Editing Artificial gravity (section)

==== Health benefits ====
[[File:Jsc2004e18862.jpg|thumb|Artificial gravity has been suggested for interplanetary journeys to Mars]]
Artificial gravity has been suggested as a solution to various health risks associated with spaceflight.<ref name="ncbi.nlm.nih.gov" /> In 1964, the [[Soviet]] space program believed that a human could not survive more than 14 days in space for fear that the [[heart]] and [[blood vessels]] would be unable to adapt to the weightless conditions.<ref>{{cite journal|jstor=3947769|title=Weightlessness Obstacle to Space Survival|date=April 4, 1964|journal=The Science News-Letter|volume=86|issue=7|pages=103}}</ref> This fear was eventually discovered to be unfounded as spaceflights have now lasted up to 437 consecutive days,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/04/24/525374569/astronaut-peggy-whitson-sets-new-nasa-record-for-most-days-in-space|title=Astronaut Peggy Whitson Sets NASA Record For Most Days In Space|newspaper=NPR|date=April 24, 2017|access-date=April 4, 2018|last1=Chappell|first1=Bill}}</ref> with missions aboard the International Space Station commonly lasting 6 months. However, the question of human safety in space did launch an investigation into the physical effects of prolonged exposure to weightlessness. In June 1991, the Spacelab Life Sciences 1 on the [[Space Shuttle]] flight [[STS-40]] flight performed 18 experiments on two men and two women over nine days. In an environment without gravity, it was concluded that the response of [[white blood cells]] and [[muscle]] mass decreased. Additionally, within the first 24 hours spent in a weightless environment, [[blood volume]] decreased by 10%.<ref name="jstor.org">{{cite journal|jstor=1311819|title=Artificial Gravity and Space Travel|first=Leonard|last=David|date=April 4, 1992|journal=BioScience|volume=42|issue=3|pages=155–159|doi=10.2307/1311819}}</ref><ref name="popularmechanics.com"/><ref name="iaaweb.org"/> Long periods of weightlessness can cause brain swelling and eyesight problems.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://phys.org/news/2012-03-prolonged-space-brain-eye-abnormalities.html |title = Prolonged space travel causes brain and eye abnormalities in astronauts}}</ref> Upon return to Earth, the effects of prolonged weightlessness continue to affect the human body as fluids pool back to the lower body, the [[heart rate]] rises, a drop in [[blood pressure]] occurs, and there is a reduced tolerance for [[exercise]].<ref name="jstor.org"/>

Artificial gravity, for its ability to [[mimic]] the behavior of gravity on the human body, has been suggested as one of the most encompassing manners of combating the physical effects inherent in weightless environments. Other measures that have been suggested as symptomatic treatments include exercise, diet, and [[Pingvin exercise suit|Pingvin suits]]. However, criticism of those methods lies in the fact that they do not fully eliminate health problems and require a variety of solutions to address all issues. Artificial gravity, in contrast, would remove the weightlessness inherent in space travel. By implementing artificial gravity, space travelers would never have to experience weightlessness or the associated side effects.<ref name="iaaweb.org"/> Especially in a modern-day six-month journey to [[Mars]], exposure to artificial gravity is suggested in either a continuous or intermittent form to prevent extreme debilitation to the astronauts during travel.<ref name="ncbi.nlm.nih.gov" />