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In my sci fi Earth and Mars are surrounded by space elevators and there is a great exchange of people and goods coming and going among the planets and the thousands of space stations existing in the stationary rings orbiting both worlds.

Space stations in orbit (and even those outside the rings) rotate in order to generate the gravity of Earth or Mars, just as most ships have the means to emulate the gravity of one of the worlds, depending on the origin of their occupants.

In the 35.789 km [1] high of the Earth's elevators there are four intermediate stations and in the 17.032 km of the Mars elevators there are three intermediate stations [2].

These stations are places for transport pods to undergo any maintenance, serve for emergency care, hotel, panoramic views, etc, [3] nothing very different from what many comment and what my own answer suggests here.

Thus, the intermediate stations in space elevators offer the opportunity for people to experience lower levels of gravity than the surface of the planets and this is used in artistic performances such as dance or circus.

The problem is that the vast majority of this type of presentation is interesting because of actions that "defy" gravity where artists show flexibility or strength. [4]

So the question is, How to make presentations like circus or ballet without them immediately looking like something that any untrained person could do under a weak gravity? [5]


[1] I use period for separating thousands and commas for decimals, its the standard in my native language. Edited the high of ring, use number to other body by mistake, my bad.

[2] Gravity accelerations at each station are as follows:

Clarke's ring (Earth):

  1. alt. 4.000 km: 3,701 m/s² (0,3771g - 0,9952 ♂g)
  2. alt. 14.000 km: 0,960 m/s² (0,0978g - 0,2581 ♂g)
  3. alt. 24.000 km: 0,432 m/s² (0,0440g - 0,1161 ♂g)
  4. alt. 34.000 km: 0,244 m/s² (0,0249g - 0,0657 ♂g)

Lemaître's ring (Mars):

  1. alt. 3.000 km: 1,046 m/s² (0,1067 - 0,2815 ♂g)
  2. alt. 8.500 km: 0,302 m/s² (0,0308 - 0,0814 ♂g)
  3. alt. 14.000 km: 0,141 m/s² (0,0144 - 0,0381 ♂g)

[3] Except for the weaker gravity, all other conditions are normal. Even those who work at these stations stay for a short time.

[4] Tim B II and Bald Bear answers here give some good clues.

[5] Obviously, the lowest stations will be the most attractive for panoramic views, as well as those with the weakest gravity, the highest, will have the most daring artistic presentations.

[6] I tried to insert tags like "dance" "circus" "low gravity" and it doesn't seem to exist. I have no idea how to create a tag. I used 'microgravity' although I know it doesn't quite match my question.

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    $\begingroup$ There may be two questions here: what do you do for the tourists, and what do you do for the locals? Tourists can be impressed by things that look difficult, but a local may be greatly impressed by something that doesn't look like much unless you're in the know. $\endgroup$
    – Mary
    May 11, 2020 at 3:48
  • $\begingroup$ There are some cultural characteristics that make Earthlings quite mobile and explorable while Martians are more reclusive. Of course, there are exceptions. Meanwhile your comment give one awesome idea! Entertainment companies can try to bet on that audience, get the reds out of the domes! Thanks @Mary ;) $\endgroup$ May 11, 2020 at 17:09

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By no means an exhaustive answer but you can consider:


"Show of elegance in SloMo", a masterful use of:

  1. inertia and moments of inertia.
    For the latter, start for how the cats reorient themselves in free fall (rotating/extending sequentially the front/back paws).
    Combine with group performance, where moments of inertia can be passed around between the performers.

  2. aerodynamics - drag and propulsion using muscle powered devices: hand fans, umbrellas, wing like structures.


Apart from the "martial arts in 0g" cited in the question, you can add "3D team sports" - will need "personal propulsion". A bit restrictive, as the energy of the propulsion must not harm the players (e.g. no machine gun jetpacks).
Might allow hot gases for propulsion if you handwave enough safety equipment and a way to dissipate the heat from the arena ("a heated game" may get a quite literal meaning).


Ummm... adult entertainment in 0g? Let's not explore it in details here, with the note that "0g pole dancing/strip clubs" may still be proper meeting places for any shoddy businesses the plot may require

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    $\begingroup$ Propelling themselves with a fan, passing the inertia to a teammate, who is dressed as a cat and makes the motions with exaggerated fanfare, that would be quite the show :-D $\endgroup$
    – Gustavo
    May 11, 2020 at 13:31
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  • Throwing boomerangs and curve balls would still be entertaining, as the aerodynamic forces involved won't stop existing in microgravity.
  • You can also play numbers involving angular momentum, by holding a spinning wheel and just moving it around. This could also be educational to show kids and teens how reaction wheels work.
  • diving into floating pools would be a daring show
  • not in microgravity, but in a cylinder habitat you could use the peculiar ballistics to amuse the audience
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