David E. Steitz
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1730
david.steitz@nasa.gov
RELEASE: 11-331
NASA SELECTS TECHNOLOGY PAYLOADS FOR REDUCED-GRAVITY FLIGHTS
WASHINGTON -- NASA has selected nine proposals to demonstrate new
technologies for the second set of payloads to fly on commercial
suborbital reusable launch vehicles and the Zero-G commercial
parabolic aircraft. NASA is using commercially available vehicles to
carry these technology demonstration payloads to help develop the
U.S. commercial reusable suborbital transportation industry.
NASA's Flight Opportunities Program provides test flights to
demonstrate and validate space technologies on airborne platforms
flying above 65,000 feet, the area known as "near space." The program
also supports parabolic flights that simulate brief periods of
microgravity or weightlessness.
"We're moving out with a set of payloads that can benefit from the
proving ground of near space," Mike Gazarik, director of NASA's Space
Technology Program at NASA Headquarters in Washington said. "We're
looking forward to increasing the number of commercial flights and
technology demonstration payloads flown, with companies providing a
viable reusable flying science lab capability for researchers from
all across America."
Selected for flight on both a suborbital reusable launch vehicle and
the Zero-G aircraft are:
- "Microgravity Multi-Phase Flow Experiment for Suborbital Testing,"
team leader Kathryn Hurlbert of NASA's Johnson Space Center in
Houston.
Selected for flight on suborbital reusable launch vehicles:
- "Application of Controlled Vibrations to Multiphase Systems for
Space Applications," Ricard Gonzalez-Cinca, Universitat Politecnica
de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain, and Richard Tyson, University of
Alabama in Huntsville
- "Environmental Monitoring Suite on Suborbital Reusable Launch
Vehicles," H. Todd Smith, and Lars P. Dyrud, Johns Hopkins University
Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Md.
- "Measurement of the Atmospheric Background in the Mesosphere as a
Pre-cursor to Astronomical Observations," Sean Casey, USRA/SOFIA,
Moffett Field, Calif.
- "RF Gauging of the Liquid Oxygen Tank on a Reusable Launch Vehicle,"
Gregory Zimmerli, NASA's Glenn Research Center, Cleveland
Selected for parabolic flight aboard the Zero-G aircraft:
- "Assessing Vestibulo-Ocular Function and Spatial Orientation in
Parabolic Flight," Mark Shelhamer, Johns Hopkins University School of
Medicine, Baltimore
- "Evaluation of a Medical Chest Drainage System Functional in the
Microgravity Environment," C. Marsh Cuttino, Orbital Medicine, Inc.,
Richmond, Va.
- "Autonomous Cell Culture Apparatus for Growing 3-Dimensional Tissues
in Microgravity," Zarana Patel and Janice Huff of Johnson and Colin
Pawlowski of Yale University
- "A demonstrated application of a cost effective and novel platform
for non-invasive acquisition of physiologic variables from
spaceflight participant candidates," Ravi Komatireddy, University of
California at San Diego and West Wireless Health Institute of San
Diego
The Zero-G aircraft flights are expected to take off in April 2012
from Ellington Field in Houston. The suborbital reusable launch
vehicle payloads are expected to fly on vehicles produced by
Armadillo Aerospace, Masten Space Systems, Near Space Corporation, UP
Aerospace, Virgin Galactic, Whittinghill Aerospace, or XCOR
Aerospace. NASA selected the seven companies in August to integrate
and fly space technology payloads. The suborbital reusable launch
vehicle payload flights tentatively are scheduled to begin in early
2012.
NASA selected the proposals following an announcement of fight
opportunities issued last December. NASA called for proposals that
demonstrate or mature new technology payloads using parabolic
aircraft or suborbital reusable launch vehicles for reduced gravity
or near-space flights. The announcement will remain open until
December 31, 2014.
Flight Opportunities, part of the Space Technology Program within
NASA's Office of the Chief Technologist, is managed at NASA's Dryden
Flight Research Center in Edwards, Calif. NASA's Ames Research Center
in Moffett Field, Calif., manages the payload activities for the
program.
For more information about the Flight Opportunities program, visit:
http://flightopportunities.nasa.gov
For more information about the announcement and request for
information, visit:
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