasure
must demonstrate that it allows humans safe and successful
interplanetary missions to be conducted while allowing the astronauts
to return to a normal life back on earth. So fully understanding what
changes occur to the human body during space travel such as the sleep
research at the NSBRI is a logical step in developing effective
countermeasures for a space craft.

Sleep research continued.
National Space Biomedical Research Institute
Publications
Human Performance Factors Research Team
Articles

Duffy, J. F., and K. P. Wright, Jr. Entrainment of the human circadian
system by light. J
Biol Rhythms 20(4):326-38, 2005.

Durmer, J. S., and D. F. Dinges. Neurocognitive consequences of sleep
deprivation.
Semin Neurol 25(1):117-29, 2005.

Forger, D. B., M. E. Jewett, and R. E. Kronauer. A simpler model of the
human
circadian pacemaker. J Biol Rhythms 14(6):532-537, 1999.

Foster, R. G., and J. Bellingham. Inner retinal photoreceptors (IRPs)
in mammals and
teleost fish. Photochem Photobiol Sci 3(6):617-27, 2004.

Foster, R. G., and K. Wulff. The rhythm of rest and excess. Nat Rev
Neurosci 6(5):407-
14, 2005.

Fucci, R. L., J. Gardner, J. P. Hanifin, S. Jasser, B. Byrne, E.
Gerner, M. Rollag, and G.
C. Brainard. Toward optimizing lighting as a countermeasure to sleep
and circadian
disruption in space flight. Acta Astronaut 56(9-12):1017-24, 2005.

Fukuhara, C., J. Aguzzi, N. Bullock, and G. Tosini. Effect of long-term
exposure to
constant dim light on the circadian system of rats. Neurosignals
14(3):117-25, 2005.

Fukuhara C., J. C. Dirden, and G. Tosini. Regulation of period 1
expression in cultured
rat pineal. Neurosignals 11(2):103-114, 2002.

Fukuhara, C., C. Liu, T. N. Ivanova, G. C. Chan, D. R. Storm, P. M.
Iuvone, and G.
Tosini. Gating of the cAMP signaling cascade and melatonin synthesis by
the circadian
clock in mammalian retina. J Neurosci 24(8):1803-11, 2004.

Fukuhara, C., and G. Tosini. Peripheral circadian oscillators and their
rhythmic
regulation. Front Biosci 8:642-651, 2003.

Fuller, P. M., T. A. Jones, S. M. Jones, and C. A. Fuller.
Neurovestibular modulation of
circadian and homeostatic regulation: vestibulohypothalamic connection?
Proc Natl
Acad Sci 99(24):15723-15728, 2002.
Glickman, G., J. P. Hanifin, M. D. Rollag, J. Wang, H. Cooper, and G.
C. Brainard.
Inferior retinal light exposure is more effective than superior retinal
exposure in
suppressing melatonin in humans. J Biol Rhythms 18(1):71-79, 2003.

Glickman, G., R. Levin, and G. C. Brainard. Ocular input for human
melatonin
regulation: relevance to breast cancer. Neuroendocrinol Lett 23(Suppl
2):17-22, 2002.

Horowitz, S. S., J. Blanchard, and L. P. Morin. Medial vestibular
connections with the
hypocretin (orexin) system. J Comp Neurol 487(2):127-46, 2005.

"Maintaining optimal alertness and neurobehavioral functioning during
space operations is critical to enable the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration's (NASA's) vision and quota extend humanity's
reach to the Moon, Mars and beyond and quota to become a reality."
(Mallis, M. M.; DeRoshia, C. W)
Tom



Rand Simberg wrote:
On Tue, 31 Oct 2006 08:59:15 -0500, in a place far, far away, Bob
Kolker made the phosphor on my monitor glow in
such a way as to indicate that:

Rand Simberg wrote:

Even if that were a reliable source, it says nothing about the glue
holding the tiles on.

Yes, a fairy tale.

What the article did indicate was a growing oblivion to safety issue by
the Management of NASA. Do you deny this?

No. That's a different issue. I was simply addressing "Citizen
Bob"'s unfactual statements. I'm certainly not a defender of NASA
(other than when it's attacked for nonsensical reasons).

