News Release

April 1, 2009

Boise State Photo Release

What: Photos of yesterday’s flight during the NASA/Boise State University Microgravity Experiment
Where: NASA’s Ellington Field and the Johnson Space Center, Houston
Who: Boise State College of Engineering students and faculty

Photos 1-10, click to enlarge images

Boise State University students and faculty from the College of Engineering are currently participating in NASA’s Microgravity University program. In a specially outfitted Boeing 727 (G-Force One), the research team is conducting an experiment over the course of several hours and 32 extreme parabolic maneuvers simulating Martian, lunar and zero gravity. During two flights, the team is collecting data about possible lunar surface traction concepts for rovers that will contribute to NASA’s vision of returning to the moon and establishing a permanent platform for exploring far beyond.

Photos and captions from yesterday’s flight are below and attached. Another flight is scheduled for today or tomorrow, weather depending.

Boise State team members featured in the photos are: students Dan Isla and Alex Miller, NASA mentor Pedro H. Curiel, and Barbara Morgan, former NASA astronaut and now Boise State’s distinguished educator in residence.

To learn more about Boise State’s project and the Microgravity University program, visit the team blog at http://microgravityu.blogspot.com. 

To see previous press releases about the program, go to:
http://news.boisestate.edu/newsrelease/022009/0211SEEDmicrogravity.shtml 
http://news.boisestate.edu/newsrelease/032009/0331microgravity.shtml.


Captions for attached photos:

Photo 1: Dan Isla practices somersaults with Barbara Morgan.

Photo 2: In order to achieve extreme states of gravity, the G-Force One had to pull at least two Gs on the upside of each parabola, shown here on a digital meter.

Photo 3: A veteran of weightlessness, Barbara Morgan was able to kick back and enjoy the reactions on the faces of the Microgravity University students. After the flight, she
gave a presentation to the whole group about her STS-118 mission and answered questions about the experience of space. One student asked if she had any advice for
those hoping to become astronauts. “Go for it,” she said.

Photo 4: The flight crew relaxed during one of the breaks between sets of parabolas on the G-Force One. From left: Dan Isla, Pedro H. Curiel, Alex Miller and
Barbara Morgan.

Photo 5: During a lunar gravity pass, Dan Isla was able to assist Alex Miller with the experiment while playing a bit with partial weightlessness.

Photo 6: Dan Isla and Alex Miller gave Barbara Morgan a quick lesson on how to run Boise State’s experiment, which is testing lunar surface traction concepts.

Photo 7: Despite the enjoyable distraction of lunar gravity, the Boise State team stayed focused and collected data for many of the 32 parabolas during the flight.

Photo 8: Barbara Morgan showed her young counterparts a thing or two about making the best of weightlessness.

Photo 9: After the flight, Boise State’s NASA mentor Pedro H. Curiel led the team back into the hangar at Ellington Field for a debriefing. Curiel provided technical guidance
throughout the process and helped the flight crew conduct their experiment. When asked if he would participate in future Microgravity University programs, he
said he definitely would, mostly because the learning opportunity goes both ways.

Photo 10: Just off the plane, the Boise State fliers couldn’t seem to stop smiling.

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Media Contact: Mike Journee, University Communications, (208) 426-1517, mikejournee@boisestate.edu


Boise State University is “The New U Rising” with record student enrollment, new academic buildings, additional degree programs and a growing research agenda. Learn more at www.boisestate.edu.
 

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Last reviewed on Wednesday, April 01, 2009