MIT Zero-Gravity Flight Experiment Team
A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY
The pervasive force of gravity shapes physical processes at all levels, from
the scale of celestial bodies to that of molecular particles. We are all familiar
with gravity-driven buoyancy and convection that govern flows, flames, and
other natural phenomena, many of which enable our survival. At the same
time, we have little understanding of physical processes in the absence
of gravity: a world of unknown phenomena await discovery.
The absence of gravity can be simulated through free fall: Earth-orbiting
spacecraft provide such an environment indefinitely, but at great expense.
Ground-based drop towers can support a few seconds of free fall, rarely long
enough to observe macroscopic processes. Short of space launch,
parabolic aircraft provide the only prolonged opportunity to simulate a
zero-gravity environment.
Due to regulatory delays, parabolic aircraft flights have not become
commercially available until recently. While NASA has operated zero-gravity
research aircraft for some time, these flights are restricted to NASA programs
and selected two-person teams of undergraduate students. Now, for the first
time, parabolic aircraft research flights have been made available to the
general research community.
Through an arrangement with the Zero-Gravity Corporation, our team at MIT
has secured the opportunity to establish the first-ever zero-gravity graduate
student research program. In our first year’s experiment, we will revive a
promising research effort in microgravity aerogel formation, which may point
the way to a new generation of useful materials.
We hope you will join with us in this unique opportunity!
The MIT Zero-Gravity Flight Team
MIT Room 33-218c
77 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02139
zero-team@mit.edu
© 2006
zero-team@mit.edu
1
MIT Zero-Gravity Flight Experiment Team
OUR RESEARCH TEAM
Stephen Steiner (Principal Investigator) is a second-year master's student in
Materials Science and Engineering at MIT. As an undergraduate, he was selected
to participate in the NASA zero-gravity flight research program, where he
pioneered techniques for rapid aerogel formation in reduced gravity. In recent
years, he has worked as a crew member on several parabolic aircraft flights for
the Zero-Gravity Corporation. Outside of his graduate research, he leads the MIT
Chapter of Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS),
develops equipment for nanomaterials manufacturing, and works with the MIT
Space Elevator Team.
Darrell Cain is a sophomore in Aerospace Engineering at MIT. He currently leads
the MIT Space Elevator Team and represents MIT on the national council of the
Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS). He believes that
the destiny of the human race lies in space exploration, and plans to work in both
private and public space programs after college. In his free time, he participates in
various theater productions at MIT.
Thomas Coffee is a graduate student at MIT in Aeronautics & Astronautics. His
prior research has included autonomous space life support systems, reducedgravity spaceflight physiology, neurovestibular responses to artificial gravity,
geometry for modular spacecraft, design impacts on manned launch vehicle
operations, novel concepts for low-cost space launch, and modeling languages
for rapid conceptual design. He has led numerous space community and outreach
activities in New England and nationwide, including the MarsWeek and
SpaceVision conferences at MIT. When not reaching for Mars, he enjoys music
performance and composition, reading, teaching, and playing soccer.
Shannon Dong is a graduate student in the Department of Aeronautics &
Astronautics at MIT, working with the Model-based Embedded and Robotic
Systems group in the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab (CSAIL).
Her research interests are in autonomous space systems, and she intends to
stand on Mars one day.
Nicholas Hoff doubled majored in Aerospace Engineering and Physics at MIT.
He is currently a graduate student at MIT in space systems. Nick's life passion is
human spaceflight. He began formal flight training at age 15 and holds
multiengine instrument ratings on his pilot's license. Other long-term interests
include music and karate. He can play saxophone, guitar, and piano, and has
been active the past three years performing vocal music. In his free time he likes
to run (or sail) along the Charles River, work out, take in a symphony concert, or
play piano.
© 2006
zero-team@mit.edu
2
MIT Zero-Gravity Flight Experiment Team
2006 EXPERIMENT: MICROGRAVITY AEROGEL FORMATION
Aerogels are nanoporous, solid foams made by supercritical evacuation of a
solid particle matrix formed in a polymer gel. Aerogels possess the lowest
density and highest internal surface area of any known solid material.
This makes them extremely high-performance materials for collision
damping, acoustic and thermal insulation, structural support, and surface
chemistry. One inch thickness of aerogel provides the same thermal insulation
as 30 panes of window glass. A block of aerogel the size of a person would
weigh roughly one pound, but support the weight of a small car.
Gravity-induced buoyancy and convection currents during gelation induce
disturbances in the solid matrix. Previous experiments have suggested
(inconclusively) that aerogels formed in microgravity may exhibit up to 5%
reduced density and up to 15% increased internal surface area over
conventional aerogels. They may also exhibit near-perfect transparency,
by eliminating the Rayleigh scattering that causes a bluish tint in conventional
aerogels. Transparent aerogels would find numerous applications, from lowmass space telescopes to common window insulation.
Prior research in reduced-gravity aerogel formation has been limited by the
necessary time for gels to form. However, our principal investigator has
developed a novel technique that forms gels in ~23 seconds, fast
enough to complete during one parabolic arc on a zero-gravity aircraft.
