 Over a two day period in
the summer of 2006, four "Zero-G Zoomers" from the northeast Tennessee region and
their NASA mentor oversaw the blowing of bubbles in a weightless environment using an
automated apparatus designed and fabricated by Engineering Technology (ET) faculty
members, an ET major, and an ET alumni. The experiment entitled "The Sustainability of
a Spherical Soap Film (Bubbles) in Microgravity" was flown August 10th and
11th as part of NASA's Microgravity University
Reduced Gravity Flight Program for Museums and Science Centers.
 Building
upon their previous experience in the aerospace industry and familiarity of automation systems and
rapid product development technologies, faculty members Dr. Paul Sims and
Mr. Bill Hemphill were the
principal designers and fabricators of the experimental setup. Joining them in this voluntary design/build
effort were Mr. Sam Shafer, a senior majoring in
Engineering Technology and Mr. Sheldon Davis, a recent graduate of the
Masters of Science in Technology program.
 The
designers used numerous software applications
including AutoCAD, Rhinoceros 3D, Catalyst, and ToolPath to model and fabricate the experimental test
components and enclosure. As an example, the rotating disk used to hold the thin fluid film went through
no less than fifteen different design configurations until one was developed that consistently blew bubbles
of the desired diameter. Using Rhino 3D and the department's
Stratasys Dimension BST Fused Deposition Modeler (FDM) 3D printer,
design, build, test cycles times of less than 1½ hours were achieved when optimizing the disk design.
The acrylic panels for the enclosure were individually cut on the
AXYZ CNC Router.
The project's collaborative "customers" were a development/test/ground crew of six
Greeneville High School
(GHS) students and two GHS science faculty members. The project's scientific advisor,
Dr. Gary Henson
of the ETSU
Department of Physics, Astronomy, & Geology,
and Ms. Amanda Bradley of the Johnson City
Hands On! Museum
flew the experiment with Ms. Christine Chang of NASA on the morning of
August 10th. The following morning, Ms. Chang accompanied Mrs. Amanda Weems and
Ms. Crystal Dugger, both science instructors at Greeneville High School, for their flight on NASA's
"Weightless Wonder" (better known as the infamous "Vomit Comet").
 During the design and development phase, the Greeneville
High faculty and students were instrumental in designing, programming, assembling, and testing.
Upon arrival in Houston, the students participated in a number of activities including pre-flight testing,
A/C loading, and other ground support roles.
Project-related Links
|
Over a two day period in
the summer of 2006, four "Zero-G Zoomers" from the northeast Tennessee region and
their NASA mentor oversaw the blowing of bubbles in a weightless environment using an
automated apparatus designed and fabricated by Engineering Technology (ET) faculty
members, an ET major, and an ET alumni. The experiment entitled "The Sustainability of
a Spherical Soap Film (Bubbles) in Microgravity" was flown August 10th and
11th as part of NASA's Microgravity University
Reduced Gravity Flight Program for Museums and Science Centers.
The
designers used numerous software applications
including AutoCAD, Rhinoceros 3D, Catalyst, and ToolPath to model and fabricate the experimental test
components and enclosure. As an example, the rotating disk used to hold the thin fluid film went through
no less than fifteen different design configurations until one was developed that consistently blew bubbles
of the desired diameter. Using Rhino 3D and the department's
Stratasys Dimension BST Fused Deposition Modeler (FDM) 3D printer,
design, build, test cycles times of less than 1½ hours were achieved when optimizing the disk design.
The acrylic panels for the enclosure were individually cut on the
AXYZ CNC Router.
