There are students who do research in laboratories, but for
some this is just too normal. They want to take their ideas
into space. Well, that might not be possible just yet, but
a persistent student can get the opportunity to do the next
best thing: parabolic flights. It’s a way of creating a
weightless environment using an aeroplane, and yes, it is
very exciting.

This year’s Student Parabolic Flight Campaign, organised by
ESA’s Education Office, involved 32 groups of students from
various universities across Europe. They were the best from
over 120 teams that sent in a proposal to conduct an
experiment in weightlessness. Sixteen groups flew during
the second week; their colleagues flew the week before.

The Student Parabolic Flight Campaign, a project of ESA’s
Education Programme, aims to enhance the youngsters’
knowledge of science and technology and encourage talented
youngsters into a career in space. The existing interest
the youngsters have for space forms an opportunity for
education.

Insects, smoke and CDs

The topics are as diverse as the origins of the students. A
group of Italian students has been researching the behaviour
of an insect species called Talitris, an adaptive inhabitant
of shorelines that runs in and out with the waves. The
students are investigating the ability of the Talitris to
adapt in weightlessness and hypergravity (double weight).

A team from Finland is investigating the quality of CDs
recorded under different gravitational conditions, which
is both relevant for taking the technology into space, but
might also be of value in improving the quality of the
equipment. A group of Portuguese students is studying the
detection of smoke in space, one of the most important
dangers in a space station. They are also looking at the
behaviour of smoke and a possible way of removing it
quickly from the air.

Weightlessness

These experiments cannot be done well in earthbound labs,
due to the ever-present influence of Earth’s gravitational
force. Parabolic flights are a perfect test bed for
performing space experiments without actually going into
space. Being weightless is in fact very easy: jump. Weight
could be defined as ‘the inability to fall’. The resistance
from the ground that stops you from falling down is the
experience we call ‘weight’.

An astronaut is also weightless because he is falling.
However, his speed is so high that he is falling AROUND
the Earth instead of crashing into it. This high speed of
around 26000 km/h that is required for space travel makes
it rather expensive. Parabolic flights are cheaper, but
the period of weightlessness is only about 20 seconds.

Parabolic flights

ESA’s parabolic flight campaigns are carried out using an
Airbus A300, operated by the French company Novospace. It
is a standard passenger jet with a few modifications. The
biggest difference compared to a normal aeroplane is the
removal of all the seats in the mid-section. This area is
covered with a soft material and serves as the experiment
area.

To fly a parabola, the pilot makes the aeroplane climb
sharply at maximum speed, and then allows it to ‘fall’,
which means the thrust of the engines is levelled to
precisely match the drag of aeroplane. The aeroplane is
steered in such a way that the wings deliver no lift at
all, so it is in a state of free fall. Everything inside
the aeroplane is now weightless. About 20 seconds later,
when the nose is pointing down 42 degrees, the pilot pulls
it up sharply. After a short break, the whole process is
repeated. During a normal parabolic flight, the pilot
flies 31 parabolas.

Besides the parabolic flight campaign for students, ESA
carries out two professional parabolic flight campaigns
per year.

Related articles

Related links

IMAGE CAPTIONS:

[Image 1:
http://www.esa.int/export/esaCP/ESAFDMPV16D_index_1.html]
To fly a parabola, the pilot makes the aeroplane climb
sharply at maximum speed, and then allows it to ‘fall’,
which means the thrust of the engines is levelled to
precisely match the drag of aeroplane. The aeroplane is
steered in such a way that the wings deliver no lift at
all, so it is in a state of free fall. Everything inside
the aeroplane is now weightless. About 20 seconds later,
when the nose is pointing down 42 degrees, the pilot pulls
it up sharply. After a short break, the whole process is
repeated. During a normal parabolic flight, the pilot
flies 31 parabolas.

[Image 2:
http://www.esa.int/export/esaCP/ESAFDMPV16D_index_1.html#subhead1]
This year’s Student Parabolic Flight Campaign, organised
by ESA’s Education Office, involved 32 groups of students
from various universities across Europe. They were the
best from over 120 teams that sent in a proposal to
conduct an experiment in weightlessness.

[Image 3:
http://www.esa.int/export/esaCP/ESAFDMPV16D_index_1.html#subhead2]
ESA’s parabolic flight campaigns are carried out using an
Airbus A300, operated by the French company Novospace. It
is a standard passenger jet with a few modifications. The
biggest difference compared to a normal aeroplane is the
removal of all the seats in the mid-section. This area is
covered with a soft material and serves as the experiment
area.