The Science of Roller Coasters on Mars

A look at the physics of roller coasters on Mars and how they would be impacted by the low-gravity environment.
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Roller coaster simulations performed in NoLimits 2:
www.nolimitscoaster.com
Video Attributions:
“Making Life Multiplanetary” by SpaceX
“SpaceX Interplanetary Transport System” by SpaceX
“Six Flags Great America - Filmed by Drone (DJI Spark)” by Kurt Elster
“Holiwood Nights 2017 | Voyage and Thunderbird Behind-The-Scenes Tour! Holiday World” by OhioValleyCoasters
“NO COPYRIGHT Hangtime - Knott's Berry Farm (4K Offride POV)” by Coaster Hipster
“HYPERION ROLLERCOASTER ENERGYLANDIA POV 06.08.2018 Full HD 60FPS” by Dennis Blazicek
“Red Force - Challenge the Wind | Ferrari Land, Port Aventura” by Phantagraphy
“FERRARI LAND: Red Force (POV) | PortAventura World” by PortAventuraNoticias
“World's Fastest Roller Coaster Ferrari World Abu Dhabi UAE Onride” by Krunal Patel
“Canada's Wonderland Roller coaster aerial drone footage using Phantom and GoPro” by Patrick Daily Fortnite
“Canada’s Wonderland Yukon Striker” by Amusement Insiders
“The Incredible Hulk Roller Coaster! AWESOME B&M at Universal Orlando! Off-Ride POV HD” by OhioValleyCoasters
Still Image Attributions:
“The Blue Marble” by NASA/Apollo 17 crew
“OSIRIS Mars true color” by European Space Agency & Max-Planck Institute for Solar System Research for OSIRIS Team ESA/MPS/UPD/LAM/IAA/RSSD/INTA/UPM/DASP/IDA
“Mars Ice Home concept” by NASA/Clouds AO/SEArch
“Mars Food Production” by NASA
“Space Exploration Vehicle” by NASA
“Curiosity's Color View of Martian Dune After Crossing It” by NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
“High-Resolution Self-Portrait by Curiosity Rover Arm Camera” by NASA/JPL-Caltech/Malin Space Science Systems
“Cinderella’s Castle” by PxHere
“Epcot Spaceship Earth Walt Disney World Orlando 2010” by chensiyuan
“The Tree of Life at Disney's Animal Kingdom” by Jedi94
Music from Epidemic Sound
#RollerCoasters #Mars #ArtofEngineering

[@ArtofEngineering]

Would you board a rocket and travel through space to visit a theme park on Mars? 🚀

[@PanzerBuyer]

Mars no, perhaps the Moon.

[@everythingcoastersproducti1998]

It depends on how many creds they have. 😂

[@torinstorkey]

It is easier to build tall on Mars so 340m is not unfeasible.

[@everythingcoastersproducti1998]

Torin Storkey but how would they get the track there. It costs a lot of money to bring heavy objects in to space.

[@torinstorkey]

@@everythingcoastersproducti1998 there could be iron on mars. And with less gravity the metal could be a thinner.

[@EyesOfByes]

Don't give Elon any ideas....

[@Silacide]

EyesOfByes One word: Teslandia.

[@Bush180]

He’d probably build a new rocket called the falcon mini and then strap some onto the sides of the cart.

[@walterclements8905]

EyesOfByes Bro Elon pls make us genetically engineered cat gurs 😎😎😎

[@joebenzz]

He probably invented the concept itself XD

[@markusm.4111]

Humans: not living on mars Also humans: Let's see if rollercoasters would work

[@Hi-uv7nn]

It’s not funny and it’s stupid because he’s just asking if it would work

[@cgoldborn]

This is the type of channel where they ask questions that have crossed your mind before but almost no one seems to try or know the answer to I love this channel

[@earllarrabee7026]

One thing you could do on mars in order to have more intense forces is introduce sharper turns, peaks, and valleys. You could change the track radius to have riders experience 6 g's on mars which would end up feeling more like 4 gs on earth. Imagine how crazy those track elements would look.

