Glenn Research Center Microgravity Test Facility
Standing above the opening of the 500' drop tube. The setup provides 5s of near-zero Gs to assess the affects of weightlessness on stuff (fluids, notably).
What's down there?
Woooooooaaaaahhhhh.
Looking at the experiment pods. They are sealed and dropped from the tower. YaaaaaahhhH!
They drop the tubes in a vat of polysterene. The stuff stops the experiment pod in about 0.15 seconds. 65 Gs approx.
Pod hitting the polystyrene.
Down the 500' drop chamber.
Experiment pods lined up and ready for scientific exploration.
Top of the 500' drop thingy.
Space Power Facility with humungous thermo-vac chamber.
At the opening of the fantabulous 122' tall thermo-vacuum chamber. They close the giant doors and suck all the air out. Hot and cold running testing.
Test of Solar Sail. These devices are designed to pull spacecraft along under the influence of the solar wind.
