Spaceflight Payload Design, Flight Experience G-408
Article comments
NOTE: At the time of publication, the author William W. Durgin was affiliated with Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Currently, March 2008, he is Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo.
Abstract
Worcester Polytechnic Institute's first payload of spaceflight experiments flew aboard Columbia, STS-40, during June of 1991 and culminated eight years of work by students and faculty. The Get Away Special (GAS) payload was installed on the GAS bridge assembly at the aft end of the cargo bay behind the Spacelab Life Sciences (SLS-l) laboratory. The experiments were turned on by astronaut signal after reaching orbit and then functioned for 72 hours. Environmental and experimental measurements were recorded on three cassette tapes which, together with zeolite crystals grown on orbit, formed the basis of subsequent analyses.
The experiments were developed over a number of years by undergraduate students meeting their project requirements for graduation. The experiments included zeolite crystal growth, fluid behavior, and microgravity acceleration measurement in addition to environmental data acquisition. Preparation also included structural design, thermal design, payload integration, and experiment control.
All of the experiments functioned on orbit and the payload system performed within design estimates.
Suggested Citation
William W. Durgin; Fred J. Looft; Albert Sacco, Jr.; Robert Thompson; Anthony G. Dixon; Dino Roberti; Robert Labonte; and Larry Moschini. "Spaceflight Payload Design, Flight Experience G-408" Proceedings of the 1992 Shuttle Small Payloads Symposium: Baltimore, MD (1992): 9-19.
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/wdurgin/40