316 results about "Low Gravity" patented technology

A system for capturing and docking an active craft to a passive craft has a first docking assembly on the active craft with a first contact member and a spike projecting outwardly, a second docking assembly on the passive craft having a second contact member and a flexible net deployed over a target area with an open mesh for capturing the end of the spike of the active craft, and a motorized net drive for reeling in the net and active craft to mate with the passive craft's docking assembly. The spike has extendable tabs to allow it to become engaged with the net. The net's center is coupled to a net spool for reeling in. An alignment funnel has inclined walls to guide the net and captured spike towards the net spool. The passive craft's docking assembly includes circumferentially spaced preload wedges which are driven to lock the wedges against the contact member of the active craft. The active craft's docking assembly includes a rotary table and drive for rotating it to a predetermined angular alignment position, and mating connectors are then engaged with each other. The system may be used for docking spacecraft in zero or low-gravity environments, as well as for docking underwater vehicles, docking of ancillary craft to a mother craft in subsonic flight, in-flight refueling systems, etc.

An electrochemical cell system includes a hydrogen electrode; an oxygen electrode; a membrane disposed between the hydrogen electrode and the oxygen electrode; and a compartmentalized storage tank. The compartmentalized storage tank has a first fluid storage section and a second fluid storage section separated by a movable divider. The compartmentalized storage tank is in fluid communication with the electrochemical cell. Further, an electrochemical cell includes a hydrogen electrode; an oxygen electrode; an electrolyte membrane disposed between and in intimate contact with the hydrogen electrode and said oxygen electrode; an oxygen flow field disposed adjacent to and in intimate contact with the oxygen electrode; a hydrogen flow field disposed adjacent to and in intimate contact with the hydrogen electrode; a water flow field disposed in fluid communication with the oxygen flow field; and a media divider disposed between the oxygen flow field and the water flow field.

A bioreactor apparatus and cell culturing system is provided for the automated cultivation and processing of living cells remotely both on earth and in low gravity which utilizes a generally cylindrical reactor vessel that may be optionally rotated about its cylindrical axis while allowing the entrance of fresh or recycled fluid and the removal, optionally, of spent medium, medium to be recycled or filtered or unfiltered medium for the collection of samples. A method of exchanging gases between the culture medium and ambient gases is provided. A fresh-medium storage bag and peristaltic pump is used for batch feeding, perfusion or sample collection. An enclosure and manifold representing an additional level of chemical containment and a series of pinch valves for the periodic collection of samples of suspended cells or cell-free medium is disposed therein together with a humidity control system. The bioreactor is computer controlled in order to control all functions including rotation of the reactor vessel, feeding fresh medium, perfusing the reactor vessel, timed collection of samples of fluid from the reactor, selecting between collecting cells or cell-free supernatant. A sealed compartment for sample-collection bags provides a level of chemical containment for safety. A sealed external housing is used for all components of the device except the power supply and computer. An external loop and electronic video microscope provides real-time and recorded and / or transmitted observation of cells in the suspension.

The invention provides a cable drive robot device for simulating the zero-gravity or low-gravity environment. The cable drive robot device comprises a basic frame, cables, cable drive units, cable guide devices, a simulation loading platform, sensors and a control system. The eight cables are arranged in a spatially-symmetric mode, wherein four cables are arranged at the upper portion and the other four cables are arranged at the lower portion. The cables are lengthened or shortened through the drive units driven by motors according to instructions of the control system. The control system conducts closed-loop or semi-closed-loop control over the length and the force of the cables according to force and displacement data given by the sensors, so that movement of the simulation loading platform in the zero-gravity or low-gravity environment is simulated. Meanwhile, one or more cables can be selected and used for being overlapped to apply external interference force. According to the experiment device, the defect that work space is limited or dynamism is insufficient in a traditional simulation method is overcome and six-freedom-degree movement control and stress simulation of the simulation loading platform in the zero-gravity or low-gravity environment can be achieved.

The apparatus is a capillary loop evaporator in which the vapor space is the internal volume of a cup shaped evaporator wick with sidewalls in full contact with the outer casing of the evaporator. Liquid is furnished to the wick through thicker wick wall sections, slabs protruding from the liquid-vapor barrier wick, eccentric wick cross sections, or tunnel arteries. The tunnel arteries can also be formed within heat flow reducing ridges protruding into the vapor space. The tunnel arteries can be fed liquid by bayonet tubes or cable arteries, and can be isolated from the heat source with regions of finer wick to impede vapor flow into the liquid. Tunnel arteries also enable separation of the evaporator and the reservoir for thermal isolation and structural flexibility. A wick within the reservoir aids collection of liquid in low gravity applications.

