BSU College of Engineering Microgravity U

Videos from the Flight

2009-04-06T07:16:00.000-07:00

Here are some videos that were taken on the first flight day using an HD Flip cam. Use the YouTube player to scroll through the videos.

For better quality, click the HD button on the bottom right of the player.

Special Thanks

2009-04-04T08:46:00.000-07:00

Now that the trip is pretty much over, I would like to take this time to thank the many people who made this project a success.

Aerotech for donation of the DC motor.
Idaho Air National Guard for the flight physicals.
Boise State University's Office of Sponsored Programs: Mark Rudin for the start-up funds and Lisa Williams for facilitating funding.
Idaho Space Grant Consortium for the travel funds.

The ground crew:
Matt McCrink for all his hard work on the mechanical arm and box as well as the support at Ellington Field. We couldn't have built this in time without him.
Bob Davidson for his mad driving skills and making sure we were on time to Ellington Field and JSC. Also for his comic relief when things got tense.
Jeff Perkins for engineering the foam that covered the sharp edges of the box and helped us pass the TRR.
Kyle Knori for being our alternate flyer and for his help with the emergency stop button. I'm glad he got to fly with the Nebraska team.
Travis Dean for helping with one of the most critical parts of the experiment, the SLA wheels.
Jake Foresberg for helping out in Boise with the logo design and the emergency stop button.
Jason Griswold, who couldn't make it due to last minute circumstance. He was missed.

The Reduced Gravity Office at Ellington Field:
Sara Malloy for her support during the past two and a half months as we were learning the ins and outs of the Microgravity Program.
Doug Goforth for managing the program with intensity and humor and reminding us to make a memory.
Dominic Del Rosso for being an inspiration on the ground and in the air and for sharing so much of his time with a bunch of rookies.

Rose Aquilina for sizing us up perfectly and making sure we were always standing on the right side of the line.

Veronica Seyl and Alissa Keil for being endless sources of information, especially about educational and professional opportunities with NASA.

Terry Lee for asking challenging questions during the TRR and helping our flights run smoothly.

The staff of Johnson Space Center:

Pedro H. Curiel for being our mentor and sticking with us over the last few months. His guidance was a crucial piece of the puzzle, and he flew and handled the experiment like a pro.

Luis Ramirez for getting us inside JSC's nerve center and putting the gravity of mission support in perspective.

Danny Carraho for giving us a tour of the ARED and lunar habitation mockups, and for expressing what it means to be a part of pushing human frontiers.

Amit Kshatriya for letting us drive "Dexter" and get up close and personal with some of the most exciting R&D on the JSC compound.

Mason Markee for giving us a demo of the ultimate off-road vehicle.

Everyone involved in training us for flight and giving us an inside look at JSC -- one of the most amazing concentrations of human achievement in the world.

Ad Astra Rocket Company:

Ben Longmier for the mind-expanding presentation on plasma thrusters and Lucia for setting up the tour.

Boise State University:

College of Engineering: To Dean Cheryl Schrader and her entire office (Kim, Andy, Jean), Margaret Scott, Michele Armstrong, Leandra Aburusa, Pat Pyke and Don Plumlee. We couldn't have done it without your support.

Office of Communications and Marketing: Frank Zang, for the banner that went with us on the G-FORCE ONE. Mike Journee for being a nimble facilitator of all media outreach during the trip.

Homewood Suites Houston:

To the entire staff for feeding us (cookies!!!) and making us feel at home in an unfamiliar city.

And a very special thanks to Barbara Morgan who has been with us from the introduction of Microgravity at Boise State to actually flying with us on G-FORCE ONE. Barbara has been an inspiration to us all and every student who she talked to this week.

The Space Between

2009-04-03T22:41:00.001-07:00

While the team put a lot of hard work into their time in Houston, there was plenty of fun to be had during downtime. Tonight, we celebrated the end of the project with a little sushi, including the NASA roll (pictured with Alex and Dan).

Earlier today, Jeff channeled his inner flight director in one of JSC's mission control rooms.

Last week at a toy store in the Denver airport, Dan communed with the wildlife.

And before one of the flight days, the crew prepped for zero-G by watching "Top Gun" (and singing along with Kenny Loggins).

Saturday morning, part of the group is participating in the Yuri's Day fun run (named for Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space), followed by some furious packing for a commercial flight that won't be pulling extra Gs. It will be strange to be back in Boise, but there will be so many great stories to tell ...

More from JSC

2009-04-03T15:53:00.000-07:00

As a parting gift, Pedro introduced us to several of his friends who work at JSC, and they gave us even more insider tours. We started with Luis Ramirez, who works in the data processing discipline of the shuttle program's Mission Control Center. So the room we could only see from behind glass yesterday? Yup. We were in there.

