China Activates World-Leading Hypergravity Facility in Hangzhou
China has launched the Centrifugal Hypergravity and Interdisciplinary Experiment Facility (CHIEF) in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, a cutting-edge research platform capable of generating gravitational forces thousands of times greater than Earth's surface gravity. This marks a significant milestone in hypergravity research, opening doors to new possibilities in engineering and scientific discovery.
The facility, developed under the supervision of Zhejiang University, features the world’s largest hypergravity centrifuge. Designed to simulate extreme gravitational conditions, it aims to solve challenges in fields such as seismic engineering, deep-sea energy extraction, and geological studies. By compressing time and space, CHIEF enables researchers to study natural phenomena—such as pollutant transport or geological shifts—that would take thousands of years to occur in real-time.
Among the many applications, the facility will support the exploration of natural gas hydrates, a promising clean energy source buried in seabeds and beneath permafrost. By simulating extraction processes, scientists hope to optimize techniques and prevent potential hazards.
Funded as part of China’s 13th Five-Year Plan with an investment of over 2 billion yuan (US$276.5 million), CHIEF represents the country’s ambition to lead in high-tech research. Initial commissioning is expected to be completed this year, with full-scale operations planned soon.
The project demonstrates China’s commitment to advancing interdisciplinary research, offering tools to address some of the world’s most complex engineering and environmental challenges.