Extra Low-gear: a Micro-gravity Laboratory to Simulate Asteroid Surfaces
نویسنده
چکیده
The conceptual design and application of a low-speed centrifuge for carrying out milli to micro-G gravity experiments to simulate the granular nature of the surface and interiors of asteroids and comets is described. The proposed device is well suited for the Human-Tended Suborbital Science program as its 3-5 minute weightless durations are sufficient to successfully simulate the surfaces and interiors of small bodies and carry out granular dynamics experiments. The device is also safe to use in close quarters as the maximum rotation rates are less than 3 revolutions per minute, so for a 1 meter diameter wheel the speeds of the edges will be less than .16 m/sec. The granular materials will be encased within the separate experiment chambers, ensuring that they will remain contained throughout the sub-orbital flight.
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