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40th ESA Parabolic Flight
Test Campaign
Dr. Lucio Scolamiero
(ESA/ESTEC)
Dr. Nicolas Loix, Jean-Philippe Verschueren, Serge
Cattoul
(Micromega Dynamics)
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ZERO Gravity Testing of MABE
The main objectives were:
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To assess the performances of the
mechanism in weightless conditions
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To compare the on-ground test results
performed under gravity and to demonstrate the increased performances
when not using the off-loading mechanism based on springs, which was
needed at that time. Under zero gravity, the mechanism should exhibit
homogeneous very low power consumption in the whole displacement range,
a higher level of vibration rejection at low frequencies; the
cross-coupling between piston, tip and tilt due to the off-loading
mechanism should disappear as well.
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MABE Experiment in the Zero-g
Airbus A300 |
Campaign Results
The 40th campaign will last from June 21 to July 1,
2005. Acquired data will be analyzed following this campaign. Results will
be released soon.
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Parabolic Flights
Parabolic
flights are conducted on specially-configured aircraft, and provide a
period of up to 20 seconds of reduced gravity or weightlessness.
During a flight campaign, which normally consists of three individual
flights, around 30 parabolas are flown on each flight, i.e. around 90
parabolas in total. On each parabola, there is a period of increased
gravity (1.8 g) which lasts for 20 seconds immediately prior to and
following the 20 second period of reduced gravity.
More information:
A300 Zero-G
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Photo Gallery
Serge and Nicolas in front of the Zero-g airbus Serge and Lucio in front of the Zero-g Airbus Serge floating at the roof of the airplane First Picture in Zero Gravity Jean-Philippe and Serge in front of the 0-g Airbus
The test airplane is the A300 Zero-G which was financed by ESA, CNES and its subsidiary NOVESPACE. The latter is in charge of the program and the organiztion of the campaigns. Aircraft is maintained by EADS/SOGERMA and operated by the Centre d'Essais en Vol (CEV - Flight Test Center) with a CEV/SOGERMA crew. Nicolas enjoying the experience of 0-g Serge enjoying the experience of 0-g Lucio enjoying the experience of 0-g Jean-Philippe enjoying the experience of 0-g Everybody goes floating. You must get trained to take better pictures...
The test airplane is the A300 Zero-G which was financed by ESA, CNES and its subsidiary NOVESPACE. The latter is in charge of the program and the organiztion of the campaigns. Aircraft is maintained by EADS/SOGERMA and operated by the Centre d'Essais en Vol (CEV - Flight Test Center) with a CEV/SOGERMA crew.
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