Degrav (IF)
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| Solar Hard SF Setting |
Degrav & Suspended Animation
You said: Would suspended animation reduce the dangers of degrav over time?
What suspended animation helps
Muscle & bone loss: Torpor/hibernation-like states suppress metabolism and remodeling; animals in torpor show far less atrophy than awake bedrest. Expect slower loss of strength and bone mineral in degrav.
Immune wear & tear / inflammation: Lower metabolic activity means fewer stressors and less chronic inflammation.
Calorie/consumables burn: Greatly reduced—handy for long transits.
What it doesn’t fix
No gravity = no loading. Even in torpor, your skeleton isn’t bearing weight. You’ll still have some deconditioning unless you add loading (e.g., spin gravity).
Fluid shift & SANS risk: Headward fluid shift (the eye/vision issue) can still occur; torpor might blunt it, but doesn’t eliminate it.
Radiation exposure: Torpor doesn’t block GCR/solar particles. You still need shielding.
Clotting & pressure injuries: Low movement adds DVT and tissue-risk concerns unless managed.
Practical takeaways for IB
Best combo: Suspended animation plus even mild artificial gravity (slow spin) → biggest reduction in degrav harm.
If no AG: Add countermeasures: periodic electrical muscle stimulation, bone-protective meds (setting-equivalents of bisphosphonates), careful fluid/salt management, anticoagulation protocols, and eye/ICP monitoring.
Wake-up cost: Plan a rehab window on arrival (reloading, vestibular reconditioning), shorter than if the crew stayed awake but not zero.
So: suspended animation reduces the dangers of long degrav stints—especially muscle/bone loss and general physiological “wear”—but you still need gravity or substitutes for full protection, plus radiation shielding either way.
You said: What onset time for degrav would this give in Lunar and Micro grav, respectively?
Here’s a simple, game-useful yardstick for onset of meaningful deconditioning (“degrav”) under two gravities, comparing awake crews vs suspended animation/torpor. Times are how long until effects are noticeable enough to matter (coordination, strength/endurance, orthostatic issues), then when they become operationally significant.
Micro-g (≈0 g)
Awake:
Minor: 3–7 days
Moderate: 2–4 weeks
Severe: 6–12 weeks
Suspended animation: (slowed catabolism/loading loss)
Minor: 2–3 weeks
Moderate: 6–10 weeks
Severe: 4–6 months
Lunar-g (≈0.17 g)
Awake:
Minor: 2–4 weeks
Moderate: 2–3 months
Severe: 6–12 months
Suspended animation:
Minor: 6–8 weeks
Moderate: 5–7 months
Severe: 12–18+ months
Notes you can use in play
“Minor” = light penalties to fine motor/orthostatics; “Moderate” = strength/endurance hits, vestibular trouble; “Severe” = mission-limiting without rehab.
Add spin/AG, EMS, drugs, or periodic wake-and-load cycles to push those thresholds further right; poor shielding/fluids/fit pushes them left.