[@wypmangames]

low gravity low speed from going down so lifthills either massive or it wont work but a launched coaster can get speed and just think off the crazy airtime you would get in low gravity

[@wyndhamcoffman8961]

I can see powered coasters becoming a major prerequisite for coasters on other planets.

[@GigaG11]

“Roller coasters on Mars could be less forceful” B&M: *invests in SpaceX*

[@CoasterBrain]

lol

[@zachmaready5272]

Finally, that stuff iI learned Algebra class is used for something!

[@timothystark4475]

I prefer Calculus-based physics.

[@danielhermanus6909]

6:57 how bout the way less denser atmosphere on Mars reducing energy loss duo to friction?🤔

[@Silacide]

Imagine the reaction of someone from mars that does a freefall on earth

[@faceacheofficial5037]

I bet drop towers on Mars would suck

[@GigaG11]

Faceache Official technically you’d be closer to weightlessness due to less air resistance and you’d be experiencing 0g weightlessness longer. It’d be slower but a whole lot floatier.

[@ber936]

I feel like a great fit for mars would be compact but intense roller coasters, such as the Intamin Mega-lites, Mack LSMs, Gerstlauer Infinities, or maybe even an RMC Raptor. The lower gravity would result in lower top speeds and less stress on the track, while still allowing for a fun and forceful ride experience if done right, in my opinion.

[@ImaSneke]

Such an underappreciated channel

[@thejoysequence]

This is really interesting! Well made and explained too

[@KingsDominionNetwork]

Nobody: Eltoro ryan In 2080: saah dudes we riding roller coasters on mars

[@sheeple04]

ONE TRAIN OOOOOPPPPPPPPSSSS

[@rcb3000]

Facts! Lol

[@wiscoasternerd696]

A person accustomed to mars gravity comes to earth and rides intimidator 305. Yikes😂

[@sheeple04]

*Dies*

[@glowbright]

I'm going to wait for the roller coaster on the sun

[@Rictua]

would be very risky to wear a spacesuit or use pressurized cars due to the immense vibrations and shaking of the ride. albeit Six Flags Off Planet sounds cool

[@blitzn00dle50]

Is your home park Michigan's Adventure because trains aren't supposed to vibrate, that makes the ride crap

[@noobcraft6225]

@Art of Engineering You should make a video that explains how the Disney skyliner works.

[@TheKdcool]

Your content quality is out of this world, keep it up!

[@AVdE10000]

Did you make the NL2 model yourself? Because damn that vertical loop looked good

[@gissneric]

We all guessed wrong. It's LITERALLY out of this world LOL! I always picture Arnold Schwarzenegger in Total Recall when they were exposed to Mars air and they all swell up.

[@wii1245]

gissneric and explode violently.

[@destinedpotato1577]

So Indoor coasters would work the best on Mars. Since the whole point of them is that they are indoors which is a part of the ride experience. So rides like: Space Mountain at Disney, Verbolten at Busch gardens and The Walking Dead ride (Formerly X no way out) at Thorpe Park would be perfect. Any way great vid!

[@michaelkeating9514]

Suprised there wouldn't be a Disneyland/world/magic kingdom whatever on Mars

[@davidlericain]

The way you say "coaster" is so... Canadian.

[@ArtofEngineering]

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@null3007]

Bruh he is from Canada. It's why there are a lot of shots from Canada's Wonderland in many of his videos.

[@davidlericain]

@@null3007 I know. It was just a joke.

[@TransistorBased]

Coaester

[@cameron3320]

Unrelated to the videos but these drone shots are INCREDIBLE. Almost as good as the video :)

[@Jet-Pack]

@8:05 except audio volume would be a lot less, probably only 1% or so with the much lower air density

[@odiumx7707]

The most fun physics class

[@LilzMay-sk3ew]

Great video!😀

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

That would give the aliens something fun to do

[@chain3519]

Needs more attention

[@dylanmah7791]

With regards to the launched strata coasters, the material requirements of building such a huge structure is greatly the low gravity as well; we could build a space elevator on Mars in fact with conventional materials.

