KYOTO, Dec 22 — A Japanese university and construction company have partnered on research to develop a lunar habitat capable of generating artificial gravity, enabling people to live on the Moon under conditions similar to those on Earth, Kyodo News reported.

Kyoto University and Kajima Corp. aim to construct a ground-based prototype of the ‘Neo Lunar Glass,’ a paraboloid structure that generates gravity through rotation, by the 2030s.

The technology is expected to address concerns about the adverse effects of prolonged exposure to microgravity on the human body, including bone and muscle loss.

"This project demands a significant technological leap, but we aim to achieve it and pave the way for space colonies,” said team member Yosuke Yamashiki, a professor of advanced integrated studies in human survivability at Kyoto University.

The Lunar Glass structure will be approximately 200 meters in diameter and 400 meters high, capable of housing up to 10,000 people.

Under the project, which started in the current fiscal year, challenges will be first identified through models and computer simulations.

A 1:2000 scale model was unveiled when Kyoto University and Kajima announced the start of full-fledged joint research earlier this month. They have also conducted simulations demonstrating the behaviour of objects under artificial gravity. — Bernama