Rand Simberg wrote:


No. That's a different issue. I was simply addressing "Citizen
Bob"'s unfactual statements. I'm certainly not a defender of NASA
(other than when it's attacked for nonsensical reasons).

Nonsensical reasons like:

1. Its management has grown corrupt and incompetent

2. Its policies are determined by the prospects of funding by Congress.

3. Its manned space programs have been nowhere as scientifically
productive as the unmanned programs.

4. It has ceased to become "cutting edge"

5. The Management outright lied about the cost effectiveness of the STS
as a cargo moving system. The "Ace Trucking Company" canard originated
with NASA.

6. The Management outright lied in its evaluation of the risks in flying
STS missions.

Those nonsensical reasons?

Bob Kolker

Youre ego is obviously the motivation for you posting here rand
otherwise you would cite your sources, and yes you nasty insults
deserve to be top posted... You have posted nothing but you're fluffy
opinions rand that is trolling, so once again back up you're words
with real credible and cited science, otherwise you are the troll on
this board....

The unknown effectiveness of the spinning AG capsule countermeasure
must demonstrate that it allows humans safe and successful
interplanetary missions to be conducted while allowing the astronauts
to return to a normal life back on earth. So fully understanding what
changes occur to the human body during space travel such as the sleep
research at the NSBRI is a logical step in developing effective
countermeasures for a space craft.

Sleep research continued.
National Space Biomedical Research Institute
Publications
Human Performance Factors Research Team
Articles

Horowitz, S. S., J. H. Blanchard, and L. P. Morin. Intergeniculate
leaflet and ventral
lateral geniculate nucleus afferent connections: an anatomical
substrate for functional
input from the vestibulo-visuomotor system. J Comp Neurol 474:227-45,
2004.

Hull, J. T., K. P. Wright Jr., and C. A. Czeisler. The influence of
subjective alertness and
motivation on human performance independent of circadian and
homeostatic regulation.
J Biol Rhythms 18(4):329-338, 2003.

Indic, P., D. B. Forger, M. A. Hilaire, D. A. Dean, E. N. Brown, R. E.
Kronauer, E. B.
Klerman, and M. E. Jewett. Comparison of amplitude recovery dynamics of
two limit
cycle oscillator models of the human circadian pacemaker. Chronobiol
Int 22(4):613-29,
2005.

Jewett, M. E., and R. E. Kronauer. Interactive mathematical models of
subjective
alertness and cognitive throughput in humans. J Biol Rhythms
14(6):588-597, 1999.
Jewett, M. E., D. B. Forger, and R. E. Kronauer. Revised limit cycle
oscillator model of
human circadian pacemaker. J Biol Rhythms 14(6):493-499, 1999.

Jewett, M. E., D-J. Dijk, R. E. Kronauer, and D. F. Dinges.
Dose-response relationship
between sleep duration and human psychomotor vigilance and subjective
alertness. Sleep
22(2):171-179, 1999.

Jewett, M. E., J. K. Wyatt, A. Ritz-De Cecco, S. B. Khalsa, D-J. Dijk,
and C. A. Czeisler.
Time course of sleep inertia dissipation in human performance and
alertness. J Sleep Res
8(1):1-8, 1999.

Khalsa, S. B., M. E. Jewett, C. Cajochen, and C. A. Czeisler. A phase
response curve to
single bright light pulses in human subjects. J Physiol 549(Pt
3):945-952, 2003.

Khalsa, S. B., M. E. Jewett, J. F. Duffy, and C. A. Czeisler. The
timing of the human
circadian clock is accurately represented by the core body temperature
rhythm following
phase shifts to a three-cycle light stimulus near the critical zone. J
Biol Rhythms
15(6):524-530, 2000.

Klerman, E. B. Clinical aspects of human circadian rhythms. J Biol
Rhythms 20(4):375-
86, 2005.

Klerman, E. B., and M. E. Jewett. Commentary: Model building,
quantitative testing,
and model comparison. Jour Biol Rhythms 14(6):621-624, 1999.

Klerman, E. B., G. K. Adler, M. Jin, A. M. Maliszewski, and E. N.
Brown. A statistical
model of diurnal variation in human growth hormone. Am J Physiol
Endocrinol Metab
285(5):E1118-E1126, 2003.

