Flying into space and beyond alien planets may sound like the music of the future, but in a few decades it may be commonplace. Colonization of the Moon and Mars is already being planned. Few can imagine a human crew traveling for many years without artificial gravity. A startup called Vast is based in California. He is working on the development of the first space station with artificial gravity. Artificial gravity will greatly increase human productivity in space.
The future of space travel
The company is working on technologies that build the cornerstones of space travel. With a team of exceptional engineers, industry experts, and an aerospace engineer and former vice president at SpaceX, Hans Koenigsmann, the company aims to create a setting where people can live as well as work in space.
“Vast’s mission is to enable a future where millions of people are living across the solar system,” said Jed McCaleb, who worked on projects such as Stellar, the Astera Institute, Ripple, and eDonkey2000.
“The solar system has an incredible amount of resources. If we had access to those resources, our civilization could grow and thrive while preserving our planet. Once large populations of humans can live in space, we can create the industry and infrastructure needed to access those resources at scale.”
“I have always believed in leveraging technology to reduce inefficiency and improve the human condition. To expand human habitation in space, we have to create technologies that perfect sustainability,” McCaleb added.
How big will the space station be? The company’s space station will be able to accommodate over 40 people and measure 100 meters in length.
Zero gravity is dangerous for the body
For many people, the idea of being in a place with zero gravity can be fascinating. You can bounce off walls, do somersaults in the air, and swim in the air. If this state were to last for a long time, it is not pleasant and zero gravity also has a bad effect on human health. With long-term exposure to zero gravity, bone mass decreases, muscle mass also decreases, and brain damage can also occur.
Being in such conditions is not natural for the human body. McCaleb’s innovative idea targets providing a healthier environment for long-term missions through artificial gravity. A gravity-like pull is created through centrifugal force occurring thanks to a large spinning structure. Thanks to such technology, the organism will no longer suffer so much in space conditions.
“We still crave new frontiers, with many of us spending our lives anticipating the time when space will be unlocked for us,” said McCaleb. “By pushing our frontiers and expanding our habitat into the vastness of space, we may actually preserve Earth for thousands of years and generations to come.”
Ambitious plans
The goal of this startup is very ambitious. Society would like to create such conditions that allow safe travel in the solar system. McCaleb once told his friends that he would mine asteroids if he ever had lots of money, Space News reported. And after leading three successful cryptocurrency companies, he delved into solving problems preventing humanity from further exploring the solar system. Space tourism is expected to become increasingly popular. More and more companies want to get involved in space exploration, and different countries are constantly competing with each other. It will be fascinating to watch the progress in this area.
Resources:
https://www.vast.space/press-releases/vast-launches