Luis talked us through a simulation of a shuttle landing that his colleagues were supporting from their consoles. He said the shuttle's systems are divided up (main engines, propulsion, trajectory, electronics, fuel cells, life support, etc.), and teams of people are assigned to specific disciplines. They are trained to know their systems absolutely and must be able to anticipate and mitigate problems on the fly and under stress.

"The best simulations are the ones where you end up saying, 'That was tough. My brain hurts.' " Luis laughed. "Because you either learn a valuable lesson that you'll probably never make again, or you feel really proud of what you've accomplished."

One proud thing Luis helped us accomplish was revisiting the historic Apollo MCC, where we were able to get close to actual paperwork from the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. Heady stuff.

Then we met up with Danny Carraho. He worked for years on the electronic components of the ARED (Advanced Resistance Exercise Device), which currently is keeping astronauts fit on the International Space Station. Sandra Magnus, who came down last week after 134 days, used the ARED for several months and said she was in great shape. Having seen it go from concept to reality, Danny said watching it be used for the first time was "very scary."

"It's like watching your kid ride a bike for the first time," he said.

Danny is now focusing on the inner-workings of lunar habitation mock-ups, and we were able to check out several concepts. While the return to the moon won't happen for many years, Danny said the wait doesn't dull the excitement of the job.

"I still feel like I just started. I feel like I'm doing something good here. Nobody else does this in the world," he said. "I don't have trouble coming to work everyday."

We left Danny for another mock-up facility where some of the students got to operate a powerful robotic arm nicknamed Dexter. We also got to see a lunar rover prototype called the Chariot that is part of NASA's plan to return to the moon in 2020. Engineer Mason Markee explained that he and his colleagues try to buy whatever they can off the shelf, so the tires are not custom. But each wheel module has its own axis and suspension, making the Chariot the "ultimate off-road vehicle."

"Inside it's a smooth ride while it's going over really rough terrain," Mason said. "You can't even follow it with a truck."

The photo below features Mason kicking a tire. Apparently, NASA engineers do that too.

The last tour of the day was of the Ad Astra Rocket Company, its enormous vacuum chamber and VASIMR, or Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket. Plasma physicist Ben Longmier explained that plasma thrusters have a lot of potential when it comes to space travel and transport. Using ionized gas to create a plasma propellant, the VASIMR gets more thrust more efficiently than a chemical rocket. As usual, anything to do with rockets had the team enthralled (as did the 7,000 pound steel door on the vacuum chamber, which was formed with explosives).

In Short...

2009-04-02T22:29:00.000-07:00

I flew today. After spending Wednesday in and out of a coma caused by the flight drugs, Thursday came with much anticipation. The day started with a lightning lockdown in the hangar while Mallory, Jim, Kyle, and I were in our mission briefing. After a slight delay, we lined up to board the plane. With the wind in my hair and Kenny Loggins (Highway to the Danger Zone) in my head, I donned my Aviators and boarded G-FORCE ONE. The flight out to the Gulf was an anxious one. We had made the journey previously, only to return due to weather prior to the parabolas. This time the flight would proceed.

The first test went smoothly. We realized that we would be able to get two trials in per parabola. I decided that I didn’t need to be sitting to operate the computer interface. With my hands on the box for support, I proceeded to operate the experiment suspended in a handstand. Mallory was amazingly fast. Her quick maneuvers in the glove box allowed us to get two trials done per parabola. We were on track to finish early. Our enemy decided to strike again, however. The turbulence over the Gulf became too great for us to get in all of our scheduled parabolas. We were told we only had a few lunar left. Luckily for the team, we had doubled our parabolas and were on track to finish the test. We ended up collecting all of the data in time for a successful mission. We were left with one lunar, one Martian, and one zero-G that we could use for “secondary research.”

The last lunar was spent jumping around and running up the walls. I managed to pull myself up and walk on the ceiling of the plane. Martian gravity followed. I managed to pull off a reduced gravity version of Conan O’Brien’s String Dance. Hopefully it was captured on camera. Lastly, we had three zero-G parabolas. These were incredible. The sensation is difficult to put into words. "Pure Awesome" is close. The best way I can describe it is that it is like being suspended under water, but under normal pressure and no control. I had anticipated being able to swim around and float about, but I exhibited no such control in this environment. It is a struggle to even keep from flailing about. I always thought that floating would be somewhat like a rollercoaster. I was very wrong. There is no wind and you don’t actually realize that the plane is at a downward incline. It seems as if the gravity was just sucked out of the room and you are left floating. The only way to really express this sensation is to share the pictures and videos. I managed to lay my body parallel to the floor, but suspended in mid air. Meanwhile, Mallory showed off some yoga positions while Jim attempted to pull her around the cabin. Mallory and I both got the flip treatment and were wildly spun about the cabin. The feeling was surreal. I can't wait to share the pictures and videos.

