---
title: "A New Space Habitat Design Simulates Gravity by Spinning"
description: "Engineers designed a new orbital space habitat that tries to accomodate everyday people rather than just specially-trained astronauts."
date: "2020-09-21"
modified: "2020-09-21"
authors:
  - name: "Dan Robitzski"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/danrobitzski"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/space-habitat-design-simulates-gravity-spinning"
categories:
  - "Off-World"
  - "Space"
tags:
  - "space"
  - "Space Habitat"
  - "the digest"
---

# A New Space Habitat Design Simulates Gravity by Spinning

![Engineers designed a new orbital space habitat that tries to accomodate everyday people rather than just specially-trained astronauts.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/space-habitat-design-simulates-gravity-spinning.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: Goyal et al.\</em\>*

## Moving Out

Instead of trying to build settlements on the surface of the Moon or Mars, a team of engineers believes that we ought to expand humanity's reach into the cosmos by constructing [orbital habitats](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/nasa-robust-economy-space-habitats>) from scratch.

To that effect, the Texas A&M University aerospace engineers designed their own orbital habitat, which they say could host up to 8,000 people, [according to *Universe Today*](<https://www.universetoday.com/147882/design-for-a-space-habitat-with-artificial-gravity-that-could-be-grown-larger-over-time-to-fit-more-people/>). Most importantly, they wanted the habitat, which takes into consideration artificial gravity and other comforts, to be livable [for everyday people](<https://futurism.com/could-i-climb-into-a-spacex-cargo-rideshare-and-yeet-myself-into-space>) rather than specially-trained astronauts.

## Tilt-a-Whirl

The habitat was designed specifically to create as realistic of a gravitational pull as possible, [according to research](<https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1270963820308294>) published in the journal *Aerospace Science and Technology*. That's a tricky feat for the concentric cylinder-shaped habitat, which walks a fine line between realistic gravity and inducing horrible motion sickness.

The Texas researchers [aren't the first](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/jeff-bezos-ridiculous-space-habitats>) to suggest rotating around an axis to simulate gravity, but the engineers did solve a common problem with the idea. They believe they've found the correct radius around which it would need to rotate to make sure a person's head and feet wouldn't experience different gravitational pulls, which would make for a nauseating time in space.

## Shields Up

Aside from gravity, the engineers also designed shields to protect the inhabitants from [deadly cosmic radiation](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/radiation-exposure-mars>).

The entire habitat, according to the paper, would be sealed off with an outer layer of water and rock that's five meters thick. So while it might make for a safe space journey, the views probably won't be too exciting.

**READ MORE:** [Design for a Space Habitat With Artificial Gravity That Could Be Grown Larger Over Time to Fit More People](<https://www.universetoday.com/147882/design-for-a-space-habitat-with-artificial-gravity-that-could-be-grown-larger-over-time-to-fit-more-people/>) \[*Universe Today*\]

**More on space habitats:** *[People Are Roasting Jeff Bezos' Ridiculous Space Habitats](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/jeff-bezos-ridiculous-space-habitats>)*

## Author
Dan Robitzki is a senior reporter for Futurism, where he likes to cover AI, tech ethics, and medicine. He spends his extra time fencing and streaming games from Los Angeles, California.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://x.com/danrobitzski>)