Can we create artificial gravity in space?

Asked by: Chris Ross-Masson, Maidenhead

Even before the first space flight, engineers such as Werner von Braun believed the ‘centrifuge effect’ produced by spinning was the simplest way to create artificial gravity. It was first achieved half a century ago by US astronauts Pete Conrad and Richard Gordon, who succeeded in getting their Gemini 11 capsule to rotate once every seven minutes. This created a weak but detectable gravitational force on the vessel.

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