(I have a much longer and detailed version of this post if anyone wants to read it).

Inside the Nerve Center

2009-04-02T19:49:00.000-07:00

Mission Control. The holy grail. All of the students in the program were treated to a tour of JSC, but this was no ordinary trot around the grounds. We started in a hallowed place, the command room where flight directors Gene Kranz, Glynn Lunney and Cliff Charlesworth and a vast support staff helped Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin and Michael Collins successfully complete the first manned mission to the surface of the moon. It was the technical core of many other missions over the years -- including the infamous Apollo 13 -- and is a National Historic Landmark of epic proportions.

Sitting behind the consoles looking almost exactly as they did on that fateful day in 1969, it was almost eery. Of course, everyone took a turn in the flight director's chair.

It didn't quite hit us how special our tour was until we looked back into the enclosed viewing room and saw the people on the traditional tour. It was really something to be able to place a hand on such an indelible piece of history.

We went on to several other control rooms, including one for the international space station. Our guide told us that nearly all of the people working in these rooms are engineers.

"NASA is looking for people who think a certain way," she said.

Observing the Motion Base from the outside, we couldn't help but imagine the astronauts inside dealing with high-fidelity flight simulation while a room full of instructors comes up with all sorts of ways to make things go wrong all day long. But such monkey wrenching is crucial when it comes to building an astronaut's proficiency.

Also crucial is the ability to conquer the space toilet, a necessary and intriguing piece of equipment. Thanks to Matt for giving it a try.

Along the way, we got to see mock-ups of the international space station and its labs, the space shuttle, the Russian Soyuz and engineering marvels that are being developed as part of the Constellation Program. Once again, we were down on the floor of the bay while other tourists were confined to perimeter catwalks. It was such a thrill.

Tomorrow, the day will be split between saying goodbye to Ellington Field and going on more tours. This trip is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and we intend to take full advantage.

Victory

2009-04-02T10:20:00.000-07:00

Despite getting cut eight parabolas short, crew two collected all the necessary data and managed to capture some zero-G yoga moves on camera. Congratulations.

Kyle flew with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln team at the same time and assisted them with an experiment on the flow of lunar soil simulant through a hopper. It was lucky he was there, because they ended up needing an extra person to manage the functioning of the solenoid. For those of you who don't know what a solenoid is, refer to the lovely words of Bob Davidson:

"Solenoid is an electromagnet that consists of a coil of wire wrapped around an iron core, and when you energize the coil it creates a magnetic field that can be used to move other things that are magnetic," said Bob. So when Kyle flipped on the solenoid, the slider on the hopper opened to allow the lunar soil simulant to flow through and the Nebraska team to collect their data. While Kyle would have preferred to work with his home team, he was happy to help and get exposed to different research and engineering students from another university.

Research Angle

2009-04-02T08:50:00.000-07:00

Right about now, Ryan, Mallory, Jim and Kyle are doing this (see above). The rest of us just filled out evaluations about the experience so NASA can improve on the program, though I'm not sure how. It's pretty spectacular the way it is.

One of the privileges of participating in the program is being able to hang a university banner in the high bay of Building 993. Our team is leaving this beauty behind to represent the latest frontier of Boise State research. Back on campus, classes already are being taught to get more and younger students involved in programs like this. Who knows, maybe a Bronco will walk on Mars. :-)

Go for Flight

2009-04-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

Team two is away, cruising through sky full of shadow and light. It won't be long before they feel the first nose over and open their eyes and mouths as wide as they will go.

The beefed up ground crew was onboard right before setting things up, and thanks to the rain, they had to wear these fashionable booties. Nothing was broken this time, but the team was trying to get the camera prepped to shoot the subtle yet eyebrow-raising movement of the lunar regolith.

It's not often you see a "hypergravity" button on your computer.

A Great Big Tiny Lesson

2009-04-02T06:22:00.001-07:00

We are now on the infamous "lighting hold," on lock-down in the hangar until the storm rages past. Seems like a perfect time to explain the above picture, what could have ruined the entire experiment before it even left the ground. This is actually the victory shot after Matt and one of NASA's best (a mechanical engineer as well) were able to coax a broken ball rod end out of its threading. According to Matt, this piece secures the critical mount for the shock assembly that is responsible for transmitting the load that pushes the wheel down into the regolith. This critical piece got broken in transit, but a little patience and overnight shipping did the trick.

The photo below, pre-fix, demonstrates the contrast of moods in the room. Jim unwittingly came in with a cart full of goodies while Matt -- well, you can see what Matt was thinking. In any case, this is yet another example of how often engineers have to deal with problems as they come and count on each other for ideas, technical support and maybe a little sympathy.

Troubleshooting

2009-04-02T05:45:00.000-07:00

Even though Mother Nature ruled the day yesterday, there were a few bright spots. Right before the flight team was to board the plane, the ground team went in to make sure the experiment was in good shape. Apparently it wasn't.

