The Story Behind the Spin: The Human Centrifuge in Aerospace Medicine

Perhaps best known as a fiendish torture device from which James Bond escaped, or an exhausting experience during flying training, the human centrifuge has been pivotal to advancements in aviation and space medicine over the last 80 years.  In this presentation, the story of the struggle against G force is told from the perspective of the human centrifuge.  In addition to understanding how it contributed to the development of modern day G protection, some of the technical challenges associated with the device will be explored. From a past rooted in research and development to possible futures in flight simulation and human spaceflight, the story of the centrifuge will be revealed in this Stewart Memorial Lecture.