US 11,884,425 B2
Spacecraft with artificial gravity modules
Robert Weber Mah, Cupertino, CA (US)
Assigned to United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of NASA
Filed by United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of NASA, Washington, DC (US)
Filed on Mar. 4, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/653,644.
Prior Publication US 2023/0278728 A1, Sep. 7, 2023
Int. Cl. B64G 1/46 (2006.01); B64G 1/60 (2006.01)
CPC B64G 1/46 (2013.01) [B64G 1/60 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of generating artificial gravity environments in spacecraft modules, the method comprising:
operating a frame in space, the frame forming a portion of a spacecraft, the frame having a first track defining a center and a rotation axis extending through the center, the first track defining a path surrounding the center;
engaging a first module and a second module to the first track of the frame, the first module configured to engage the first track to travel along the first track in a circular-type path with curvilinear motion and generate an artificial gravity environment within the first module, and a second module configured to engage the first track at a location relative to the first module that minimizes mass imbalance for the spacecraft, the second module configured to travel along the first track in the circular-type path with curvilinear motion and generate an artificial gravity environment within the second module; and
mass balancing the first module relative to the second module to reduce gyroscopic precession and nutation or wobble of the frame, wherein said mass balancing comprises:
sensing load imbalance between the first and second modules; and
adjusting weight distribution of the first and second modules.