[@johngosbee5574]

The reason you black out is lack of pressure to push blood "up hill" against G's. But, the size and strength of the heart is not really dependent on the effort (exercise) to move blood up into brain. That is, the heart would not get weaker or smaller because it was in Martian gravity. Now, the overall core and leg strength would be affected (smaller muscle mass needed to stand, walk, and stabilize).

[@endrawes0]

Yes please. Would love to ride this

[@AndrewTyberg]

Great video!

[@theevilmuppet]

Even a few minutes in, I want to thank you for this video - it addresses the age-old question of "Why did they remove the loop from Son of Beast?"

[@luc6284]

A low to the ground lauch coaster like Taron should work well in the Martian environment right? It won't have to go very high yet still gain a lot of momentum from the launches

[@EyesOfByes]

So the obvious next video is: "What if Cooper built a roller coaster on the planets and in the black hole?"

[@darkraidersgaming7761]

The real question is: what would Space Mountain be like on Olympus Mons?

[@gerardnll2]

What if the coaster had the same lift altitude but smaller loops? That would make the g’s higher, right? Or a launch coaster with smaller loops/hills. If we are looking for thrill and g’s, thats the way right? we won’t get high altitudes but...

[@Blasulz1234]

I actually see this more positive. The way I see it we just have to scale the coasters up by 62% so we get the same forces and enclose it in a transparent tunnel. this will make it more expensive than it already is but it's worth it as you get insane airtime duration!

[@MattTrevett]

Entubed rollercoasters look particularly strange. Snakelike, perhaps.

[@stephaniemcguire1197]

You should teach Physics. I understand this!

[@hedgehog3180]

I imagine that while roller coasters wont be built any time soon on Mars mass drivers might be and this kinda physics would be useful for that.

[@WynnofThule]

B&M wing coasters are gonna be forceless either way. Might as well use it for earth acclimatization.

[@psyko_]

i love how he says coaster

[@hedgehog3180]

Also does this mean that in the future roller coasters will have to have signs that say "you have to be this tall and from Earth to ride".

[@AnotherSwissYoutubeUser]

12:58 I see what you did there...

[@basti0007]

1:50 Any roller coaster is just using gravity with lifthills or launches? What about powered roller coasters? ;-)

[@walterclements8905]

Bro yeah it’s gonna work 😎😎😎

[@TimothyChapman]

How did you get No Limits 2 to simulate the low gravity environment of Mars?

[@bu3skoor77]

Elon Musk: Hire this Guy.

[@user-lk8jw7rh8i]

What program did you use to show the perspective of people on the coaster?

[@zefknapen628]

No Limits 2

[@timothystark4475]

That would need air dome covers that theme parks.

[@Brae4Life]

Now aliens can experience rollercoaster

[@FirstLast-tj4nl]

Ok, just go to work, time to work on that project. *watches this video*

[@luminescentcreates]

How did you draw the models and run the simulations?

[@ArtofEngineering]

I used NoLimits 2 for the roller coaster simulations.

[@custard131]

main thing im thinking watching this is i always thought most modern roller coasters had powered carts to maintain the speed, rather than relying on gravity. even if this isnt the case on earth as i thought, would it not be a solution on mars? the example where it would have to be made 300 metres high to balance out. that seems to only be the case when using just gravity to decelerate / accelerate again. if we add more forces, eg a kers system which would take the energy on the way up and use it to give a kick on the way back down. could you not build a ride with similar speeds to earth?

[@vincntyler2019]

I think a big problem would be the limitations for the duration of the gs. There are certain limitations for how long a human being can feel a force without any injuries. but now to the most important question, would the launch of a roller coaster like top thrill dragster still feel that insane and would it be just 3 times longer?

[@AlbertoFrisiero]

Exactly, same question

[@thecuriousgoose]

no limits 2 nice

[@goofytycooner5519]

Wait, so basically even the most intense coasters suddenly has the same pacing as a Mack multi launch? I dont think I want to live in a world like that.