Kronauer, R. E., D. B. Forger, and M. E. Jewett. Quantifying human
circadian
pacemaker response to brief, extended and repeated light stimuli over
the phototopic
range. J Biol Rhythms 14(6):500-515, 1999.

"Maintaining optimal alertness and neurobehavioral functioning during
space operations is critical to enable the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration's (NASA's) vision and quota extend humanity's
reach to the Moon, Mars and beyond and quota to become a reality."
(Mallis, M. M.; DeRoshia, C. W)

"Maintaining optimal alertness and neurobehavioral functioning during
space operations is critical to enable the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration's (NASA's) vision and quota extend humanity's
reach to the Moon, Mars and beyond and quota to become a reality."
(Mallis, M. M.; DeRoshia, C. W)
Tom








Rand Simberg wrote:
On 31 Oct 2006 06:16:11 -0800, in a place far, far away,
"columbiaaccidentinvestigation"
made the phosphor on my
monitor glow in such a way as to indicate that:

What I do find interesting is calling me a troll, when it is obvious
once you were faced with real science in debating me, you couldn't
produce credible source backing you're opinions,

I was describing your lack of ability to understand the very papers
you cited, which is obvious to anyone capable of comprehending logic
and able to read English. I'm not aware of any papers that have been
written on this subject to cite, though I'm sure that you'd make a
fascinating case study for psychologists.

then like you used
every arguing tactic in the book to save face. But rand it is really
obvious by the endless rhetorical subjective debates that you would
rather partake that you are in fact "self stimulating your
intellectual insecurities by attempting to boost up you're own ego at
the expense of others"

How amusingly stupid, to put your own words in quotes, as though that
somehow makes them meaningful.

::: So these airplanes simulate microgravity?

:: In the same sense that a shovel allows you to simulate a hole in the ground.

: "Eric Chomko"
: As opposed to a natural hole in the ground like a crater.

Yes, exactly like that. Note that most people don't say "you *dug*
that hole, it's only a *simulated* hole, not really a hole at all".
Just as most people don't say "you *intentionally* *flew* along a
freefall trajectory, so you only got *simulated* microgravity, not real
microgravity".

So basically, bottom line, if you produce the actual, true thing, it's
not a simulation, unless you are using the term "simulation" in a very
strange way that most people won't recognize. What you get when you dig
a hole is an actual, genuine, hole. And what you get when you
intentionally fly along a freefall trajectory is actual, genuine,
24 carat, certified, true, microgravity. And it doesn't matter if you
have to plow a bunch of air out of the way to do it, and it doesn't
matter if you're doing it at less than 100 km altitude, and it doesn't
matter if you can only keep it up for a couple minutes. It's still
microgravity, the real deal.

NASA says so. So there. Nyeah.


Wayne Throop http://sheol.org/throopw

Now moving past the hecklers seriously check out Dr. Cohen's
research, into understanding how the spinning artificial gravity
counter measure will effect humans during long term space travel. As
you can see by the below studies by Dr. Cohen, and the following are
questions are all valid when designing a manned interplanetary space
craft with the countermeasure of a 1g artificial gravity. There are
many more questions that must be asked and answered about the effects
of long term space travel on humans in order for us to safely and
successfully perform manned interplanetary missions, it just takes an
open objective mind to want to explore the possibilities.

What potential effects does long term exposure to a small radius spin
induced 1g environment have on the human equilibrium?
What specific effects does long term habitation in a in a small radius
spin induced 1g capsule have on the human body, and what human
physiological adaptations does the human body make to such an
environment?
And finally how does a small radius spin induced 1g capsule for long
term space flight compare to a human centrifuge?

