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\nA decade ago, as Europe\u2019s Columbus laboratory module was attached to the International Space Station for microgravity research, ESA\u2019s Large Diameter Centrifuge began offering lengthy experiments in hypergravity.\n<\/p>\n
\nThe principle is simple: the 8 m-diameter four-arm centrifuge is set spinning at up to 67 revs per minute, creating up to 20 times normal Earth gravity for weeks or even months at a time.\n<\/p>\n
\nAs part of ESA\u2019s Life and Physical Sciences Instrumentation Laboratory<\/a> at the Agency\u2019s technical centre in the Netherlands, the centrifuge\u2019s development was supported by the Dutch government and its use is encouraged by the European Low Gravity Research Association<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n \nFor the last decade<\/a> it has been a place of pilgrimage for researchers, including student experimenters on regular Spin Your Thesis campaigns.\n<\/p>\n \nTomorrow sees a celebration of the centrifuge\u2019s first decade<\/a>, giving its team the opportunity to hear from their users about desired upgrades and new research ideas.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \nA decade ago, as Europe’s Columbus laboratory module was attached to the International Space Station for microgravity research, ESA’s Large Diameter Centrifuge began offering lengthy experiments in hypergravity.\n<\/p>\n \nThe principle is simple: the 8 m-diameter four-arm centrifuge is set spinning at up to 67 revs per minute, creating up to 20 times normal Earth gravity for weeks or even months at a time.\n<\/p>\n \nAs part of ESA’s Life and Physical Sciences Instrumentation Laboratory<\/a> at the Agency’s technical centre in the Netherlands, the centrifuge’s development was supported by the Dutch government and its use is encouraged by the European Low Gravity Research Association<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n