Gravity

[TheGreatLordGeorge]

I know B5 is constantly spinning, thus providing the station with artificial gravity, I thogh it did this because they did not have artificial gravity technology (I thought I heard that somewhere) But then how do the ships have it? some ships have portions that spin but for the most part thy dont, is this a plot error?

[maneth]

Earth doesn't have artificial gravity, but many other races, such as the Minbari do.

Still, there are problems with B5 spinning as well, since the gravity ought to have different strenths depending on how far from the axis it is. For example, C&C which is pretty close to the axis should have lower gravity than it does. However, until we can film shows on spinning space habitats, the problem of depicting various gravity levels will remain.

[TheGreatLordGeorge]

but even earth ships don't spin, I am about half way through season 2 and so far the hyperion does not spin and only one section of the agmemnon does

[maneth]

Indeed, that's true. Perhaps they got gravity tech, but not soon enough to accomodate into the design of B5?

[Missster.Freeman]

but even earth ships don't spin, I am about half way through season 2 and so far the hyperion does not spin and only one section of the agmemnon does

Yep, the centre section of the Agamemnon spins to generate gravity in that section alone, AFAIK. That's where the bridge and the crew are situated. As for the Hyperion, you'll find out if it has gravity or not in the B5 film, "In the Beginning." If you can wait for the film I won't say. I'm not sure if the interior was shown in much detail during the series, but I first knew about the Hyperion's atmosphere when I watched the film.

[jds1982]

Earth doesn't have artificial gravity, but many other races, such as the Minbari do.

Still, there are problems with B5 spinning as well, since the gravity ought to have different strenths depending on how far from the axis it is. For example, C&C which is pretty close to the axis should have lower gravity than it does. However, until we can film shows on spinning space habitats, the problem of depicting various gravity levels will remain.

It does, you see this when Sheridan gets blown out of the tram and Kosh saves him. He falls very slowly.

[The Prophet]

I bet they get very dizzy.

[Redhooks]

but even earth ships don't spin, I am about half way through season 2 and so far the hyperion does not spin and only one section of the agmemnon does

If you look very closely at the Captain of the Hyperion when he is on the monitor, you will see he has on a harness (a more elaborate safety belt) that is holding him down in his seat.

[Xicer]

Yeah didn't the whole bridge crew wear those straps? I remember when the captain of the Lexington was killed his blood was floating in the air too.

[maneth]

Yeah. Spinning the bridge would make navigation unnecessarily difficult. My guess is that ships like the Hyperion might put hydroponic farms under gravity (plants grow better if they know which way is "down"), some exercise quarters for the crew to keep fighting fit, etc.

Although ships spinning while they're accelerating doesn't make sense from another point of view, i. e. the direction of down being towards the aft of the ship. As far as I know, most of the ships in the B5 universe travel under continuous acceleration/deceleration, rather than coasting with the thrusters off.

[EarthandBeyond]

I know B5 is constantly spinning, thus providing the station with artificial gravity, I thogh it did this because they did not have artificial gravity technology (I thought I heard that somewhere) But then how do the ships have it? some ships have portions that spin but for the most part thy dont, is this a plot error?

Yes, i believe most of Earth ships do not have Artificial gravity like in Stargate Univers.
And that is one of the thing that i like about Babylon 5 Univers. There was no ancient ruins with secrets to advanced technologies, no firendly Aliens that would share there technologie, no dumb enemies which ships you can easyly board and steal there technoliges such as Ships and weapons. Nope none of that nonesence. Just good old " Made on Earth " style.
And especially no Energy Shields - That the only thing that i really hate about Stargate and Startrek Univers. It makes there Space battle so long and boring.

[Garth Claw]

Most Earth ships don't have artifical gravity systems, hence why there deployment times are quite short. The use on the bigger vessels (like the omega) spinning sections to maintain the crew health and making operations easier they have area with out gravity which require the good old velcro boot. Check out www.b5tech.com for more details about most ships and speices.

p.s. B5 universe does have a form of energy shielding.

[gopher65]

The Hyperion class has small (like 10 meter across) spinning centrifuges within the ship that are used as exercise chambers by the crew in order to stave off the effects of weightlessness. But otherwise it is completely without gravity.

The new Warlock Destroyers (replacement for the Omega class) have partial AG (30% earth normal IIRC) when they were first launched, and full artificial gravity after they were retrofitted with the Minbari tech given to Earth at the end of season 4.