KC-135 flights for life science activities.
The KC-135 Reduced Gravity Facility at the Johnson Space Center is a useful support facility for conducting brief zero gravity life science experiments, as well as for validating hardware designs and experimental protocols for more extensive shuttle-based experiments. This paper discusses the zero gravity capabilities of the aircraft, preparations for and conduct of the flight tests, and the procedures for requesting a flight. Several Ames Research Center experiments and procedure demonstrations are described. Finally, a crew perspective is presented that discusses the similarity of the KC-135-induced microgravity environment with that actually experienced in space.
Rossberg Walker
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K
Mains Associates, Berkeley, CA, USA.
Hughes-Fulford
M
M
Schmidt
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G
D000401:Aircraft / Q000295:instrumentation*; D018480:Astronauts; D001690:Biological Science Disciplines / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D012107:Research Design; D013026:Space Flight; D018489:Space Motion Sickness; D018531:Spacecraft / Q000295:instrumentation; D014481:United States; D018557:United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration; D014893:Weightlessness