7th Student Parabolic Flight Campaign: Poly Smooth and Sphere

Today we finished preparing our experiment. During our experiment, we solder electronic components with laser. Fortunately MTA Automation AG, a Swiss company specialized in soldering, helped us design our experiment and lent us a part of the equipment we needed. At Novespace we only had a few modifications to do, including putting the padding that would protect the experimenters.

After a first control with CEV yesterday we had the final and official security check today. Everything is fine, so we can fly! Now we are preparing a party with all the people of the student parabolic flight campaign. This weekend we will visit Bordeaux and go to the Atlantic coast.

Team 1010 - Hautes Etudes Industrielles
Our experiment, the Sphere robot, had to pass the safety visit today.

In the morning we attached everything in the aircraft - the computer on its tablet and the robot to its rope in the free floating area.

Then, in turn, we each tried to pull on whatever could be pulled to see if everything was secured. Our only fear was to see someone from Novespace or from the CEV at the safety visit take our robot and let it violently fall on the floor. Despite the padding protecting the robot, the 2 half spheres in Plexiglas might not have resisted.

In the afternoon, each team took turns going in the A300 –0g to see (we thought) our experiment being 'bullied' by the safety team. When our turn came, we saw that a dozen of people were waiting for us, gathered around our experiment area. Mr. Mora, our Novespace referent explained to everyone the aim of our experiment. We were asked some questions concerning the way we would conduct the experiment in microgravity, but no remarks were made on the security.

So now everything is ready for our real big test on 13 July, which will be our first parabolic flight.