Per Bob Davidson: "Matt saved the day by fixing a broken power wire just ahead of the second day's flight. When we went out to check things, we couldn't power up the unit. Luckily we caught this in time to fix it. If we hadn't checked, it would have been too late when the flight crew boarded."

Back in the hangar, the second set of fliers is still in limbo. Hail is pounding the roof as I write, and a thunder storm is making its way through the air space reserved for the G-FORCE ONE. The JSC folks handed out two alternative schedules in case things get delayed another day, but they think the intense weather will burn out fast. Here's hoping.

Farewell to Good Friends

2009-04-01T11:46:00.000-07:00

After a fantastic week, we had to say goodbye to both Pedro and Barbara yesterday evening. Together, they represent the best of NASA, from the engineer behind the scenes to the astronaut in the spotlight. Both provided crucial guidance and support, and I think it's safe to say we couldn't have done it without either one of them. They helped put this experience in context as well as making it a really good time. We miss them already.

Grounded

2009-04-01T09:42:00.000-07:00

The weather has decided for us. The day-two flight teams will try again tomorrow, and we're hoping they'll get some extra sympathy parabolas for their trouble. Barbara said this is actually a great glimpse into the necessary sensitivity of NASA missions. Getting "scrubbed" means that every precaution is being taken to ensure the safety of the crew, and no one can (or wants to) argue with that.

Unsung Heroes

2009-04-01T08:34:00.000-07:00

One of the things that has been emphasized over and over this week is the importance of team. The Discovery astronauts we saw last weekend were quick to credit all those who contributed to the success of their mission, and the list was long indeed. While Boise State's flight teams will come home with some of the most impressive anecdotes, they could never have gotten near the plane without a lot of support and encouragement from the steadfast ground team, including Jeff Perkins, Bob Davidson and Matt McCrink (pictured above).

There are many more individuals and organizations that need to be formally thanked for contributing to this project (and they will be), but for now, we in Houston would like to recognize our vital teammates at home.

Jason Griswold, aka team "mom," wasn't able to join us as planned, but his name has been mentioned many times this week. We wish he was here.

Travis Dean was instrumental in fabricating the wheels, which are the heart of the experiment. He would have been here if not for a very joyous event in his life, which we're guessing is probably even more of a thrill than microgravity.

Don Plumlee helped a great deal in supervising the design and execution of the experiment's motor and mechanical structure, and he should know that despite a few glitches caused by crazy gravity, everything is working beautifully.

Jake Forseberg contributed his time and skills to several projects, including the emergency stop button on the experiment and the sweet logo on all of our team shirts. He is observing the action this time around and hopefully will get involved in future projects.

Kim Long is a wonder. She helped with everything, from the scheduling to the financing to the cheerful smiles whenever they were needed. She deserves some serious NASA swag from our favorite souvenir shop.

Andy Diehl made it possible for the team to reserve space in the engineering buildings every week and enabled telephone and Internet conferences with our NASA mentor, which were crucial to the execution of the project.

Margaret Scott and Michele Armstrong have been getting the word out on the home front, using the College of Engineering homepage as an ever-evolving billboard. Thanks also for all the creative and technical help with the blog. It is our window on the world.

To everyone else supporting this team, thank you, and stay tuned for a more extended note of gratitude.

Hiccup

2009-04-01T08:14:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, the day-two flight crew had to come back in before executing any parabolas. The turbulence over the gulf was too intense, and after all, NASA's motto is "The safe way is the right way."

Fortunately, the fliers will probably get to go out later today when the weather clears, or tomorrow. That's one of the reasons the flight week is scheduled over more than two days. Houston is notorious for moody weather.

For now, we'll comfort ourselves with cajun food. And the fact that the rest of us were driving Moby Van (Our 14-seat assault vehicle) right underneath the G-FORCE ONE upon its descent. It was loud, and we liked it.

30 March 2009 - 0915 - 200 miles South of Ellington Field...

2009-04-01T06:50:00.000-07:00

The Boeing 727 known as G-FORCE ONE noses over for its first lunar parabola of the morning. The majority of its crew being first-time fliers: a unanimous wave of excitement and awe sweeps over the interior, as they miraculously lift off the floor for the first time.

During our training in the days before the flight, we'd been told to just take the first few parabolas to get used to the sensation of reduced gravity as well as the hypergravity experienced while the plane recovered in altitude for the next drop. Despite all the verbal and mental preparations I had been run through, it was still something quite different than what I was expecting.

There are no windows in our section of the aircraft to see out of, but the pictures of the plane during its ascent and descent show a pretty impressive angle. And although the plane certainly doesn't fly like any other commercial plane, it felt surprisingly natural after the first few nose-overs.

