In the area of acceleration research there are various reasons to perform ground-based research studies. Some of the reasons why ground based research may be interesting or necessary to consider are for example:

• To perform basic scientific studies and test hypothesis on the effects of accelerations (weight) in preparation of real microweight experiments onboard orbiting spacecraft, sounding rockets, parabolic flight aircraft.
• Explore, more specifically, the parameters which might be involved in real microweight conditions to better define the 'flight-experiment' setup.
• Test hardware performance under simulated or hypergravity (e.g. launch) conditions.
• Define the interaction of the system under study in relation to the hardware being used for a real microweight experiment.
• Investigate the effect of launch accelerations and vibrations on the system under study or in combination with the applied hardware.

Since most ground based research facilities are readily available, studies may be performed on a day to day basis generating sound scientific data publishable in applicable journals.

 Figure: Schematic presentation of potential experiment opportunities compared to 'classic' experiment setups. Novel space station facilities as well as ground simulations and centrifuges may be applied to study the role of weight (accelerations) on various living and non-living samples.

The 'Ground Facilities' for hypergravity research are the:

• MidiCAR cell / tissue culture centrifuge
• Large radius animal centrifuge
• Human rated centrifuge

The 'Ground Facilities' for microgravity (microweight) simulation are the:

• Random Positioning Machine (RPM)
• Free Fall Machine (FFM)
• Benchtop 2D clinostat
• Levitation Magnet
• Parabolic Aircraft (real microgravity)

The facilities addressed within this web site are available for both ESA and non-ESA scientists, engineers, students or commercial users. For any additional information not provided on this web site, please refer to the 'Contact Us' in the index at the left hand side.

For additional information you may download a paper published in the Proceedings of the 2nd European Symposium on the Utilisation of the International Space Station, ESTEC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands. 16-18 November 1998 (ESA SP-433, February 1999). This paper is in PDF format. If you do not have a PDF reader please click PDF icon