The invention discloses a bionic aircraft. Series parallelogram telescopic main wings (2, 3) are symmetrically assembled on the left and the right above a body (1), bidirectional parallel parallelogram telescopic flat tail wings (4) are assembled in back of the body (1), undercarriage shock absorbers (40, 41, 42) arranged in three points are assembled below the body (1), undercarriage wheels (5, 6, 7) are assembled at one end of each of the shock absorbers (40, 41, 42) respectively, a driving cabin (8) and a safety umbrella cabin (9) are assembled above the body (1), the driving cabin (8) is positioned in front of the safety umbrella cabin (9), a solid rocket jato (10) is assembled at the lower gravity center position of the body (1), and the central axis of the solid rocket jato (10) and the central axis of the body (1) form an included angle of 10 to 15 degrees downwards. A nozzle faces to the lower rear part, a nose (11) is assembled in front of the body (1), and a power transmission mechanism and an operating system are assembled in the body (1). Because of the adoption of a bionic technology, the aircraft can simulate various flying postures of birds; the amplitude and frequency modulation transmission mechanism is favorable for rising, landing and flying of the aircraft; by adopting human-machine hybrid power, the aircraft has no pollution; because of good folding property of main rings, the aircraft is convenient for transportation; and the aircraft can be used for sports, escape, downhill race, patrol and the like.

This invention relates to screw stake, making screw stake equipment and the making method. The making screw stake equipment is mainly composed of the engine body, the oil cylinder, the hydraulic electric engine, the automation equipment and the transfer piping. The power head is installed on the engine body base's stand support. The hydraulic electric engine is installed on the engine body's base. The hydraulic electric engine connects with the power head through the power head. The drill pipe's clamp apparatus connects with the power's removable clamp apparatus. The transfer piping connects with the inner drill pipe. The automation equipment separately connects with the hydraulic electric engine and the oil cylinder. This invention has the following advantages: the power output saves electricity and time, it enlarges the equipment's application range and the construction speed excels other similar inventions evidently; the equipment adopts the extensible drill pipe, the drill's drilling depth largely improves; the three independent drill heads' structure has the unique ability of thrice enlarging aperture; it realizes the revolution and the raising to keep synchronous and non- synchronous; it adopts low gravity center pile frame, the equipment's weight is reduced evidently, the safety improves; it realizes the stake's stirring and evidently improves the stake's uniformity

The invention discloses a large double-curve steel structure cooling tower for a power plant. The large double-curve steel structure cooling tower comprises linear inclined vertical columns, intersected nodes and reinforcing rings, wherein a steel structure cooling tower framework consists of a vertical line rotary array formed by encircling the linear inclined vertical columns around an upper circle center and a lower circle center of the tower; intersected positions of the linear inclined vertical columns are the nodes; and along the height direction of the tower, 3 to 5 reinforcing rings are required to be arranged. The tower is over 150 meters high, and the diameter of the lower part of the tower is about 150 meters. The large double-curve steel structure cooling tower is a novel steel structure cooling tower replacing a concrete thin-shell double-curve cooling tower, is suitable for indirect cooling units with the capacities of 125 MW or over 125 MW, can be applied to those extremely cold places in which the concrete cooling tower cannot be used, and has the characteristics of low gravity, high construction speed, simple foundation treatment operation, low comprehensive manufacturing cost, high anti-seismic and anti-wind performance, low post-maintenance cost and the like.

A device in connection with a separator for separation of a multiphase fluid, including a preferably cylindrical container (1) with an inlet (2), a first outlet (3) for liquid with a higher gravity (for example water), a second outlet (4) for liquid with a lower gravity (for example oil) and a third outlet (5) for gas. A pipe separator (6) is connected to the inlet (2) of the container (1). The pipe separator (6) constitutes a continuation of a supply pipe (7) for supplying the fluid to be separated and extends partially into the container (1).