Not so much a sensation of falling or panic, as one might expect from a plane about to free-fall, but credit goes to the skill of the pilots for keeping the ride so smooth that you can't really tell anything other than feeling alternatively lighter and heavier during the parabolas.

I was busy most of the time, operating our experiment, but even with that distraction, the experience was one that I will hope to carry with me the rest of my life. Especially the first few parabolas getting used to lunar gravity, and the zero-G parabolas at the end, were awesome. If I had the chance to do it again, I would take it in an instant.

Normal things act very differently in reduced gravity, and even more perplexingly in zero-G. I noticed that at least the look of things floating in zero-G, or people hopping around in the lunar parabolas, seemed exactly as I had seen on video from NASA footage from the actual locations. The lunar gravity seemed more fun to me, partly because I could still do normal things, but just felt like a superhero, and the zero gravity was so wildly different, it was hard to control your movements.

And now, 24 hours after our flight, the second day's fliers are preparing to take off, taking the experiment through its second run, as well as taking in the Zero-G experience. :)

Flight Day 2

2009-04-01T06:14:00.000-07:00

Heading into Ellington for the last time, we were greeted by a cloudy sunrise, a good omen on the day. Mallory and Ryan are set to collect the rest of the data for Boise State's experiment, while Kyle (our alternate flier) will be assisting the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in conducting a study of the flow of lunar soil simulant through a hopper.

All fliers are issued flight suits and NASA name badges, and some have a hard time resisting the urge to go a little Top Gun. The team rented the classic last night, singing and quoting along and staring gape-mouthed at the jet engines (despite having seen them millions of times). Some things just never get old.

Mallory is a lot of things, a ball of pure energy being one of them. She also is an inspiration to young women who may be thinking about studying engineering. She has not skipped a beat with any of her male counterparts on the team, most of them several years older and a lot more experienced when it comes to research. She is about to fly, and I have a feeling she will produce some impressive pictures of what is possible when a human is lighter than air. Somehow, it seems like her natural state.

The Flight of My Life

2009-03-31T15:21:00.000-07:00

When I first stepped on to the plane this morning I was struck with a sense of awe. All of the hard work it took to get this far has finally paid off.
The first parabola was very memorable. First there was a 2g pull-up and it felt like I was lifting dumbells with no dumbells and I could feel my face being pulled down towards the floor of the plane. After about 20 seconds of that the plane gently nosed over and I just barley nudged my foot and suddenly I was floating upwards towards the ceiling! I wasn't expecting the lunar parabola to feel so light, I seriously thought we were in Zero-G already. The feeling was surreal and I don't have many words to describe it. It was as if I were falling upwards and everything was in slow-motion.
The rest of the parabolas were fun and I didn't feel sick at all. I remembered what they said about keeping your head straight during the 2g portions, that helped a ton.
When we got to the Zero-G parabolas I was already used to the previous 28 lunar Gs and the experience was just incredible, as soon as the plane nosed over I saw the G meter in the back drop to near 0 and suddenly everything was floating. One thing I remember clearly was a pair of orange ear plugs floating by me about 2 feet of the ground, that was crazy!
The last parabola was the most fun, I was honored to have Barbara Morgan spin me around after I curled up into a ball. It was so strange flipping without having any blood rush to my head and I was quickly disorientated. Then just as soon as it came it was gone and there was applause and laughter.
One thing that I realized from this whole experience is that you can do anything you set your mind to. Making goals is one thing, finishing them is another. I've never felt anything like this in my life and the memories will last for a very long time. I hope that more people get to partake in such an awesome experience.

Weightless Wonderment

2009-03-31T09:58:00.000-07:00

As their bodies left the floor of the plane during the first lunar gravity parabola, the Microgravity University students looked like they had just seen snow for the first time. And in a way, that look never left. While the teams were focused on their research, they couldn't help but test an environment that only a handful of human beings ever have experienced.

Dan, Barbara and Alex did some serious acrobatics during the three zero-G passes. The crew told us to make sure we were hanging onto something before we nosed over, and then it was a sudden, involuntary trip toward the ceiling. Where the lunar and Martian gravity situations required a little manpower to manipulate, the zero-G played with us. Legs, arms and cameras floated and spun, and you could definitely see the difference between the veteran flyers and those who were weightless for the first time.

The experience was once in a lifetime (unless some of these students follow in Barbara Morgan's footsteps and become astronauts). We can't thank the NASA staff enough for allowing us to be involved in such an incredible project, from the Johnson Space Center to the Neutral Buoyancy Lab to Ellington Field. We are back on the ground, but we may never be the same. The second crew flies tomorrow, and we can't wait to hear their stories.

The Ride Before The Ride

2009-03-31T04:27:00.000-07:00

So it is Tuesday morning, and only a little over hours from our scheduled flight time. The feeling is excitement and anticipation, but overall pretty good. Feeling calm and ready to get to work.

