MAPHEUS-4: X-Rays in Microgravity
Hello reader!
It
follows an article published on the day (15/07), in the website of the “German
Aerospace Center (DLR)", informing the successful launch of the experiment
Mapheus-4, occurred yesterday at Esrange Space Center in Sweden, through the Brazilian
rocket VS-30.
Duda Falcão
News
MAPHEUS-4: X-Rays in Microgravity
15 July
2013
Last
modified: 16/07/2013 - 09:46:57
DLR
launches sounding rocket with materials physics experiments
Close
to four minutes of microgravity prevailed in the sounding rocket MAPHEUS-4,
which was launched on 15 July 2013 at 07:53 local time, from the Esrange Space
Center in northern Sweden. The German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für
Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) had two materials physics experiments on board the
rocket. For the first time, the diffusion of aluminium and nickel was recorded
under space conditions using X-ray analysis. The scientists at the DLR
Institute of Materials Physics in Space examined the behaviour of granular
gases in microgravity. The launch was conducted by the team of DLR's Mobile
Rocket Base (MORABA).
The
right conditions for the experiments were reached just 83 seconds after launch
– the experiments MIDAS (Measuring Interdiffusion in Alloys and Semiconductors)
and MEGraMA (Magnetically Excited Granular Matter) could thus be initiated
without the disturbing influence of gravity. The rocket reached an altitude of
about 154 kilometres.
Experiments
in Weightlessness
Before
the launch, a small furnace containing the six samples containing various
proportions of aluminium and nickel was preheated to 900 degrees Celsius. The
furnace had already had its premiere in November 2012, when the scientists
tested it on board the sounding rocket MAPHEUS-3. During microgravity, the different
metal samples were moved into contact with each other inside the furnace, and
thus diffuse the molten aluminium-nickel samples. The compact X-ray system,
which is fully shielded to prevent the egress of radiation, was able to acquire
one image per second in real time. "At present, the diffusion of liquefied
metals is not completely understood," says Florian Kargl, Project Leader
for the MAPHEUS-4 mission. The data acquired during microgravity is compared
with model calculations and data from the terrestrial laboratory. The results
can then contribute, among other things, to optimising industrial casting
processes such as those used to produce turbine blades.
To
better understand the behaviour of granular gases, researchers from the
Institute subjected small metal balls to microgravity conditions. During the
flight, four magnets placed the balls in motion and two high-speed cameras,
which acquired up to 500 high-resolution images per second, recorded the
particles as they pushed against each other and determined the velocity
distribution. With the results, the researchers can analyse how granular gases
– for example bulk goods like pills – can be packed more densely and in a more
stable way. "The microgravity flight of the sounding rocket allows us to
study these processes, without the particles being influenced by gravity."
Rescue by Helicopter
After
the 10-minute flight, the container that carried the experiments landed about
60 miles from the launch site and was retrieved by a helicopter. The DLR Mobile
Rocket Base department was responsible for the design of the single-stage
launcher and mission operations. Following the success of the previous flights,
MAPHEUS-1 to MAPHEUS-3, they adapted the Brazilian-German S30 rocket motor for
MAPHEUS-4 to significantly increase the payload capacity and flight altitude.
"With a total payload mass of 272 kilograms, MAPHEUS-4 reached an altitude
of 154 kilometres," said Frank Scheuerpflug, responsible for the MAPHEUS
mission at MORABA, after the flight.
The
scientists and engineers of the MAPHEUS teams can now look back on the results
and experiences of four fruitful flights. "MAPHEUS is an excellent example
of the most up-to-date material research under microgravity conditions,
benefiting from the efficiency and flexibility of rockets," said project
leader Martin Siegl from the DLR Institute of Space Systems. The MAPHEUS
programme will continue next year.
Contacts
German Aerospace Center (DLR)
Corporate Communications, Editor, Human Space Flight,
Space Science, Engineering
Tel.: +49 2203 601-3882
Fax: +49 2203 601-3249
German Aerospace Center (DLR)
DLR Institute of Space Systems
Tel.: +49 2203 601-2064
German Aerospace Center (DLR)
DLR Institute of Space Systems, Project manager MAPHEUS
Tel.: +49 421 244201-124
Fax: +49 421 244201-120
German Aerospace Center (DLR)
DLR's Mobile Rocket Base (MORABA)
Tel.: +49 8153 28-3649
Fonte: Site do German Aerospace Center (DLR) -
http://www.dlr.de/dlr/en
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