The invention discloses a device and method for simulating low gravity. The device for simulating low gravity mainly comprises multiple constant-tension control systems and a movable and rotary three-degree-of-freedom comprehensive platform, a control subsystem, a main hanging structure and a multi-hanging-point combined control system, wherein the constant-tension control systems are used for controlling the tension of hanging ropes within the range of the vertical operating stroke according to a command, the multiple constant-tension control systems are connected to the lower portion of the movable and rotary three-degree-of-freedom comprehensive platform and are connected with a simulated low-gravity object through the hanging ropes, the posture parameter of the multiple constant-tension control systems serve as the control information of the movable and rotary three-degree-of-freedom comprehensive platform after being coupled, the main hanging structure is arranged on a servo comprehensive platform, and the multi-hanging-point combined control system calculates the current hanging force values of all hanging points and guarantees that the hanging force meets the set gravity requirement according to the position posture of the simulated low-gravity object, and the hanging force passes through the center of mass of the simulated low-gravity object. According to the low-gravity simulating device, the stress condition of all movable parts of moving mechanisms and the stress condition of the positions where the movable parts are connected can be represented truly so that the device can be adapted to the real-time change of the center of mass.

The invention provides a joint type manipulator low gravity compensation system comprising a support, an upper platform, a right-angle type tracking platform, a polar-coordinate type tracking platform, a gravity compensation system body, a suspending device and a control system. The upper platform is mounted on the support, the right-angle type tracking platform is capable of moving corresponding to the X and Y directions of the upper platform, the polar-coordinate type tracking platform is mounted below the right-angle type tracking platform and is capable of rotating around the Z-axis of the right-angle type tracking platform or moving in the X and Y directions with the polar-coordinate type tracking platform, the gravity compensation system body is mounted on the top of the right-angle type tracking platform and the bottom of the polar-coordinate type tracking platform, the suspending device is connected between the gravity compensation system body and a joint type manipulator, and the control system is use for monitoring and controlling the components. The right-angle type tracking platform and the polar-coordinate type tracking platform are combined, multiple joint manipulator complex movement tracking is implemented, the system can be adaptive to movement tracking of manipulators of carriers with different postures, multiple manipulator suspension and multiple suspending point coordinated movement are implemented, gravity compensation is low, and accuracy is high.

An integrated formwork system for construction of a super high-rise building, comprising a climbing system in a stereoscopic structure formed by a successive enclosure of a plurality of climbing formwork units, a jacking system formed by a plurality of jacking units arranged side by side being disposed in the stereoscopic structure, and a working space formed between the climbing system and the jacking system, wherein the climbing formwork units located at a same side wall of the stereoscopic structure all correspond to the jacking units adjacent to the side wall and are capable of moving synchronously or separately, the jacking units are provided thereon with a vertical adjusting device and a horizontal adjusting device, and a plurality of groups of tensioning devices are disposed in each of the jacking units. Such formwork has light deadweight, a low gravity center, good structural safety, a broad construction work plane.

A system and method for supplying thrust to a structure, such as a satellite or spacecraft, for the purposes of station keeping and attitude control of the structure in low-gravity (orbital) and zero-gravity environments. The system includes devices for emitting energy beams and targets impacted by the energy beams to cause ablation of the targets. The beam-emitting devices and targets are adapted to cooperate and cause the structure to selectively undergo translational and / or rotational motion in reaction to the motion of material ablated from the targets. The position, alignment, and / or attitude of the structure can thereby be controlled in a zero or low-gravity environment by selectively emitting the energy beams at the targets.

The invention aims to provide a novel means of transportation, particularly a whole vehicle system of a motor vehicle, of which the length edge, the width edge and the height edge of a vehicle body under a triangular frame are telescopic in driving, the gravity center of the vehicle body can be adjusted up and down and left and right, and the vehicle body can be closed. The motor vehicle has the characteristics of the closed, safe and comfortable driving environment and the low-gravity and low wind resistance of a car, and the characteristics of the motorcycle that the vehicle body is small and light, and can be correspondingly inclined according to the driving speed and the turning radius; and under specific environments(such as slow driving, parking, elevators and rooms, and narrow roads), the motor vehicle can be contracted and deformed to the same width and length as the common wheel chair, and slowly runs.