Seems like forever since we landed in Houston 6 days ago, and the experience has almost been overwhelming. We've been working alongside the Weightless Wonder VI in its hangar at Ellington Field and touring NASA facilities in our spare time. Completed flight physiological training, and cleared our experiment through the Test Readiness Review.

The box is on the plane, and we are suited up, and about to eat breakfast, which hopefully will stay breakfast for the remainder of the day. Wish us luck!

'A Piece of History'

2009-03-30T06:21:00.000-07:00

Sunday afternoon we had the privilege of attending an official NASA crew return ceremony for the STS 119 Discovery astronauts and STS 118 crew member Sandra Magnus. STS 119 had been on a 13-day mission to the international space station to install solar wings and extra electrical power. The mission was a success, and the crew brought home Magnus, who had been on the station for 134 days.

"How do you say thank you to the tens of thousands of people across the world who contributed to this mission?" she asked, adding that when you're floating high above the earth, you feel the sense of team, the combined efforts and hopes of so many people "expanding human frontiers."

Led by commander Lee Archambault, the crew expressed their gratitude to all of the people and organizations that helped them complete their mission safely. Several members of Congress spoke, resolving to defend the value of the space program as the new administration moves forward. Judging by enthusiasm of the crowd, there are plenty of Americans who share their sentiment.

After the ceremony, the crew spent a lot of time signing autographs and talking to spectators. Most of the Boise State team got to shake their hands and ask questions about the experience of being in space, and for Barbara, it was like a homecoming, not to mention a reminder of the significance of NASA's continuing efforts to push the boundaries of possibility.

"You just got a piece of history," she said as we left the hangar.

Discovery crew member Tony Antonelli was all smiles at the ceremony.

It was a surreal feeling sitting so close to such an elite group of Americans. We all were inspired.

2009-03-29T10:31:00.000-07:00

At a nearby Bayou, the team got to check out some of Houston's most dangerous. Gators, snapping turtles and fire ants were in abundance, and even though Matt challenged Mallory to a swimming race, everyone got out with all appendages intact.

Matt was hoping we could work turtles into the microgravity experiment, while Bob lured an alligator to shore. (It let him live.)

Day 3 Redux, and Rollercoasters

2009-03-29T07:26:00.000-07:00

Friday began with a walkthrough of the Rocket Park at Johnson Space Center. After squeezing through an unassuming door, we were in the presence of the Saturn V rocket, massive and silent inside its tomb. Used during the Apollo program and designed under the direction of famed rocket physicist and astronautics engineer Wernher von Braun, it is the largest and most powerful launch vehicle ever brought to operational status from a height, weight and payload standpoint. And it definitely looks the part. The students were like specks next to its grand bulk, beautifully scarred with so much history.

Then it was into the hands of Mike Fox, manager of the Human Test Support Group at Johnson Space Center. He introduced us to the physiological training schedule for the day and to Juan "Chico" Moran, a crackup who has logged 30 years with JSC. He started us off with lectures about atmosphere, respiration and circulation and the symptoms and treatments of hypoxia and hyperventilation. Three more lecturers led us through trapped gas and decompression sickness, spatial disorientation and motion sickness before we went to the NBL (Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory) for an oxygen equipment lesson and briefing for our simulated flight in the dreaded "chamber."

Dan, Ryan, Alex, Jim and I sat in our respective seats and got comfortable breathing in oxygen masks. Before the chamber pressure changed, we breathed almost 100% pure oxygen for 30 minutes to expel some of the nitrogen in our blood to help protect against decompression sickness. Then we were climbing, virtually, to 25,000 feet, where the density of oxygen molecules is dramatically thinner than it is on the ground. We were instructed to remove our masks and breath the altered air, paying close attention to the onset of any symptoms of hypoxia. One side of the chamber watched as the other gradually began to react. Affects ranged from sensations of heat and tingling to confusion, muscle spasms and immobility. The chamber crew made sure everyone was safe, but we learned a lot about how to take corrective action in case of emergency. During the debriefing, we got to see videos of ourselves during the training, and Dan won the prize for obsessively trying to check his peripheral vision by following his own finger. Before we left the facility, we were able to see a prototype of a lunar habitation module and the enormous pool where astronauts train for their missions. Much like the Saturn V, the pool was breathtakingly huge and filled with machinery, like a sunken city.

Saturday was our first break from the action, and the team headed to Kemah for some roller coasters (aka Zero G training apparatus), aviator glasses and classic seafood gumbo.

Later today we'll participate in the homecoming celebration for the crew of Discovery, and then it's back to the grindstone on Monday. Stay tuned.

The Tip of the Nose Cone

2009-03-28T09:47:00.000-07:00

Dan and Alex thinking "inside the box."

