Taylor University Students to Test Project at NASA

The students were chosen by NASA for their proposal to test a motor-driven tether which helps stabilize the orbit of and allow communication with the micro satellite.

The planes in the microgravity program are dubbed The Vomit Comet and simulate a weightless environment through a series of climbing and diving maneuvers. Officials say the flight is critical because it will show the students whether or not the satellite's tether would unfurl in weightless conditions.

Source: Inside INdiana Business

Press Release

Upland, Ind. - Four Taylor University students will test key components of a micro satellite during two flights aboard a NASA C-9B aircraft at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, from March 29th through April 9th.

The students were chosen by NASA's Reduced Gravity Student Flight Opportunities Program (a.k.a. Microgravity University) for their proposal to test a motor-driven tether which serves as a gravity gradient boom that will stabilize the orbit of and allow communication with the micro satellite, designed and built by Taylor students over the past six years.

The planes in the microgravity program are dubbed The Vomit Comet and simulate a weightless environment through a series of climbing and diving maneuvers; the program was popularized in the 1990's after being used for filming weightless scenes for the motion picture Apollo 13.

"It shows the caliber of students we have," said Taylor physics faculty member Dr. Hank Voss, who added the Taylor students would be working alongside students from larger state-funded universities. "I'm just delighted. The students wrote the proposal themselves."

Voss said the flight was critical because it will show the students whether or not the satellite's tether, made from copper and nitenol (an alloy comprised of nickel, titanium, carbon, oxygen and hydrogen) would unfurl in weightless conditions.

"We're not really sure how the tether will start deployment; the first twenty feet are critical," he said. "Even in the best simulations you can't check that out ... we'll be able to see its real progression and path so we can understand (if it will function) with confidence. It is real testing of a pretty advanced system."

"This is going to be awesome," said Taylor physics senior and Comet team member Mark Burtness of Urbana, IL. "We are one step closer to getting the satellite in space; we're excited about the experience."

Burtness said the team's time in Houston would be spent in extensive training sessions for their flights. "Needless to say, everyone on the team is very excited. Working with NASA is very exciting," he added. "The projects that we do really make our education a quality one."

The trip is being funded with assistance from the Indiana Space Grant Consortium. For additional information contact Adam Bennett, 765-998-5188. Additional information about NASA's microgravity program and/or the Taylor physics program are available at:

http://Microgravityuniversity.jsc.nasa.gov/students/theprogram and www.taylor.edu/physics .

Source: Taylor University