Imagine a classical interstellar starship design with a centrifugal ring, rotating enough to provide a force that simulates gravity (say from 0.4g to 1.0g or somewhere in-between); in classical representations, the floor inside this ring is curved to preserve a constant force against the floor and equilibrium for the astronauts. Now, let's take that idea further and compartmentalize this ring into several sections--say five or ten, except now, instead of having curved flooring, it is flat in each section, but still rotating about the central hub axis. To better imagine how it looks, think a octagon or a decagon. In theory, you'd have varying degrees of linear acceleration in each chamber due to the flat flooring depending on where they stand, correct?
What problems would this create for the astronauts onboard? This whole scenario arises from basic starship needs:
a. They must accelerate to whatever velocity. Assume (a) has been solved and astronauts are only conscious during (b) and (c).
b. Period of straight travel with zero velocity adjustment.
c. Extended period of deceleration--think two or more years, at <1g. In (b), the ring centrifuge would provide livable artificial gravity.
However, when you transition to (c), if the ring is still spinning, not only will you have a vector pushing the astronauts outside the ring, but you will have an additional vector at 90 degrees to the first vector due to the decelerative force. This would make astronauts very sick--thus creating an interesting problem... With flat flooring, each compartment could be rotated (assuming expansive joints that connect them to compensate for geometry changes), the floor during deceleration would provide artificial gravity and the ring would stop spinning.
This would work fine... IF... the floor of the compartments in the ring did not need to be curved in (b). So, science folks, what do you think? Will the flat flooring work or will it be terrible for the folks inside? Assume constant linear acceleration is impossible in the acceleration phase due to fuel and weight requirements--so for the sake of the question, changing phase (a) profile is impossible.
What problems would this create for the astronauts onboard? This whole scenario arises from basic starship needs:
a. They must accelerate to whatever velocity. Assume (a) has been solved and astronauts are only conscious during (b) and (c).
b. Period of straight travel with zero velocity adjustment.
c. Extended period of deceleration--think two or more years, at <1g. In (b), the ring centrifuge would provide livable artificial gravity.
However, when you transition to (c), if the ring is still spinning, not only will you have a vector pushing the astronauts outside the ring, but you will have an additional vector at 90 degrees to the first vector due to the decelerative force. This would make astronauts very sick--thus creating an interesting problem... With flat flooring, each compartment could be rotated (assuming expansive joints that connect them to compensate for geometry changes), the floor during deceleration would provide artificial gravity and the ring would stop spinning.
This would work fine... IF... the floor of the compartments in the ring did not need to be curved in (b). So, science folks, what do you think? Will the flat flooring work or will it be terrible for the folks inside? Assume constant linear acceleration is impossible in the acceleration phase due to fuel and weight requirements--so for the sake of the question, changing phase (a) profile is impossible.