[@jkattack2640]

With lower gravity to slow down a ride on hills I have to imagine a Mars launch coaster would make something like maverick look tame.

[@RobertTheHaunter]

Can you do Derren Brown’s Ghost Train?

[@paul_vlad]

When is your new video going to be ready??????

[@mumbopie3813]

The issue with this is because of the lower gravity, you could build way higher so get same speeds, and Martians could live in artificial gravity anyway, being fine with earth Gs.

[@earllarrabee7026]

The only thing not mentioned is friction. On mars clearly there would be less drag (unless coaster is indoors) but...wouldn't Martian roller coasters experience different amounts of friction while travelling through all the elements due to lower speeds? Considering the differences in gravity and velocity (and the weight of the coaster train itself) Wouldn't cloned coasters on mars have much more difficulty reaching the end of the track?

[@andrewmiller7108]

But wait, if it will have less speed, then how will it be able to make it through the loop? On earth it is 64 mph or something, and then on Mars it was in the 40’s so it wouldn’t be able to go through the full loop. Someone plz explain

[@cadenpavlovcic4]

Now, do a similar video but with a heavier planet than Earth.

[@ChristiantheCoasterGuy]

Make our solar system's longest airtime hill.

[@muffels6410]

What if we put the roller coaster under a glass dome to protect it

[@stormwatcher1299]

Someone would have to come up with some low-gravity amusement rides.

[@fordrollhaus9086]

Just a note: Red force is not a strata coaster.

[@noname117spore]

I’d argue that there’s a bit of a flaw with the argument here, and that’s that we’re assuming the coaster designs on the two worlds would stay the same (for lift hill rides). As long as humans on Mars still retain most of the G tolerance abilities of humans on Earth then this doesn’t have to be the case. Which means that, although a Martian coaster would be slower for its height, one could always build it with tighter turns, inversions, drops, and air time hills than those built in real life; achieving the same forces. And Mars has a second advantage as well: you can build higher more easily there. Less gravity means less forces on the support structure, allowing for a taller ride. So would a Martian coaster be less thrilling than an earth-based coaster? It would be slower, but if you designed it well there should be no difference in the forces department. I’m going to say “maybe?” I’m also wondering if air time is easier to create and sustain on Mars or not.

[@ArtofEngineering]

You are 100% correct that you could create a more intense ride by using tighter curves. My goal was simply to show how the physics would change if you built the same ride on both planets. I was also assuming that humans would slowly lose their g-force tolerance after many generations there. If a roller coaster is ever built on Mars, the design will probably be much different than current roller coasters on Earth. You are also correct that it is easier to build higher on Mars, however the buckling load of a steel column is proportional to the square of the height, so the relationship between gravity and how tall you can build is not linear. I think it would be possible to build a roller coaster on Mars that is 62% taller than the current record-holder on Earth, but I just don't see it being very practical (We could already build a 62% taller ride here on Earth if we really wanted to, but it would be very expensive and difficult to construct). I believe that it would be easier to sustain air time on Mars because the train would be traveling slower while maintaining the same g-force, however it would not be any easier to create. You could probably argue that a roller coaster on Mars might be more intense in that regard, since the passengers would be exposed to all the forces for a longer duration.

[@noname117spore]

@@ArtofEngineering I mean, for the first point humans are still human. The evolution required to lose g-tolerance would probably take a long time, and may be counter-able through genetic engineering. For the time we're looking at, I doubt we'd lose much G-tolerance biologically. Although I suppose the brain and body could adapt to the lower gravity, decreasing G tolerance. This is also presuming we don't make use of centrifugal force in homes to better simulate Earth-like gravity. And yeah, coasters on Mars definitely have a set of drawbacks and benefits compared to coasters here on Earth. Slower with a lift hill, but probably a bit taller and probably able to be built to be more intense. I kind of wonder how an airtime-focused launched coaster (Like Lightning Rod, which I hope to ride sometime within a week) would do on Mars. Honestly, something like that could be an absolutely intense beast with similar speed to Earth coasters but a better ability to sustain (I suppose in this case create as well) airtime!

