University of Kentucky Weightless Wildcats

NASA Reduced Gravity Student Flight Opportunities Program

Photos Courtesy of NASA

Z-GraDE, the 1997 Project // MOFFIA, the 1998 Project // VIPERS and DESI, the 1999 Projects

2000 Weightless Wildcats

Christina Samson and Ron Couch test the deployment of an inflating tube

UK Deployment of Thin-film Cylindrical Orbital Membrane (UK.DOT.COM)

Christina, Tim (our journalist), and Ron ready to go; Christina's first parabola; Tim enjoys the ride

Christina and Ron at work

Some of the "work" is just enjoying the ride

Courtney Byers and Chris Barker fly the second day

On the ground: Chamber Rides (Chris and Christina) and Test Readiness Review (Drew)

Abstract

The University of Kentucky Weightless Wildcats is a group of Engineering students with the objective to conduct experiments in the microgravity (zero-G) environment of NASA's KC-135A aircraft as part of NASA's Student Flight Opportunities Program. For the year 2000, the purpose of the experiment was to verify a mathematical model of the deployment of an inflatable tube. Results of this project will help researchers develop better analysis tools for design of future inflatable spacecraft.

The experiment, dubbed UK.DOT.COM. (University of Kentucky Deployment of Thin-film, Cylindrical Orbital Membrane), measured air pressures at both ends of a long inflating tube. Accelerometers also recorded the motion of the ends of the tube (initially folded) as it was pressurized and deployed. The weightless environment of the KC-135 allows the experiment to be conducted free of friction and other forces that would affect the deployment.

Ellington Field (near Johnson Space Center) in Houston, Texas, is where members of the Weightless Wildcats conducted UK.DOT.COM in March 2000. The weightless environment was attained aboard a NASA-modified KC-135 Stratotanker, which flies in a series of parabolic trajectories, causing 25 to 30 second periods of alternating zero-g and two-g. A total of four team members (two each day) flew aboard the jet to conduct the experiment.

This year's Weightless Wildcats were led by former flyer Andrew Clem, a graduate student in Mechanical Engineering from Nicholasville, Kentucky. The members of the team that flew on the KC-135 included Ron Couch, Christina Samson, Courtney Byers, and Chris Barker. Ron Couch is a senior Mechanical Engineering student from Lexington, Kentucky. Christina Samson, of Frankfort, Kentucky, is a junior Mechanical Engineering major. Courtney Byers is a sophomore Mechanical Engineering major from Louisville, Kentucky. Chris Barker is a sophomore Electrical Engineering major from Dayton, Ohio. The ground crew members of the team included Bobby Jones, a sophomore Mechanical Engineering major from Lexington, Justin Kearns, a sophomore Mechanical Engineering major also from Lexington, Susan Moore, a senior Mechanical Engineering major from Albany, NY, Dustin Elliott, a sophomore Mechanical Engineering major from Hebron, Kentucky, Janelle Merrick, a freshman Mechanical Engineering major from Lexington, and Les Miller, a freshman.

Sponsors for this year's project include ILC Dover, the Kentucky Space Grant Consortium, and the University of Kentucky Department of Mechanical Engineering.

The Weightless Wildcats UK.DOT.COM project was coordinated by advisors Dr. John Main and Dr. Suzanne Weaver Smith. For more information regarding UK.DOT.COM, contact Dr.Main at (859) 257-7137, or by e-mail, johnmain@engr.uky.edu or Dr. Smith at (859) 257-4584 and ssmith@engr.uky.edu.