After a full day of being crammed on various transport vehicles, the team got to meet NASA's Pedro H. Curiel for Thai food. Thanks to Barbara for the insider restaurant tip.

Despite all the warnings carefully scrawled on every surface of the packaging, the box got dumped on its fragile side. Luckily it passed the impromptu stress test with flying colors.

Next time, we'll rent a separate van for the bags. Hopefully they're old enough to drive...

The pudding in the Denver airport is first rate and personally endorsed by Alex. He and his materials science buddies might want to examine what makes it so impossibly delicious.

First Day On the Field

2009-03-26T21:37:00.000-07:00

Today was the team's first day at Ellington Field. When I walked through the gate all I could think was "this is it, we're going all the way". Shortly after we sat down, the "Weightless Wonder VI" DC9 aircraft rolled in for inspection just feet from where we were setting up. It was amazing, and perfect timing. This is not the aircraft we will be flying on; ours is a 727 aircraft and won't arrive on the field until Monday. We were greeted with a warm welcome by the Reduced Gravity Office staff and hanger crew. Immediately following, work began. Despite the piece that broke off during shipping, the rest of the box construction went together smoothly. Everyone at Ellington field is so supportive of our research and they want to do everything they can to make sure our experiment is safe and ready to fly on Tuesday.
It was great seeing experiments from other teams. They have all put a ton of work into them and the excitement and anticipation is contagious.
We have a very large team in comparison and needed two tables for setup! The University of Nebraska was short a flyer so we let them "borrow" our alternate flyer, Kyle. Needless to say, that really made Kyle's day and will be a great networking opportunity to get to know other students in the program.
As the team lead, I've spent most of my time going to the meetings, writing support documents and making sure information is properly communicated. The schedule here is pretty tight with work and training but has room for some pretty exciting tours. There is so much to do and the adventure has just begun!

A Thousand Words

2009-03-26T21:03:00.000-07:00

Yes; I'm talking about pictures. 107 on the big camera and at least 40 more on the little guy today. A sampling will be posted soon, but until then, let's just say the day began with an accidental tour of Ellington Field, hit its stride with a Gulf Coast monsoon outside the hangar and ended with a bit of a dance party (and a sad attempt at group cribbage).

Tomorrow we get tested, physically and mentally. Let's just hope we hold up as well as the box.

Contact

2009-03-25T20:05:00.000-07:00

The day finally arrived. Early. The team started trickling into the Boise Airport around 6 a.m., and to everyone's surprise and delight, TSA didn't bat an eye at any of our strange cargo. Dan walked in with something resembling the briefcase from "Pulp Fiction," and just to be safe, he was packing the 49-page TEDP (test equipment data package) to prove that he had no plans to blow up Texas.

A quick flight (and some priceless napping pictures) later, we arrived in Denver, and Alex led us straight to the Wolfgang Puck pudding. Turns out vanilla makes a great breakfast, even with a plastic spoon.

Before we landed in Houston, we could feel the humidity coming on -- 85% and rain in the forecast. We crammed ourselves and our luggage onto a shuttle, into a rental car office and then, miraculously, into a van that was dwarfed by our colorful mountain of stuff. Without revealing anything damaging, let's just say engineers know how to make it work (especially Mallory).

Headed down the freeway toward NASA country, we got a sense of the enormity of Houston and the devastation caused by Hurricane Ike. With Barbara as our guide, we made it to the hotel and were welcomed with complimentary popcorn and well-wishes from the staff. A few lucky students got a sneak peak at the Johnson Space Center's "Rocket Park," which I hear is exactly as awesome as it sounds.

Then the infamous voice of our NASA principal investigator, Pedro H. Curiel, materialized. Pedro joined us for dinner at a cozy Thai restaurant down the road, where talk ranged from string theory to viral YouTube videos. Dessert was the unearthing of "the box." Foam peanuts flew and the assembly began. While it was not without calamity, everyone ended up smiling and hungry for more. Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow ...

Pizza and Pi

2009-03-16T12:30:00.000-07:00

This was a weekend of reckoning for the team. With mere days to go before the big trip to Houston, all of the physical pieces needed to come together. In the space between, I learned some new trivia:

1) Alex likes magnets. A lot.
2) Mallory once recited Pi past 200 digits for a free pizza.
3) Travis is putting his money on the tractor wheel getting the best traction.
4) When you promise Ryan "pie," understand that he's hoping for key lime, not pepperoni.

With the assembly close to complete, today's demo for local TV news should be smooth sailing — provided nobody takes credit for colonizing the moon. Ha.

Nine days and counting.

'The Journey Begins Now'

2009-03-13T14:18:00.000-07:00

Four decades after Neil Armstrong put the first footprint on the surface of the moon, NASA is planning a serious return. The last of the six American lunar missions — Apollo 17 — took place in 1972, and there is new impetus to explore the poles, far side and ancient craters of the moon as well as its potential to be a permanent launch pad for future missions, possibly deeper into space than human beings have ever gone.