This has been successfully demonstrated on KC-135 research flights, and
enables inexpensive formation of high-quality polymer gels in microgravity.
Our 2006 experiment will form several dozen polymer gels in microgravity,
which will be supercritically dried to form aerogels, and tested for chemical
and mechanical properties. We expect this experiment to produce the
most high-performance aerogels ever created, generating publishable
scientific results and potentially significant industrial applications. By
demonstrating the existence of such materials and providing a feasible
mechanism for manufacturing them, we hope to advance the state of the art in
both chemistry and production.
Our team inherits a wealth of knowledge in aerogel chemistry and zerogravity research apparatus and operations, that makes us uniquely
qualified to construct, execute, and document this research effort. Pages 4-5
show the design of the experiment and its supporting infrastructure.
© 2006
zero-team@mit.edu
3
MIT Zero-Gravity Flight Experiment Team
2006 EXPERIMENT DESIGN (1)
Two syringes with one-way check valves, depressed simultaneously, mix the
reagents into a volume-expandable mold, where they form a gel. ~30 such
pre-loaded syringe assemblies will be activated during the research flight.
Mold racks constructed of tight-fitting foam will damp out high-frequency
vibrations that might disturb the microgravity environment for gel formation.
© 2006
zero-team@mit.edu
4
MIT Zero-Gravity Flight Experiment Team
2006 EXPERIMENT DESIGN (2)
Computer-controlled stepper-motor
linear actuators with embedded
feedback potentiometers on each
syringe assembly will ensure
simultaneous syringe depression
at consistent rates, ensuring even
mixing and uniformity of samples
across all gels obtained in the
experiment.
A sealed containment
glove box (bottom) will
guard against liquid or
vapor release from the
gel-forming apparatus
and isolate the molds
from lower-frequency
vibrations. The box
contains acceleration,
temperature, humidity,
and pressure sensors
to monitor the internal
environment, and the
connectors to feed data
and power to and from
the external PC and
power supply. The box
has been tested on four
previous zero-gravity
aircraft flights, and
shown to properly
handle experimental
operations and contain
liquid and vapor leaks.
© 2006
Removable Inner
Door Panel
Aluminum
L-Beams for
Attaching
Equipment
zero-team@mit.edu
5
MIT Zero-Gravity Flight Experiment Team
2006 PROJECTED SCHEDULE
23 Jan 2006 ......................... Experiment proposal and load analysis submitted
04 Feb 2006 ......... Experiment approved for flight aboard Zero-G Corp. aircraft
17 Feb 2006 ....... Test equipment data package and operations plan submitted
06 Mar 2006 ...... Final experiment data package and safety analysis submitted
11 Apr 2006 ....... Laboratory space established, began structural modifications
18 May 2006 .............. Structural modifications complete, major parts procured
30 Jun 2006 .................................. Experimental apparatus testbed assembled
28 Jul 2006 ....................................... Experimental apparatus testing complete
25 Aug 2006......................... Final experimental apparatus assembly complete
01 Sep 2006....................................Payload integration in Cape Canaveral, FL
03 Sep 2006.......................................... Experiment flight and sample stowage
29 Sep 2006........................Aerogel supercritical drying and analysis complete
27 Oct 2006 ...................... Documentation complete and draft paper submitted
2006 PROJECTED BUDGET*
Research flight costs (5 personnel  $4000/person) ............................ $20,000
Airfare to Cape Canaveral (5 personnel  $400/person) ......................... $2000
Experiment shipping costs (2 trips  $750/trip) ........................................ $1500
Additional experiment materials .............................................................. $1000
Silicon alkoxide reagents
Syringes and tubing equipment
Linear actuators
Instrumentation (3-axis accelerometer, hygrometer, thermometers, pressure sensor)
Data acquisition unit
Power supply
Lodging in Cape Canaveral (5 personnel  $200/person) ....................... $1000
Transportation in Cape Canaveral (4 days  $120/day) ............................ $500
_____________________________________________________________
Total .................................................................................................... $26,000
* not including post-experiment analysis
© 2006
zero-team@mit.edu
6
MIT Zero-Gravity Flight Experiment Team
SPONSORSHIP BENEFITS
All Sponsors …
 Your name and logo appear on team publications and web site
 You receive copies of publicity materials documenting team activities
and research flights for your own outreach activities
Bronze ($1000+) …
 Your name and logo appear on team apparel
 We provide you a tour of our laboratory for your own outreach activities
Silver ($5000+) …
 Your name and logo feature prominently on publications, web site, and
team apparel
 We acknowledge your participation in all conference and media
presentations
Gold ($10,000+) …
 Your name and logo feature prominently on experiment apparatus and
video documentation of the research flight
 We invite your representatives to attend final payload integration
activities and participate in pre- and post-flight video documentation
CONTACT INFORMATION
The MIT Zero-Gravity Flight Team
MIT Room 33-218c
77 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02139
zero-team@mit.edu
© 2006
zero-team@mit.edu
7