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University of Vermont Conduct Biomedical Science in Microgravity |
| The University of Vermont
(UVM) designed and built a payload that flew onboard a NASA
Nike-Orion sounding rocket (June 2000) and NASA’s KC-135 aircraft (March
1999, August 1999, and March
2000), which provide exposure to different durations of micro- and
hyper-gravity. The UVM project, called "Effects of micro- and hyper-gravity
on Drosophila activity," is a biomedical experiment using fruit flies.
The experiment measured the effects of short duration weightlessness and
increased gravity on Drosophila, or fruit flies, and tested new hardware
that measures the activity of the flies during the flights. Previous
experimenters have shown that male fruit flies exposed to extremely low
gravity have shortened life spans, while females live for their normal
lifetime. Important advances in the understanding of the aging process,
including humans, could be obtained through comprehending the changes experienced
by the flies under these different gravity conditions.
A group of undergraduate students designed and built the entire payload section including the payload skin, support structure, data collection and storage devices, various sensors (acceleration, pressure, temperature, etc.), and fly chambers. Two different methods of measuring fly motility were developed, one collected data on 240 flies using 480 pairs of infrared emitters and detectors and the other examined 32 flies using a video camera. Besides design and fabrication, students were involved in public relations and interacting with sponsors. The course taught the students about the scientific method, teamwork, and communication as well as improving design and manufacturing skills, all of which are important for succeeding in today’s job environment. Current students are involved with ground based experiments, including performing various tests using centrifuges for increased gravity, and examining the data produced by the KC-135 and rocket flights. For the rocket portion of the experiment (launched June 2000), NASA selected an interdisciplinary proposal from UVM for the agency’s new Student Launch Program, along with two other sounding rocket projects from across the country. The KC-135 aircraft flight opportunities (March 1999, August 1999, and March 2000) were selected by NASA for participation in the Reduced Gravity Student Flight Opportunities program. Students learned about the complete spectrum of rocketry through the use of model rockets. Several different rockets have been built by students, including two 5-foot tall rockets, in order to provide a test bed for various components. Since model rockets experience large forces due to launch and landing, such as those endured during the Nike-Orion launch, placing various instruments aboard these vehicles lead to improvements in component design without a large increase in costs. Tony Keller, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Co-director of the Vermont Space Grant Consortium, is lead investigator on the project. Mark Miller, a Ph.D. candidate in Mechanical Engineering, is coordinating the program. For more information, contact:
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| Tony Keller
119 Votey Building, Burlington, VT 05405 E-mail: keller@emba.uvm.edu Phone: (802) 656-1936 |
Mark Miller
119 Votey Building, Burlington, VT 05405 E-mail: mmiller@emba.uvm.edu Phone: (802) 656-4436 |