http://exploration.nasa.gov/articles...nggravity.html
"February 7, 2003 : Want to know what 3-g feels like?
The Pull of Hypergravity
By spinning people in a giant centrifuge for 22 hours at a time, a NASA
researcher is learning more about the strange effects of artificial
gravity on humans...
During the past few summers, Cohen has been spinning research subjects
in something far more impressive than a carnival ride. He's been
studying engineers, mountain climbers, teachers and other paid
volunteers as they live for up to 22 hours in a giant, 58-foot diameter
centrifuge. His goal? To learn how humans adjust to changes in
gravity--particularly strong gravity.
NASA is interested because it's not just microgravity that astronauts
experience in space. They're exposed to hypergravity, too: up to 3.2-g
at launch, and about 1.4-g on reentry. "Under these conditions," Cohen
points out, "fluid weighs more." The heart has to change the way it
operates, pumping faster, and working harder to push the blood all the
way to the brain. This could cause astronauts to become dizzy or even,
in extreme cases, to pass out.
By spinning people in his centrifuge, Cohen hopes to learn whether the
heart's response can be conditioned. Perhaps if astronauts were exposed
to controlled doses of hypergravity before launch or reentry, then they
might be able to tolerate high g forces better than they otherwise
would have... The participants in Cohen's study have to be less than
5'8" tall--that's because the outer dimensions of the centrifuge cabin
are only 7'7" deep by 5'11" wide. "With its padded walls, the subjects
barely have enough room to lie down on the cabin's built-in cot," he
explains. The cramped cabin is outfitted with a toilet, a TV, and a
laptop loaded with computer games, tests and questionnaires. While
they're spinning, participants answer questions about stress, fatigue
and motion sickness; they perform complex reasoning tasks; and their
vital signs, head movements, and general activity are monitored by
sensors and cameras.
Artificial gravity is a potentially useful tool," notes Cohen, "but
it's not a universal panacea." Centrifugal force is not exactly the
same as gravity, he explains. If you have a small centrifuge--say, one
that might fit in a spaceship--you have to spin it pretty fast to
create g levels high enough to be effective. But there's a problem:
across the radius of a small centrifuge, g levels change rapidly.
"Suppose you're lying on a short-radius centrifuge, with your head near
the center, and your feet at the outside, and suppose you have 1-g at
your feet. Your head would feel only about 0.2-g, or even less." That's
not quite what you would experience in Earth's gravitational field!
Rapid spinning creates another concern: if you move your head too
quickly while you're inside a fast-moving centrifuge, you might feel
uncomfortably like you're tumbling head over heels. This can happen
when balance-sensing fluids in the semicircular canals of your inner
ear become "confused." Some experiments using centrifuges often include
devices that fix the subjects' heads in place, just to prevent that
illusion. Traveling through space, however, with your head fixed in
place is not practical.
Cohen ticks off ways to make centrifugal gravity feasible:
Perhaps engineers could develop a centrifuge with a radius of several
kilometers, large enough to generate high artificial gravity without
rotating fast enough to trigger the tumbling illusion. Rather than
using small onboard centrifuges, space travelers might slowly rotate
their entire spaceships instead.
Alternately, perhaps subjects could be taught to adapt to a rotating
environment. The brain is unaccountably good at interpreting strange
sensations after they're been around for a while. Witness the way
astronauts can be disoriented when they first arrive in space, but soon
learn to function in a weightless environment. If humans are spun for
long enough, says Cohen, the strange effects of rotation might become
familiar.
For now, though, Cohen is still trying to determine how different kinds
of activities done in hypergravity affect cardiovascular conditioning.
Cohen found that his centrifuge riders spent a lot of time lying down,
in part because it was more comfortable, and in part because spinning
made them drowsy--an effect called "the sopite syndrome." Cohen noted
that he was surprised at how strong it was. Going forward, he'd like to
examine what happens when they perform a range of predetermined
activities, such as standing, in which the g-force places more stress
on the heart.
Much more research remains to be done. "There are so many options for
how best to implement hypergravity most effectively," says Cohen. "Low
intensity for long durations, high intensity for short durations, short
radius centrifuges, rotating an entire spaceship." We know a lot, he
says, but there's much more to learn. It is, after all, a weighty
subject.""

Tom
"Maintaining optimal alertness and neurobehavioral functioning during
space operations is critical to enable the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration's (NASA's) vision and quota extend humanity's
reach to the Moon, Mars and beyond and quota to become a reality."
(Mallis, M. M.; DeRoshia, C. W)


Fred J. McCall wrote:
h (Rand Simberg) wrote:

:On 30 Oct 2006 13:18:05 -0800, in a place far, far away,
:"columbiaaccidentinvestigation"
made the phosphor on my
:monitor glow in such a way as to indicate that:
:
: [lunacy elided]
:
:
:Once again, it's irrelevant, because the discussion was not about
utting people in a short-radius centrifuge.
:
:When are you going to learn to read? And when are you going to learn
:to stop top posting?
:
:Never, one suspects.

