Velocity control and terrain selection for gravity moderation

Abstract

A system, method, and apparatus is described for providing a reduced or moderated gravity environment in a terrestrial payload. The system includes the evaluation of terrain to support an appropriately shaped vehicle guide, the construction of a vehicle guide, the provision of a high-speed vehicle and a control system adapted to control a motion of the vehicle across the vehicle guide with a specific velocity profile so as to produce a moderated gravity environment.

1 . A gravity moderation apparatus comprising:
 a terrestrial vehicle, said terrestrial vehicle being adapted to support a payload; and   a vehicle guide, said vehicle guide being adapted to guide said terrestrial vehicle along a defined pathway so as to produce a substantially moderated gravity condition therewithin, said vehicle guide being supported by a beneficially configured macroscopic terrain feature between a first injection point and a second recovery point.   
     
     
         2 . A gravity moderation apparatus as defined in  claim 1  wherein said beneficially configured macroscopic terrain feature comprises a generally parabolic terrain feature. 
     
     
         3 . A gravity moderation apparatus as defined in  claim 1  wherein said terrestrial vehicle further comprises an internal surface region, said internal surface region defining a cavity within said terrestrial vehicle, said cavity being adapted to receive said payload therewithin. 
     
     
         4 . A gravity moderation apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a leveling mechanism, said leveling mechanism being adapted to substantially maintain said payload in a particular orientation with respect to a ground plane below said terrestrial vehicle during a particular time interval. 
     
     
         5 . A gravity moderation apparatus as defined in  claim 1  wherein said payload is adapted to produce a process result related to said moderated gravity condition. 
     
     
         6 . A gravity moderation apparatus as defined in  claim 5  wherein said process result comprises a result related to a light pulse atom interferometry process. 
     
     
         7 . A gravity moderation apparatus as defined in  claim 5  wherein said process result comprises a result related to a fluid convection process. 
     
     
         8 . A gravity moderation apparatus as defined in  claim 5  wherein said process result comprises a result related to a material crystallization process. 
     
     
         9 . A gravity moderation apparatus as defined in  claim 5  wherein said process result comprises a result related to a phase transition heat transfer process. 
     
     
         10 . A gravity moderation apparatus as defined in  claim 1  wherein said payload is adapted to produce a material having a characteristic related to said moderated gravity condition. 
     
     
         11 . A gravity moderation apparatus as defined in  claim 10  wherein said material comprises a crystalline material. 
     
     
         12 . A gravity moderation apparatus as defined in  claim 10  wherein said material comprises a metallic material. 
     
     
         13 . A gravity moderation apparatus as defined in  claim 10  wherein said material comprises a polymeric material. 
     
     
         14 . A gravity moderation apparatus as defined in  claim 1  wherein said payload includes human operating personnel. 
     
     
         15 . A gravity moderation apparatus as defined in  claim 1  wherein said payload includes a human occupant and said moderated gravity condition includes an entertainment experience. 
     
     
         16 . A gravity moderation apparatus as defined in  claim 1  wherein a vertically projected distance between said injection point and said recovery point is at least about 3 km. 
     
     
         17 . A gravity moderation apparatus as defined in  claim 1  wherein a vertically projected distance between said injection point and said recovery point is at least about 10 km. 
     
     
         18 . A method of providing a moderated gravity environment comprising:
 identifying a beneficial macroscopic terrain feature;   deploying a vehicle guide across said macroscopic terrain feature;   supporting a payload with a terrestrial vehicle;   operating said terrestrial vehicle along said vehicle guide so as to subject said payload to said moderated gravity environment.   
     
     
         19 . A method of providing a moderated gravity environment as defined in  claim 18  wherein said operating said terrestrial vehicle along said vehicle guide so as to subject said payload to said moderated gravity environment comprises subjecting said payload to a substantially zero gravity environment. 
     
     
         20 . A method of providing a moderated gravity environment as defined in  claim 18  wherein said operating said terrestrial vehicle further comprises controlling said terrestrial vehicle with a computerized control device according to a predetermined velocity profile. 
     
     
         21 . A method of providing a moderated gravity environment as defined in  claim 18  wherein said operating said terrestrial vehicle along said vehicle guide comprises diverting a high-speed rail vehicle from a regular intercity route onto a secondary route, said secondary route including said vehicle guide. 
     
     
         22 . A method of providing an environment having a moderated gravity characteristic comprising:
 diverting a high-speed rail vehicle from a regular intercity route onto a secondary route, said secondary route including a guide structure, said guide structure traversing a substantially parabolic terrain region, said guide structure defining a substantially parabolic pathway; and   operating said high-speed rail vehicle according to a preferred velocity profile across said substantially parabolic pathway so as to convey said vehicle substantially along a space-time geodesic.   
     
     
         23 . A method of providing an environment having a moderated gravity characteristic as defined in  claim 22  wherein conveying said vehicle along said space-time geodesic comprises operating said vehicle to provide an inertial environment within a payload coupled to said high-speed rail vehicle.