TransformerRobot Posted July 15, 2012 Posted July 15, 2012 Considering it would be far away from the nearest planet, moon, etc., there wouldn't be much gravity on a space station, so how would the occupants of a space station keep their feet on the floor? Is that possible on the International Space Station? If it is, how do they do it when in such a weak gravitational pull?
Greg H. Posted July 15, 2012 Posted July 15, 2012 (edited) If they really needed to they could use loops, straps, or velcro pads. In this image, the astronaut on the right appears to have his feet tucked under two blue bars on the floor to keep himself anchored while he works. Edited July 15, 2012 by Greg H.
TransformerRobot Posted July 15, 2012 Author Posted July 15, 2012 What about heavier footwear? Would that work too?
Cap'n Refsmmat Posted July 15, 2012 Posted July 15, 2012 What about heavier footwear? Would that work too? No. Everything, heavy or not, is weightless on the ISS. You have to make creative use of Velcro, handholds, and footholds. There's not really a need to keep your feet on the floor anyway. After some practice maneuvering, astronauts get fairly comfortable moving around without gravity's assistance.
swansont Posted July 15, 2012 Posted July 15, 2012 Considering it would be far away from the nearest planet, moon, etc., there wouldn't be much gravity on a space station, so how would the occupants of a space station keep their feet on the floor? Is that possible on the International Space Station? If it is, how do they do it when in such a weak gravitational pull? The gravitational acceleration onboard the ISS is only marginally smaller than on earth, i.e. the gravitational pull is not weak. The issue is that the occupants are in free fall.
D H Posted July 15, 2012 Posted July 15, 2012 Is that possible on the International Space Station? If it is, how do they do it when in such a weak gravitational pull? What weak gravity pull? Astronauts and cosmonauts do float around weightlessly aboard the Space Station. The reason is not that gravitation is weak. It isn't. The acceleration due to gravity at the Space Station's altitude is about 90% of the acceleration due to gravity on the ground. Rhetorical question: So if gravitation is still strong at the Space Station's altitude, why do the astronauts and cosmonauts float around in the Station, why are conditions aboard the Station called weightlessness? The answer is that you don't feel gravity. You feel everything but gravity. Suppose you go to an amusement park and take one of those rides where you sit in a chair that is raised up high and then released. You feel a bit queazy when the chair is released. Your guts, your inner ear, your bones tell you that something is very different. You are feeling weightless! Something is very different. What's different is not gravity. It hasn't changed. What's different is that for a brief moment, you don't feel the chair pushing upwards on your rear, with that upward force propagating throughout your body. You are briefly in free fall, and this is exactly the condition the astronauts are in 24/7. 1
John Cuthber Posted July 15, 2012 Posted July 15, 2012 It's easier to just redefine "floor" as meaning whatever is "below" your feet.
Greg H. Posted July 15, 2012 Posted July 15, 2012 It's easier to just redefine "floor" as meaning whatever is "below" your feet. No no - we're missing an amazing opportunity here. We define floor to be whatever is under my back. That way I am always working while laying down! (Score one for laziness.)
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