Partial gravity? On Earth?
Most of us, including the author, assumed extended duration microgravity or partial gravity research is not possible on Earth.
We know of evacuated drop towers, the elegant zero-G parabolic flights on airplanes, but these typically last only seconds or, in the case of sounding rockets, a couple of minutes. This requires carefully designed experiments that have to work perfectly within the small time window, a challenge and headache for the designers.
But it turns out that more than a decade ago, in 2006, a technique was already developed to perform long duration experiments… on your desktop. How could I have missed that?
But there is a caveat. The device is tailored for the study of cell cultures or experiments with a limited volume. Still, in many cases this can lend valuable insight in the processes taking place in the actual space environment.
The Device is called a Random Positioning Machine (RPM). Unfortunately, the name does not refer to a desktop-quantum-field-confabulator-stargate-thingy, (or the infinite probability drive in Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy); it just means that an effect similar to what samples experience in microgravity is created by spinning samples in a randomized fashion. The device functions like the miniature version of the hamster-wheels early astronaut-pilots were trained in, as evidenced in the following clip:
The somewhat underwhelming action of the RPM (we prefer the sight of nauseated screaming volunteers or determined astronaut-pilots) does have important use cases.
Applications in Microbiology: Martian soil detox.
In a beautiful application of this technology, researchers are experimenting with the detoxification of the Martian soil.
Rich in perchlorates, which is both a plant fertilizer, rocket propellant and source of oxygen, contact with the Martian soil potentially taxes the human thyroid and longs, which requires a mitigation strategy be it preventative medication (iodine pills), decontamination or soil and dust treatment. The risk of other nasties like chromium, heavy metals in general, or the physical size of Martian dust and its potential to shorten the life span of equipment or air filters, also needs to be studied and taken care off.
For more information and links to the parties involved, we refer to the ESA article.