That's the conclusion I came to a while back, which is why it's now in
the bottom of my bit bucket.

--
"Ignorance is preferable to error, and he is less remote from the
truth who believes nothing than he who believes what is wrong."
-- Thomas Jefferson

Wayne stated:"NASA says so. So there. Nyeah."

So how about those citations, wayne.

Now oncr again moving past the hecklers seriously check out dr.
Cohen's research, into understanding how the artificial gravity
counter measure will effect humans during long term space travel. As
you can see by the below studies by dr. Cohen, and the following are
questions are all valid when designing a manned interplanetary space
craft with the countermeasure of a 1g artificial gravity. There are
many more questions that must be asked and answered about the effects
of long term space travel on humans in order for us to safely and
successfully perform manned interplanetary missions, it just takes an
open objective mind to want to explore the possibilities.

What potential effects does long term exposure to a small radius spin
induced 1g environment have on the human equilibrium?
What specific effects does long term habitation in a in a small radius
spin induced 1g capsule have on the human body, and what human
physiological adaptations does the human body make to such an
environment?
And finally how does a small radius spin induced 1g capsule for long
term space flight compare to a human centrifuge?

http://exploration.nasa.gov/articles...nggravity.html
"February 7, 2003 : Want to know what 3-g feels like?
The Pull of Hypergravity
By spinning people in a giant centrifuge for 22 hours at a time, a NASA
researcher is learning more about the strange effects of artificial
gravity on humans...
During the past few summers, Cohen has been spinning research subjects
in something far more impressive than a carnival ride. He's been
studying engineers, mountain climbers, teachers and other paid
volunteers as they live for up to 22 hours in a giant, 58-foot diameter
centrifuge. His goal? To learn how humans adjust to changes in
gravity--particularly strong gravity.
NASA is interested because it's not just microgravity that astronauts
experience in space. They're exposed to hypergravity, too: up to 3.2-g
at launch, and about 1.4-g on reentry. "Under these conditions," Cohen
points out, "fluid weighs more." The heart has to change the way it
operates, pumping faster, and working harder to push the blood all the
way to the brain. This could cause astronauts to become dizzy or even,
in extreme cases, to pass out.
By spinning people in his centrifuge, Cohen hopes to learn whether the
heart's response can be conditioned. Perhaps if astronauts were exposed
to controlled doses of hypergravity before launch or reentry, then they
might be able to tolerate high g forces better than they otherwise
would have... The participants in Cohen's study have to be less than
5'8" tall--that's because the outer dimensions of the centrifuge cabin
are only 7'7" deep by 5'11" wide. "With its padded walls, the subjects
barely have enough room to lie down on the cabin's built-in cot," he
explains. The cramped cabin is outfitted with a toilet, a TV, and a
laptop loaded with computer games, tests and questionnaires. While
they're spinning, participants answer questions about stress, fatigue
and motion sickness; they perform complex reasoning tasks; and their
vital signs, head movements, and general activity are monitored by
sensors and cameras.
Artificial gravity is a potentially useful tool," notes Cohen, "but
it's not a universal panacea." Centrifugal force is not exactly the
same as gravity, he explains. If you have a small centrifuge--say, one
that might fit in a spaceship--you have to spin it pretty fast to
create g levels high enough to be effective. But there's a problem:
across the radius of a small centrifuge, g levels change rapidly.
"Suppose you're lying on a short-radius centrifuge, with your head near
the center, and your feet at the outside, and suppose you have 1-g at
your feet. Your head would feel only about 0.2-g, or even less." That's
not quite what you would experience in Earth's gravitational field!
Rapid spinning creates another concern: if you move your head too
quickly while you're inside a fast-moving centrifuge, you might feel
uncomfortably like you're tumbling head over heels. This can happen
when balance-sensing fluids in the semicircular canals of your inner
ear become "confused." Some experiments using centrifuges often include
devices that fix the subjects' heads in place, just to prevent that
illusion. Traveling through space, however, with your head fixed in
place is not practical.
Cohen ticks off ways to make centrifugal gravity feasible:
Perhaps engineers could develop a centrifuge with a radius of several
kilometers, large enough to generate high artificial gravity without
rotating fast enough to trigger the tumbling illusion. Rather than
using small onboard centrifuges, space travelers might slowly rotate
their entire spaceships instead.
Alternately, perhaps subjects could be taught to adapt to a rotating
environment. The brain is unaccountably good at interpreting strange
sensations after they're been around for a while. Witness the way
astronauts can be disoriented when they first arrive in space, but soon
learn to function in a weightless environment. If humans are spun for
long enough, says Cohen, the strange effects of rotation might become
familiar.
For now, though, Cohen is still trying to determine how different kinds
of activities done in hypergravity affect cardiovascular conditioning.
Cohen found that his centrifuge riders spent a lot of time lying down,
in part because it was more comfortable, and in part because spinning
made them drowsy--an effect called "the sopite syndrome." Cohen noted
that he was surprised at how strong it was. Going forward, he'd like to
examine what happens when they perform a range of predetermined
activities, such as standing, in which the g-force places more stress
on the heart.
Much more research remains to be done. "There are so many options for
how best to implement hypergravity most effectively," says Cohen. "Low
intensity for long durations, high intensity for short durations, short
radius centrifuges, rotating an entire spaceship." We know a lot, he
says, but there's much more to learn. It is, after all, a weighty
subject.""