The invention relates to a driving axle of a drive motor, in particular to a driving axle of an electric vehicle; the driving axle essentially comprises a motor, a differential, a first planetary gear reducer and a second planetary gear reducer. The driving axle is characterized in that the motor is arranged on the middle of the driving axle; one end of the motor is coaxially connected with the first planetary gear reducer and the other end is coaxially and sequentially connected with the differential and the second planetary gear reducer; a braking device is arranged between the differential and the second planetary gear reducer. The driving axle can save height space, achieve safe and reliable performance by integrating a driving braking system and a parking braking system into a whole, reduce the radial dimension of the reducer and ensure lower gravity center and more stable operation of the driving axle.

The invention provides a micro-low-gravity simulation apparatus and test method. The simulation apparatus comprises a magnetic guiding panel, a rotating mechanism, an arc guide rail, a suck-back typebearing, a pulley block, a suspension mechanism and a fixed pulley; the magnetic guiding panel and the arc guide rail are respectively horizontally arranged, and the center of the arc guide rail is disposed on a rotating axis of the rotating mechanism; the suck-back bearing is stabilized on a noncontact balance point of a bottom surface of the magnetic guiding panel; the suspension mechanism is suspended on the suck-back bearing by virtue of the pulley block, one end of a rope is fixed on a sliding block of the arc guide rail, and the other end passes by the first fixed pulley to be provided with a weight block in a suspension manner. By adopting the micro-low-gravity simulation apparatus of the invention, a low-cost micro-gravity simulation experimental environment is provided, the suck-back type bearing is combined with an air floatation technology and an electromagnetic technology, the micro-low-gravity simulation apparatus can be adsorbed on the lower surface of the magnetic guiding panel and can move freely in a bottom plane of the magnetic guiding panel; and moreover, the micro-low-gravity simulation apparatus has the advantages of no friction and no contact, so that the testinterference is greatly reduced, and the accuracy of a test simulation result is further improved.

An improved singlet delta oxygen generator (SOG) and method of its use are disclosed. The improved SOG is compact and scalable, capable of operating in a zero-gravity or low gravity environment, requires no gaseous diluent or buffer gas, and is capable of operating at pressures as high as one atmosphere. The improved SOG also efficiently utilizes the reactants and produces a O2(1Δ) stream that is largely free of chlorine and water vapor contamination and therefore does not require a BHP regeneration system or a water vapor trap. When used as part of a COIL system, the SOG may be part of a plenum that directly feeds the laser's nozzle. The close proximity of the SOG to the laser cavity allows operation of the SOG at higher pressures without significant depletion of available O2(1Δ) through collisional deactivation.

Novel applications of electroactive polymer materials, particularly of ionic polymer metal composite (IPMC). Such applications include manipulators with combined electromechanical and electroactive actuators. Applications are particularly suitable in low gravity environment.

The invention provides a cable driven space suspension assembly state simulation device with the adjustable attitude. The device is a cabled driven mechanism with the adjustable attitude, wherein thecable driven mechanism is connected with a to-be-assembled part and driving sensing units through flexible cables and can be used for simulating product assembly under the working condition environments such as space zero gravity or low gravity. The device is characterized by being composed of a supporting frame, a servo unit, the flexible cables, the driving sensing units, a constant tension unit, wire rulers and the like. Driving units are formed by connecting servo motors, speed reducers and couplers in series. The servo unit is composed of the constant tension unit, the driving unit and the like. The constant tension unit provides constant tension and is used for completely or partially offsetting the gravity of the assembled part and simulating the space zero gravity or low gravity environments. The driving units are used for driving and controlling motion of the servo unit. The driving sensing units are composed of the driving units, tension and pressure sensors and the like andis used for enabling the assembled part to achieve external force sensing and attitude adjusting.

A nine-rope driving robot device for simulating zero gravity and low gravity comprises a foundation framework, ropes, a rope driving unit, a rope guiding device, a simulation load platform, a sensor and a control system. According to the nine-rope driving robot device for simulating the zero gravity and the low gravity, a nine-rope redundant driving scheme is adopted, the nine ropes are distributed in a mode with six ropes being arranged at the top and three ropes being arranged at the bottom; extension and shortening of the ropes are achieved through a driving unit which is driven by a motor according to a command of the control system; the control system achieve closed-loop or semi-closed-loop control on the length and force of every rope according to the force and pose position data from the sensor; meanwhile the upper six ropes can be adopted to control and simulate the pose position and movement of a load platform, the lower three ropes perform force tensioning or compensation control, and accordingly the nine-rope driving robot device for simulating the zero gravity and the low gravity has the capability of stimulating six degrees of freedom under the zero gravity or low gravity environment in large working space and meanwhile can apply the distributing force in a superposition mode through the lower three ropes or mote ropes. The nine-rope driving robot device for simulating the zero gravity and the low gravity is good in isotropy performance and has an application potential in other fields such as rehabilitation equipment.

