Space Station with Gravity 😊

After Russia patented space station designed to generate artificial gravity, I received a question about the feasibility of the idea.

Generating gravity does not require magic and is not impossible like cold fusion. However, generating a LEO space station with gravity does not make sense. Most of the research conducted on ISS is related to microgravity. If you have gravity on your research center than it is much cheaper and easier to conduct the experiment on Earth. Other than microgravity a sealed and air-filled ISS does not provide much over a research facility on the ground.

With the availability of frequent launches to ISS, the people working in microgravity environment can be replaced frequently. During their stay they can have rotating beds to experience gravity for several hours. Rotating a bed is much simpler than rotating the hole space station. People are dreaming and even willing to pay money to experience microgravity so as the scientists who are willing to conduct an experiment there. Then, you spend billions of dollars to evaporate the dream and bring back gravity to LEO which is available for free a couple hundred km below.

From my article on February 21, 2025

I propose we build an International Extraterrestrial Space Station at LEO like the old ISS but for robots only. It would be modular but the main difference would be an asteroid like rock formation with lunar regolith on its surface. This formation would be held in a transparent shell guided by the control modules. The shell containing the asteroid can be rotated on its axis to create artificial gravity on its surface to mimic the gravity of the Moon, Mars or an Asteroid. The closed shell can also be filled with appropriate gases to simulate the atmosphere and the pressure. The transparent walls would allow Sun rays to penetrate inside.

A Lunar or Mars rover would then be tested on this setup.