Space Aces chosen for NASA microgravity experiment studying new free weights

The Austin Space Aces, along with fourteen other groups from schools around the nation, were chosen to test an experiment starting June 16 at Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Astronauts living in space have an issue of losing bone density, and the Austin Space Aces's experiment called Smart Resistive Exercise Device (SRED) for free weight simulation in microgravity is designed to alleviate that problem.

This project has been underway since 2007, media relations of Space Aces and physics major Drew Doggett said.

"Word was sent out at the Microgravity University so a bunch of people came and listened to the spiel and we started hobbling our way to success," Doggett said.

Microgravity University or The Reduced Gravity Student Flight Opportunities Program (RGSFOP) is a NASA program allows undergraduate students to do microgravity experiments.

Doggett works with five others in the student club: Chad Kassem, Billy Baccam, Kerry Jordan, Daniel Acosta and the group's principal investigator, Krissy Vasquez. After detailing a proposal of the experiment to NASA, they found out they were chosen on Dec. 9 of last year.

"I was checking my e-mail and found out. It was exciting and as well as kinda overwhelming to think of all the work we have to put into it but now is when the real work happens; building the experiment and testing it. We have to label every single bolt and nut," engineering major and President of Austin Space Aces
Bacccam said.

"It was definitely anxious for me. I was over at my job at ACC Northridge where I work as a physics lab tech, and my phone had internet access then, so I got the e-mail. I was ecstatic about being accepted into this program," engineering major and the club's financial arbitrator Kerry Jordan said.

The program they will be working in for ten days is NASA's Reduced Gravity Student Flight Opportunities and Systems Engineering Educational Discovery (SEED). They will test out the SRED in a modified C-9 jet which simulates weightlessness through around 30 climbs and dips.

"NASA already has a device called ARED. It uses fly wheels to simulate inertia, but doesn't do it as accurately to recreate the behavior of free weights in earth's gravity.  Essentially we're trying to do that but better, and lighter. The ARED uses free weights to simulate inertia but we're doing it electronically," mechanical engineering major Kassem said.
Once the Austin Space Aces arrive at the Johnson Space Center, NASA engineers and scientists will interview them. The students will also go through some of the astronautical testing that pilots go through.

The Austin Space Aces still have a little bit of work to do before they go to Houston. Besides preparing their experiment, they also need to do a little fund-raising.
"The Microgravity University pays for the flight of the actual experiment and fuel but we have to pay for our stay and transportation to Houston," Baccam said.
In addition to travel and lodgings, the club is researching ways to raise money for equipment.

"Basically we're holding a sign like bums saying we will work for money," programming major Daniel Acosta, the club's webmaster said.

"We're trying to get sponsors like Boeing, Applied Materials, maybe Apple, Texas Instruments, Dell, and others that are specifically local.  We don't have any sponsors yet, but we're looking," Kassem said.

Once they return from the Johnson Space Center the Austin Space Aces have other goals.
"A large part of this is after we come back," said Kassem, "we have activities set up with local schools to encourage young students to pursue careers in the area of math and science."