Welcome to

The University of North Carolina at Pembroke

&

Robeson Community College

Microgravity Research Team site

The proposal for the 2011-12 year will be investigating

Human Antigen/Antibody Reactions in Microgravity

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The 2011-12 team

From left to right: Evan Hunt (RCC-Psychology), Darryl Locklear (UNCP-Pre-Dentistry), Molly Kruger (UNCP-Biotechnology),

Candace Langston (UNCP-Sports Science), Nathan Riddell (UNCP-Biology)

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Past Outreach Activities

Clint Haywood discussing some of the Weightless Lumbees

outreach experiments NC Museum of Natural Science

Tamra Henderson and Lindsay Willis working with children as part of National Chemistry day at the

NC Museum of Natural Science

Branyun Bullard educates the crowd as part of National Chemistry day at the NC Museum of Natural Science

Branyun Bullard explaining the concept of density to some future Weightless Lumbees

NC Museum of Natural Science

Lane Guyton explains microgravity at the kids level while Tamra Henderson and Lindsay Willis

help the children make some of their own density demonstrators

NC Museum of Natural Science

UNCP Team Advisor, Dr. Tim Ritter,

presenting at Cherokee High School

Past Team Pictures (2005-2006)

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NASA’s Reduced Gravity Student Flight Opportunities Program is designed to inspire students’ interest in science, engineering and technology. The program provides select undergraduate student teams, from around the country, the opportunity to successfully propose, design, fabricate, fly and evaluate a reduced gravity experiment of their choice on board the famous “Weightless Wonder” C‑9 aircraft. The overall experience includes scientific research, hands-on experimental design, test operations and educational/public outreach activities. The C-9 reduced gravity aircraft generally flies 30 parabolic maneuvers over the Gulf of Mexico. This parabolic pattern provides about 30 seconds of hypergravity (1.8g) as the plane climbs to the top of the parabola. Once the plane starts to “nose over” the top of the parabola to descend toward Earth, the plane experiences about 25 seconds of microgravity (0g).

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Pictures from previous years (2002-05)

Preparation for flight at UNCP (2003-2004)

Outreach from previous years (2002-2005)

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Video clip showing a candle flame in zero gravity.

Candle Flame in Zero-g

Movie clip showing the effects of gravity on mixing fluids. The clear fluid is water and the yellow fluid is cooking oil.
Fluid Mixing experiment

Movie clip from on board the C-9. This clip shows a steel ball falling (actually NOT falling!) through a viscous fluid in 0-g

Ball Drop 0-g

And the same experiment performed during the 2-g portion of the flight

Ball Drop 2-g

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The outreach presentation that we use when visiting schools and community groups (large file, please be patient).

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Check out our infomational brochure (requires acrobat reader).

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A complete overview of the Reduced Gravity Student Opportunities Program can be found at the following site:  RGSFOP

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The counties across North Carolina in which The Weightless Lumbees have presented their outreach message

The states across the U.S. in which The Weightless Lumbees have presented their outreach message

The countries in which The Weightless Lumbees have presented their outreach message

Please revisit our site for regular updates to include pictures from the latest trip to Houston, more outreach program details, and general program information.  Until then, if you require additional information, please feel free to contact one the students or the faculty advisor, Dr. Tim Ritter at tim.ritter@uncp.edu