Design

Fabrication

Experimentation in Zero Gravity

NASA Zero Gravity Project

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During the summer of 2011 I performed a series of experiments with a group of Lehigh engineers under the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) Reduced-Gravity Program. This program uses aircraft that fly in parabolic arcs producing a “weightless” environment similar to that felt by astronauts in space.

Our experiment documented the flight trajectories of house flies in a “weightless” environment and compared this behavior to the fly’s behavior in an ordinary 1g environment. The experimental apparatus seen to the left was designed and fabricated at Lehigh. As required by JSC, I compiled a stress analysis to prove that the apparatus would not yield under 9g accelerations. The stress analysis was approved by reviewers at Johnson Space Center.

Please click on the pictures to the left to see more.

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