Heavy Prediction

(WSJ art by Ryan Inzana)

Space archaeologist Alice Gorman says that gravity will be "the most precious commodity of the next space age." [bold added]

To maintain their bone density and muscle mass, crew members must exercise for over two hours each day. Without this discipline, the astronauts could end up with osteoporosis. Living in gravity so different from Earth’s has consequences, including vision impairment and diminished organ function...

Living in variable gravity environments makes gravity a commodity that it simply isn’t on Earth; it becomes foreground rather than background. Power may be determined by whomever controls access to specially designed, high-gravity environments where people can maintain their strength. Gravity may indeed be rationed, and depriving people of access could have serious health (and even legal) consequences.

Dr. Gorman quickly dispenses with the spinning-spaceship solution to artificial gravity:

The earliest space stations, such as the rotating wheel conceived by the Viennese engineer Hermann Noordung in 1929, were designed to produce “artificial” gravity by spinning, like the centrifuge astronauts train in.....In the 1960s, NASA considered spinning space stations, but decided that astronauts might not enjoy being spun like a sock in a washing machine. Having been in a gravity rotor in an amusement park, I can categorically say that I did not enjoy it.

I applaud Alice Gorman for thinking outside the capsule, but it seems that there are many features of earthly life--oxygen, natural food, copious running water, convenient sanitation, privacy, pets--that will be in short supply in space. I doubt gravity will be "the most precious", but then again she's the expert.