Scientists from Kyoto University and the development company Kajima announced their intention to create a lunar base with a built-in artificial gravity system. According to the authors of the project, it is the largest initiative in the field of colonization, which has no analogues - its implementation will take about 100 years, and the first prototype will be built on the moon only by 2050.

The partnership between Kyoto University and Kajima was announced in an online conference. Professor Yosuke Yamashiki and Kajima chief architect Takuya Ono showed a video about what a full-fledged colonization of the Moon or Mars would look like. The concept includes many small structures, a "space express" to travel between Earth and the Moon, and a large platform that will rotate, creating artificial gravity throughout the base.

The platform will be capable of spinning with enough power and speed to achieve the force necessary to simulate Earth's gravity. As long as this system is in motion, the inhabitants of the colony on it will be able to walk, run, jump, and go about their daily activities just as humans do on Earth.

As Yamashiki explained, the idea solves many potential problems associated with space exploration. With artificial gravity, colonizers will be able to avoid muscle atrophy, loss of bone strength and other problems that astronauts experience on the ISS. And more importantly, conditions close to Earth's atmosphere will provide colonies with natural population growth - human reproductive functions are limited in conditions of weightlessness or microgravity.

It also acknowledged that, for now, the proposed system is a concept, not a technically verified plan. The partners have yet to design, assemble and test the necessary technology, so Kajima has no firm deadlines for implementing even the first phases of the project. Nevertheless, the company's representative expects to deploy a full-fledged prototype lunar base by 2050.