I agree that a "long term fractional g spin test" is one of the most valuable things a LEO station can do. But there are others too.

For example, medical interventions against zero-g decay can be tested in any microgravity, spin or no spin. Development of in-space manufacturing and assembly can happen on any sufficiently capable space station.

All of that, however, requires a good amount of ambition. And I'm not sure if NASA under the current political system can deliver ambition.

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le-mark 2 days ago | parent [-]

> For example, medical interventions against zero-g decay

This seems obvious but I’ve never heard of anyone working on a drug to address it. Strapping astronauts to a treadmill yes, pills no.

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MagicMoonlight 2 days ago | parent [-]

Because that’s like saying you’ll develop a fuel additive to stop the body from rusting. Physical damage and weakness can’t be stopped by a pill.

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ACCount37 2 days ago | parent | next [-]

"Body" is a pile of elaborate biochemistry. The muscles don't somehow evaporate when you stop exercising - it's the processes of the body itself that trim the "excess" muscle tissue.

And if it's the body doing that, you can, in theory, find a biochemical way to make it stop doing that.

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mrits 2 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

"Physical damage and weakness can’t be stopped by a pill."

If you rephrase that to correct English then it would make sense. We aren't trying to stop physical damage or weakness we are trying to prevent it from happening. Pills can prevent many things that cause this.

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avmich 2 days ago | parent | prev [-]

Seems like a very broad statement. Do you have anything to confirm this opinion?

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Rumudiez 2 days ago | parent [-]

Do you have any grounds to deny it? If it were easy it would have been done already

	▲	avmich a day ago \| parent [-]
		No, but I'm not making a statement.