The invention provides a single column maritime wind power generation device with a circumferential stabilizing column, and belongs to the technical field of ocean energy resource utilization. The single column maritime wind power generation device with the circumferential stabilizing column comprises a wind power generation set, a single column base, the circumferential stabilizing column, a supporting structure, a berthing system and a fixed ballast system; the wind power generation set is fixed on the single column base; the circumferential stabilizing column is fixed at the periphery of the single column base; both ends of the supporting structure are connected with the circumferential stabilizing column and the single column base respectively; the middle part and the bottom of the single column base are connected with the berthing system and the fixed ballast system respectively; and the berthing system is connected with the seabed. By arranging the circumferential stabilizing column, a larger waterline plane inertial moment can be obtained in a smaller waterline plane area; meanwhile, due to the low gravity center of the single column base, the stability requirement is met and the high water power performance is gained; therefore, a stable, economic and flexible floating base is provided for the wind power generation set, so the single column maritime wind power generation device with the circumferential stabilizing column is particularly applicable to deep water regions of the open sea.

An astronaut low-gravity motion simulation exoskeleton comprises an overall gravity balance mechanism, an exoskeleton back balance mechanism is arranged on the overall gravity balance mechanism, and the two sides of the lower end of the exoskeleton back balance mechanism are connected with exoskeleton feet through exoskeleton legs. A parallelogram spring gravity compensation mechanism exists in the exoskeleton between the base and the lower limbs, and the gravity can be compensated in real time according to different wearers and different motion states. The exoskeleton parts of the lower limbsof the human body adopt parallelogram spring mechanisms connected in parallel to balance the gravity of the legs, and the series elastic drivers of the hip joints and the knee joints enable the exoskeleton parts of the human body to flexibly follow in the movement process and actively balance the gravity of the legs in real time. Accurate force control is achieved under the condition that large gravity loads are transmitted, flexible following movement is achieved, and the comfort of a wearer is improved.

The invention relates to a device which is used for assisting solar cell wings, a mast and mechanical arms on a lunar vehicle in unfolding to carry out testing, and particularly discloses a device for simulating a microgravity environment on the lunar surface. The device for simulating the microgravity environment on the lunar surface comprises a moving mechanism, a framework, a servo mechanism, a hanging mechanism and a balance weight mechanism, wherein the low-gravity simulating device is formed by the moving mechanism, the framework, the servo mechanism, the hanging mechanism and the balance weight mechanism together. According to structural features and motion features of a lunar vehicle mechanism product, hanging tension is provided by a pulley system formed by movable pulleys and fixed pulleys and balance weight of weights, the 1 / 6g gravity of a tested product can be eliminated, or zero gravity of the tested product can be achieved, the movable pulleys slide on guide rail rods of the servo mechanism at the same time, and can carry out servo together with the tested product, and the 1 / 6g low-gravity environment or the zero gravity environment can be provided in the whole process. The device for simulating the microgravity environment on the lunar surface is convenient to move, can be rapidly disassembled, built and assembled, can be rapidly located in place and work, and is convenient to operate and low in cost.

A system and method for supplying thrust to a structure, such as a satellite or spacecraft, for the purposes of station keeping and attitude control of the structure in low-gravity (orbital) and zero-gravity environments. The system includes devices for emitting energy beams and targets impacted by the energy beams to cause ablation of the targets. The beam-emitting devices and targets are adapted to cooperate and cause the structure to selectively undergo translational and / or rotational motion in reaction to the motion of material ablated from the targets. The position, alignment, and / or attitude of the structure can thereby be controlled in a zero or low-gravity environment by selectively emitting the energy beams at the targets.

