Simple and replicable Clinostat build guide for simulation of microgravity v1

Clinostats offer a cheap and efficient means of testing biological materials in conditions of microgravity similar to that experienced in Earth’s orbit and deep space. The mechanisms of graviperception in many organisms can be manipulated by a clinostat machine to cancel gravitational effects. Clino (tilting) stat (constant) operate by rotating an object around an axis perpendicular to the direction of gravity. This nullifies the perception of gravity by reorienting an enclosed object’s gravity vector or direction (Kim et al, 2023). As the object rotates, gravity is experienced by the object in all directions and, with time, the gravity load reduces close to 0 (Kim et al, 2023). These instructions are for building a clinostat that can hold a petri-dish and is intended to be used for simulating microgravity for plant growth experiments. Basic electronic soldering skills, access to a 3D printer, and Arduino familiarity as well as some specialized equipment are needed to complete this build. Applications for clinostats include as student-led projects in schools, aligned with science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) curriculum to promote proficiencies in biology, physics, mechanics, electronics, and programming. Specific experiments using the clinostat require further material and are outlined in separate experiment material and methods resources (Hauslage et al, 2017; Nie et al, 2025; Unoosa, 2013).