This message was broadcast to the Boise State team through what looked like a trailer for a summer blockbuster. At the end, the screen flashed to black emblazoned with the words: "The Journey Begins Now." You bet it does.

The short film was followed by a digital videoconference that included representatives of Johnson Space Center, Carthage College and Boise State. NASA systems engineer Ann Bufkin kicked things off with a look at the technology she's helping developing for the Orion lander, a crew exploration vehicle that is part of the Constellation Program to send human explorers back to the moon, and then onward to Mars and other destinations in the solar system. She also talked about the vital role of the systems engineer in making sure communications specialists don't design something that's all antennas and that propulsion specialists don't make the same mistake with engines.

"You have to take folks out of their own little worlds and help them work together," Bufkin said.

Students from both schools asked questions before NASA's Dr. Carlton Allen took the virtual stage. If you boiled down his deservedly long and prestigious title, you could call him an Astromaterials Curator, but he knows about a lot more than the nearly half-ton of moon rocks and soil samples that have been brought back to earth over the years. After congratulating the teams on being accepted, he said of their impending adventure into microgravity:

"It's a whole different world. You'll be absolutely amazed when something you've been used to your whole life suddenly becomes something else."

In revisiting all of the previous moon missions, Dr. Allen explained that the infamous craters were and are caused by meteor impacts, as is the singular consistency of the lunar surface. He said the moon lacks the atmosphere that protects Earth from constant bombardment, and any plans NASA has to establish a permanent base will require engineers to address the issue in their designs and material choices. He talked about moon buggies bouncing in the air and men in 200-pound space suits jumping high to salute the flag. He talked about China, Japan and India sending spacecrafts to the moon, ushering in a new era of international exploration. He talked about NASA's plans to slam something into the moon's surface ("the 12-year-old boy way of doing science") to try to discover if ancient ice is lurking deep in craters that have never seen the sun. And he talked about the fact that all six missions were accomplished successfully using the technology of the late 1960s.

"Imagine what we'll be able to do now," Allen said. "Your generation will be the one to design, build and fly the next generation of vehicles."

Classic rock goes great with aluminum shavings

2009-03-04T13:30:00.000-08:00

On a brisk Saturday, Matt gave Dan a lesson in machining in time to billboard gold by Aerosmith and The Doors. While most of the equipment for the experiment could be bought, several key pieces of the box that will contain the lunar dust had to be individually designed and fabricated. Surprisingly, the guys were not alone on campus. Engineering students were everywhere, working, by choice. Maybe it’s the boom box …

Maybe next time, they’ll let us drive the tank …

2009-03-04T13:21:00.000-08:00

On February 18, most of the student contingent of Boise State’s Microgravity University flight team passed the security checkpoint at Gowen Field (despite Dan’s suspicious license plate ...). The Medical Group of the 124th Wing of the Idaho Air National Guard had generously agreed to support the flyers by administering complimentary Class 3 Flight Physicals, and it was the moment of truth for Dan, Mallory, Ryan and Kyle.

One by one, they were taken for tests on everything from vision to blood pressure to reflexes. But the most intimidating test involved what looked like a tiny phone booth and ear phones so tight even breathing made it hard to hear the intermittent, painfully quiet beeps. Crammed in the booth and concentrating hard, the students not only experienced the head trip of trying to differentiate between real and imagined sounds, they also learned that noise pollution lurks just about everywhere (crying babies can be dangerous, and young people have been known to fail from driving to the base with their windows down).

The staff nurses and doctors made the day a treat. Jokes flowed from the moment we walked through the door, though everyone got serious when Dan picked up the remote control. Despite the lovely HD flat screen above the front desk, the 124th Medical Group was resigned to watching daytime court shows with a picture so fuzzy it was hard to tell Judge Alex from Judge Judy. In a matter of seconds, Dan used his “powers of telekinesis” to switch the band from analog to digital, instantly giving the office crew more channels, all with crystal clear images. Although Dan already accepted a job with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory after he graduates, we’re pretty sure he got some unofficial offers to stay and fix all of the computers on the base.

After posing for victory pictures, the team got back on the road to Boise State. They were approved for flight on the infamous “vomit comet.”

Research Team to Fly High in NASA Program

2009-02-23T09:57:00.000-08:00

A team of undergraduate engineering students from Boise State University is gearing up for flight week in late March as part of NASA’s Reduced Gravity Education Flight Program, also known as Microgravity University. The team was one of eight chosen from colleges and universities across the country to successfully propose, design, fabricate, fly and evaluate a reduced gravity experiment in the Systems Engineering Educational Discovery segment of the Microgravity University program.

A video explaining more about microgravity and why it is an important tool is available at the NASA Web site.