Graph shows the RPM required to create Earth-like gravity, based on the radius of the station. I used a log scale for radius to show everything from 10-meters to planet-sized rings.

A station the size of the ISS would need to rotate 4+ times per minute, which would be physically uncomfortable for long-term habitation.

The comfort zone for humans appears around 900m to 4km radius, where rotation rates stay under 1 RPM.

A ring the size of Earth only needs 0.012 RPM—or one rotation every 85 minutes.

Posted by towertwelve

11 comments

  1. Pretty sure they tested this on the ground with a rotating capsule and everyone was violently sick.

  2. I would be interested in seeing Babylon 5 or any of the Earth Alliance ships with spinning sections included on this chart…

  4. Given that negative rotation isn’t possible, aligning O rpm with the origin would make this easier to read.

  5. It should be fine as long as you block out the windows right? Only acceleration matters

  6. > physically uncomfortable for long-term habitation

    Given they had physical windows. Replace windows with high res displays and recalculate.

  7. Interesting graph, OP. One little side note is that a rotating station wouldn’t necessarily have to be in the shape of a ring. You could have a barbell-shaped station, which might be advantageous because you can have a longer radius with less construction material compared to a ring.

  8. So 17 rotations per day would be enough for a ring with the radius of Earth. As Earth does one rotation a day, does that mean that at the equator is 1/17 less than at the poles?

  9. For short term trips, like a week or two stay, is full Earth gravity needed?

    I would guess even a low amount of gravity would feel much more comfortable than zero g and would help the body function as usual. I’d imagine space stations with Martian (~1/3g) and Lunar (~1/6g) will be common in the future.

  10. So we need to build a 1-mile diameter ring station…

    … IN SPACE!!

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