Microgravity Quality: Not All Orbits Are Equally Quiet
Why does the quality of microgravity differ between platforms, and why does it matter for manufacturing?
Chapter summary
"microgravity" is not zero gravity.
Key takeaways
- 1
Every platform has residual accelerations: from atmospheric drag, from the platform's rotation, from thrusters and, on crewed stations, from people moving, exercising and running machinery.
- 2
These disturbances, often called g-jitter, stir fluids and can undo the very effect a process depends on.
- 3
A free-flyer with no crew and few moving parts is typically quieter than a station; a station offers time, power and people.
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