Simplified equations for object trajectories in rotating space habitats and space juggling

preprint OA: closed
View at publisher

Abstract

Abstract Rotating space habitats provide artificial gravity as a physiological countermeasure for long term space habitation, though the lived experience of a person in these habitats requires further investigation. Movement planning will require adaptation to the Coriolis and centrifugal forces. The multicultural arts of juggling can provide psycho-physiological countermeasures and interesting insights into movement planning and arts in both microgravity and rotating localities. Previously developed equations of motion for thrown objects in rotating habitats have not been centered within the lived rotating environment. Here I show as set of simplified equations for object trajectories in rotating environments and their underlying mathematical framework. The full set of possible trajectories for objects thrown in rotating environments is provided and a simplified approach to the Coriolis and centrifugal force differential equation using complex algebra is demonstrated. On Earth, thrown objects travel along parabolas. In rotating space environments, thrown objects will travel along a set of mathematical curves known as roulettes, created by a fixed circle and rolling line with generator point connected to the line. These roulette trajectories will be the everyday experience of every person living on a rotating space habitat forever.

My notes (saved in your browser only)

Citation neighborhood (no data yet)

We don't have any in-corpus citations linked to this paper yet. The paper's references may be in our DB but unresolved to ``paper_id`` (resolution happens at ingest when the cited DOI matches a row we already have). Run the cross-source citation reconcile pass to retry.

Source provenance

europepmc
last seen: 2026-05-19T01:45:01.086888+00:00