“Space-BEE: Space Biomedical Exercise Environment” A Personal Centrifuge within an Inflatable Structure

This paper presents a conceptual design of a short-radius centrifuge for orbital application, contained in an inflatable structure.

The objectives of this design are: to support the physical effectiveness of the crew by offering an exercise facility; to provide a test bed for biomedical experiments on human centrifugation in orbit; and to offer recreational benefits during long periods of confinement. The use of a pneumatic structure that can expand in orbit allows maximizing the radius of the centrifuge within mass and launch constraints.

The proposed project is composed of elements with standard interfaces; its environmental design is based on human factor considerations from biomedical literature, and it respects current ergonomics and NASA standards.