NASA KC-135 Flight

1
NASA KC-135 Flight
Dynamic Behavior of Surface Tension in
Microgravity

• Georgia Tech Aerospace Engineering
• October 18, 2001

2
What is the KC-135?

• KC-135 Weightless Wonder
• a.k.a the Vomit Comet
• Flies in parabolas to simulate weightlessness
• Used primarily for astronaut training

• NASAs Reduced Gravity Student Flight
  Opportunities (RSGFO) Program
• College and high school students submit
  scientific experiment proposals
• If selected, fly experiment aboard KC-135

3
Our Experiment

• Dynamic Behavior of Surface Tension
• in Microgravity
• Basic idea
• View the dynamic motion of liquids of varying
  surface tension in zero-g
• Objectives
• Determine the frequency at which liquids
  oscillate
• Determine a dampening effect

4
Experimental Setup

• Liquids used
• Water, water and soap, milk, olive oil, and Jello
• Liquid deployment
• Popped balloons with needles
• Liquid Containment
• Housed in a sealed container with access by
  gloves

5
Pre-Flight

• Test Readiness Review
• Lectures
• Chamber Ride
• Taken to simulated altitude of 25,000 ft to
  experience hypoxia
• Tours of NASA

6
Flight Day 1

• Flyers
• Robbie Coffman
• Daniel Uhlig
• Tested
• Balloon size
• Found
• Large balloons popped the best

7
Flight Day 2

• Flyers
• Courtney Spells
• Alisa Hawkins
• Tested
• Liquids of different surface tension

8
Plane Motion
What shape must the planes trajectory be in
order to match the acceleration of gravity?
Equations of Motion a -g ? a dt - ? g dt ? a
dt - g ? dt v - gt Vo ? v dt - g ? (t
Vo)dt y -gt2/2 Vo t yo

• Variables
• a acceleration t time
• v velocity g gravity
• y position