Tom
"Maintaining optimal alertness and neurobehavioral functioning during
space operations is critical to enable the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration's (NASA's) vision and quota extend humanity's
reach to the Moon, Mars and beyond and quota to become a reality."
(Mallis, M. M.; DeRoshia, C. W)

Wayne Throop wrote:
::: So these airplanes simulate microgravity?

:: In the same sense that a shovel allows you to simulate a hole in the ground.

: "Eric Chomko"
: As opposed to a natural hole in the ground like a crater.

Yes, exactly like that. Note that most people don't say "you *dug*
that hole, it's only a *simulated* hole, not really a hole at all".
Just as most people don't say "you *intentionally* *flew* along a
freefall trajectory, so you only got *simulated* microgravity, not real
microgravity".

So basically, bottom line, if you produce the actual, true thing, it's
not a simulation, unless you are using the term "simulation" in a very
strange way that most people won't recognize. What you get when you dig
a hole is an actual, genuine, hole. And what you get when you
intentionally fly along a freefall trajectory is actual, genuine,
24 carat, certified, true, microgravity. And it doesn't matter if you
have to plow a bunch of air out of the way to do it, and it doesn't
matter if you're doing it at less than 100 km altitude, and it doesn't
matter if you can only keep it up for a couple minutes. It's still
microgravity, the real deal.

NASA says so. So there. Nyeah.


Wayne Throop http://sheol.org/throopw

On 31 Oct 2006 10:41:49 -0800, in a place far, far away, "Eric Chomko"
made the phosphor on my monitor glow in such
a way as to indicate that:

I was not defending NASA. I can't imagine what mental deficiency
would cause you to think I was.

C'mon, "consultant" is a polite term for whore

And apparently "Eric Chomko" is a polite term for classless juvenile
moron.

and if NASA is a paying customer, then you're defending.

If NASA is a paying customer (it never is, directly), I'm keeping
silent. I'm not paid to be a NASA flack.

On 31 Oct 2006 11:00:47 -0800, in a place far, far away, "Eric Chomko"
made the phosphor on my monitor glow in such
a way as to indicate that:


Rand Simberg wrote:
On 31 Oct 2006 10:41:49 -0800, in a place far, far away, "Eric Chomko"
made the phosphor on my monitor glow in such
a way as to indicate that:

I was not defending NASA. I can't imagine what mental deficiency
would cause you to think I was.

C'mon, "consultant" is a polite term for whore

And apparently "Eric Chomko" is a polite term for classless juvenile
moron.

Ease up Rand, can't you even take a joke?

I love jokes. Jokes have this critical characteristic, though.
They're supposed to have an element of humor.

Man I knew I get a reaction out of you but no need to go ballistic.

Calling me a whore is no need to go ballistic?