The invention belongs to the field of connection systems for every two adjacent carriages of a railway vehicle and relates to a traveling device used between adjacent train bodies of a motor train unit and capable of reducing the floor height. The traveling device is a low-gravity-center compact common bogie of a brand new form. An oil damper of the traveling device is used for restraining relative rolling pendulum vibration between the top of a carriage A and the top of a carriage B. The two ends of a common connecting device are fixed to underframe end beams of the two adjacent carriages respectively. Four air spring installation positions arranged on two sides are uniquely arranged on a common framework so as to contain sleeper beam middle through grooves. Under the condition that the existing fixed distance of each carriage of the motor train unit is kept unchanged, the traveling device can reduce the total number of bogies of the motor train unit and reduce the manufacturing cost of the motor train unit; moreover, while the un-obstruction performance of the interior floor of the motor train unit is improved, the overall gravity center and the floor height of the motor train unit are lowered, and passengers can conveniently get on or off the motor train unit. In addition, the traveling device remarkably improves the bend curve passage capacity and the turning maneuvering performance of the motor train unit.

The invention relates to a sling-type low-gravity simulation tension control buffer mechanism and an adjustment method, wherein one end of a swing rod is connected with an axle center of a balance wheel and the other end of the swing rod is connected with an axle center of a winding drum; one end of a sling is wound on the winding drum and the other end of the sling passes through a wheel groove of the balance wheel to be connected with a work piece, of which the tension needs to be controlled; the winding drum and a motor shaft of a torque motor are coaxially installed and the balance wheel can swing around the motor shaft; the radius of the balance wheel is the same with that of the winding drum; a section, between a line outlet point on the winding drum and a line inlet point on the balance wheel, of the sling is parallel to the axis of the balance wheel; a hinge point on the swing rod is connected with one end of a steel wire rope and the other end of the steel wire rope passes through a rope sheave located above the swing rod to be connected with one end of a tension spring; the other end of the tension spring and the lower end of a rope sheave upper seat are separately connected with a support seat; and the rope sheave is installed on the upper end of the rope sheave upper seat. The suspension-type low-gravity simulation tension control buffer mechanism and the adjustment method of the invention are an important part of a constant tension control subsystem and can be used to obtain low equivalent stiffness near a large tension working point in a large range of buffering movement.

An invert emulsion drilling fluid employing as a suspension agent very fine sized fumed silica in combination with a primary viscosifier such as for example a fatty dimer diamine, and a method for the use thereof in drilling wellbores, with good rheological properties at high temperatures and pressures. In one embodiment the drilling fluid is free of organophilic clays and lignites and free of non-hydrophilic “low gravity solids,” and the fumed silica is a hydrophilic fumed silica, which provides enhanced suspension of drill cuttings without barite sag while maintaining good rheological properties at high temperatures and pressures.

The invention discloses a concave elastic screen wheel which comprises a hub and a supporting ring arranged on the hub. An annular metal wire mesh is arranged at the outer periphery of the supporting ring, an elastic element for supporting the metal wire mesh is positioned between the supporting ring and the metal wire mesh, an antiskid pawl is positioned at the outer periphery of the metal wire mesh, the metal wire mesh and the antiskid pawl are fixedly connected to form an arch concave elastic screen serving as a tire face, and the tire face is an arch concave face with the concave middle and the two convex sides. The concave elastic screen wheel can carry people to walk in soft, dusty, dry and low-gravity environments, can meet the requirements of high roll stability, high adhesion force and good shock absorption performance, can effectively prevent settlement and can effectively restrain raised dust.

This invention is to the removal of organics and nutrients from wastewater. More specifically, the invention addresses the removal of nutrients such as nitrogen and / or phosphorus from wastewater and has specific adaptations that can be of added benefit in small systems including septic tanks, cluster wastewater systems, and other small treatment plants. The invention can also be used for larger treatment works and for sidestream treatment systems. The invention also has adaptations that can be used to treat wastewater in low gravity and other difficult environments. The invention also has adaptations to permit rapid startup, to induce dormancy, and to preserve organisms for extended periods of time.

The present invention provides a means for randomizing and controlling objects in a zero gravity environment. The invention also replicates and enhances traditional casino gaming experiences in zero gravity, microgravity, low gravity and variable gravity environments. This includes adapted seating for players and staff, enabling wagering, and ensuring security and integrity of the games. Both traditional casino games, such as craps, roulette and blackjack, and new games of chance are provided and modified so as to take advantage of unique properties of zero, low or variable gravity environments. Games may be either attended or unattended, and wagering may be either on-site or off-site via remote communications. Virtual games may also be played in simulated zero gravity, low gravity and variable gravity.