Zero Gravity Research Facility (B-2)
About this property
The Zero Gravity Research Facility at the NASA Glenn Research Center, in Cleveland, Ohio, is a unique facility designed to perform tests in a reduced gravity environment. It has successfully supported research for United States crewed spacecraft programs and numerous uncrewed projects. The facility uses vertical drop tests in a vacuum chamber to investigate the behavior of systems, components, liquids, gases, and combustion in microgravity. The facility consists of a concrete-lined shaft, 28 feet (8.5 m) in diameter, that extends 510 feet (160 m) below ground level. A steel vacuum chamber, 20 feet (6.1 m) in diameter and 470 feet (140 m) high, is contained within the concrete shaft. The pressure in this vacuum chamber is reduced to 13.3 pascals (1.3×10−4 atm) before use. Test equipment is typically mounted in a cylindrical container, and has a maximum weight of 2,500 pounds (1,100 kg). Equipment dropped in the chamber experiences microgravity for about 5.15 seconds before landing in a deceleration cart filled with expanded styrofoam beads; it typically experiences 32 g during deceleration, but may range up to 65 g. The service building at the top of the shaft contains a shop area, control room, and a clean room. Assembly, servicing, and balancing of the experiment vehicle are accomplished in the shop area. Tests are conducted from the control room, which contains controls for the "pump down" of the vacuum chamber, the experiment vehicle pre-drop checkout, release and the data retrieval system.
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Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Everything a full report reveals about Zero Gravity Research Facility (B-2)
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Questions about this property
When was Zero Gravity Research Facility (B-2) listed on the National Register?
Zero Gravity Research Facility (B-2) was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 2, 1985.
What type of historic resource is Zero Gravity Research Facility (B-2)?
Zero Gravity Research Facility (B-2) is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.
Is Zero Gravity Research Facility (B-2) a National Historic Landmark?
Yes. Zero Gravity Research Facility (B-2) has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.
What is the period of significance for Zero Gravity Research Facility (B-2)?
The period of significance for Zero Gravity Research Facility (B-2) is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Zero Gravity Research Facility (B-2)?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Zero Gravity Research Facility (B-2) will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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