Ask an Explainer

Yes, astronauts can weight themselves in a microgravity environment. They use the principles of an inertial balance. An inertial balance is a spring device that oscillates or vibrates the Astronaut. An object with greater mass will vibrate more slowly than an object with less mass. This principle is the same whether you are on the ground or up in space. For more information on an inertial balance check out the article from Air & Space magazine. https://www.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/how-do-astronauts-weigh-themselves-space-180953884/