Terrestrial Microgravity Model and Threshold Gravity Simulation Using Magnetic Fields

Reduced gravity has adverse effects on the human body–muscle atrophy, bone loss, depressed immune system, circulatory problems, etc. This is a major obstacle for long duration exploration missions. Knowledge of g-thresholds is important for crew vehicle design for transport to Mars (e.g. artificial gravity prescriptions) and there is a critical need for terrestrial variable g-level simulators (moon, Mars, other). Diamagnetic levitation offers this capability and can be readily used for establishing and testing g-threshold levels, testing gravity prescriptions for artificial gravity applications, and further can serve as a test-bed for evaluating countermeasures. This paper provides an introduction to the technique as well as a discussion of ongoing research in this important area.