posted on Aug, 23 2004 @ 01:51 AM
It might be nice to travel in orbit for a week or so, but when you talk about living in space, you have to consider the problems of microgravity.
Humans lose bone mass around the base of the spine and pelvis at a rate of 1% per month, and there are problems with the circulatory system (enlarged
heart) and atrophy of the muscles. Each month in microgravity is equivalent to a month of bed rest, not good for you. Any permanent space facility
must have artificial gravity induced by spin, and this presents its own problems with docking, and with gravity being different depending on the
distance one is from the spinning axis. I think permanent facilities, not to mention civilian hotels, are a long way off.