The plane makes a parabolic maneuver, much like a roller coaster with steep climbs and descents, that simulates zero gravity conditions. Most of them never knew what it was like to write a proposal, make a budget, find funding, fly the experiment and then go out and talk about it. This week, the first group of students is getting pre-flight training, visiting the space center s high altitude chamber, having their projects safety checked by NASA managers and then flying from nearby Ellington Field. A faculty adviser and NASA personnel will fly with the students. They re doing good work that needs to be done and has a purpose.
Competition is stiff for the program, which runs in the spring and summer.
Once the flying phase of the experiments are complete, students write reports and then participate in an outreach program by talking at public schools near their university. Abstracts of previous experiments or information on applying for next year s program are available from the Texas Space Grant Consortium . The latest plans to bring Mars rocks back to Earth.