[@billcook4768]

Great question and I loved the videos. I am curious about atmospheric friction on roller coasters on Earth, and if essentially removing that would have a meaningful impact on ride speeds. Oh, and to be annoying guy - there’s not a chance in hell of humans living on Mars in the conceivable future.

[@ArtofEngineering]

Thank you! A large amount of the energy loss on Earth coasters comes from drag, so if a roller coaster were built outside on Mars then the trains would be able to maintain speed a lot longer. This would have to be accounted for when designing a ride on Mars. I don't believe that there will be humans living on Mars as permanent residents within the next 10 years, but I do think we will see humans spending extended periods of time there, similar to the space station.

[@jeffeffery8181]

BUILD AN SLC ON MARS

[@mr.normalguy69]

I can't wait to wake up at 8 in the morning and get to my office.

[@yigoh8437]

We can make powered coasters, just imagine... a planet with only powered coasters...

[@wlonsdale1]

Powered by what?

[@yigoh8437]

@@wlonsdale1 well i assume if we're gonna live on mars we will find some way to get electrician

[@bruceshark0]

So. BIGGER DROPS!?

[@marnetmar6246]

now do jupiter gravity

[@vuraxis953]

You'd get a shit ton of airtime tho

[@GFTheWriter]

11:03 Bu- but... Red Force is not a Strata Roller Coaster... It doesn't reach 400 feet in height... Therefore, not a Strata.... But... If you ask if it is a Giga or not.... Oh, boi. I can feel the heat in the argument by the enthusiasts.

[@navalfluff]

Wot?

[@Arcticx369]

Elon Musk: Lets talk about that.

[@patricktho6546]

painfully slow, due to less gravity? (except launches) horrible to clean do tue the thin sand

[@gradyshoemaker5017]

You say that building a 1000-foot tall roller coaster would be impractical, but one thing you neglected to mention is that coaster support structures would not need to be nearly as robust under the lower gravity of Mars, meaning building a coaster of that height would be much less expensive and cumbersome than on Earth. I think it's very possible that roller coasters on Mars could be just as intense as their Earth counterparts.

[@Wltrwllyngaeiou]

Yeah, this video is not well thought out

[@rustystove8410]

LOL! Keep on simplifying util a grade 8 dropout can make the construction drawings.

[@j03man44]

Why would you build a roller coaster inside a pressurized chamber? I can understand enclosing it to prevent dust contamination but i would assume all martians would have their own space suits anyway so why would you have to pressurize the ride? Why introduce way more aerodynamic drag and environmental control expenses when you could just design a ride that requires a space suit to ride?

[@PanzerBuyer]

Because there will be Martian lawyers there too.

[@sadiyashaikh2035]

I was the 1k presser

[@upsilanmitstrima9878]

is it planet coaster?

[@ArtofEngineering]

NoLimits 2

[@jamesoniris2647]

Roller Coaster: The word that can weed out the Canadians from the weak.

[@isobeljones4321]

I clicked so fast.

[@yigoh8437]

If it doesn't i'm not going to mars, sorry elon

[@MatchTerm]

Elon Musk: don't fucking move

[@williamdavey3373]

First comment

[@Jokertyf]

At 6:01, your math is right, but your vector for centripetal acceleration is pointing the wrong way. The centripetal acceleration is the net acceleration, comprised of acceleration due to gravity (facing the opposite way) and acceleration due to the normal force of the car by the track. The magnitude of that normal force is indeed the weight of the car + mass * centripetal acceleration.

[@LetsTalkOnePiece]

Any rollercoaster makes me feel uncomfortable.

[@Jet-Pack]

3:17 should have said mass instead of weight. The weight of the train does affect the speed since it is proportional to the gravitational constant which is different between the planets. The mass of the train doesn't affect the speed.

[@marshallstudios3468]

No I can't

[@marshallstudios3468]

I am 8

[@Lucas264]

I have absolutely no clue what this guy is saying.

[@jessicaying__]

Math