Principal lecturer a mentor for the first European Low Gravity Research Association mentoring scheme (ELGRA) has taken part in several previous flights, stressed the importance of the run through: “There is very little time, so you have to have clear delegation and know who is doing what.” He says that the feeling of weightlessness takes some getting used to: “It’s something that is not comparable to anything else you will experience. It is the most extreme feeling you will ever have it’s very peaceful and detached.”
After the run through the equipment will be packed up before the crew embark for France next week.
The DEPLOY! project focuses on the dynamic deployment of a novel satellite radiator panel thermal interface using a flexible Pulsating Heat Pipe. The device is unique due to its flexibility which means that it can be deployed in three different positions and can be folded back against the space vehicle, much like the wing mirrors on a car, minimising the risk of damage from space debris. If successful, the technology could be used for space vehicles such as satellites. Funding for the project is provided by the , which provides funding and support for university students to develop their research in the fields of space science and technology with additional funding by the UK Space Agency.