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Geoffrey L. Glidden
University of Missouri-Columbia
Johnson Space Flight Center
Faculty Advisors: Dr. John Miles, Veronica Seyl, and Sheri Klug
NASA Mentor: Curtis Peternell
Abstract
A team of Undergraduate Student Research Program interns was given the opportunity to participate in NASA's Reduced Gravity Student Flight Opportunities Program. The purpose of the team was to develop, construct, and carry out a flight experiment demonstrating key physics concepts; then produce an educational outreach video for distribution to high school and college physics classes. An experiment was designed to provide a clear visual understanding of magnetism and magnetic fields by utilizing gravitational pull as a variable. The design consisted of two main tests: the first provided a 3-dimensional representation of a magnetic field and the second demonstrated the force of magnetic repulsion. The 3-D representation was achieved by holding various permanent magnets to the side of clear, plastic boxes that were filled with iron filings, steel wool shavings, and a magnetic fluid. Magnetic repulsion was accomplished by installing three ring magnets along a vertical, closed-off dowel. The non-attracting poles were lined up so that the distance of separation could be observed as the vertical gravitational force was minimized. An enclosed flight crate was also designed and constructed to house the experiment and ensure that the required factors of safety were satisfied for flight. The flight crate passed the required Test Readiness Review and the experiment was successfully flown. Video and test data are currently being gathered and reviewed to produce a final analysis and completed video product for future educational use.
NOTE: This work was sponsored in part by NASA's Undergraduate Student Research Program.
Geoffrey Glidden is from St. Louis, MO. He is a senior Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering student at the University of Missouri in Columbia, MO. He is currently serving as the Chairman for the University of Missouri Chapter of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). He has participated in two NASA internships. The first was with the Marshall Space Grant Research (MSGR) Program that took place at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL. The second was with the Undergraduate Student Research Program (USRP) that took place at Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX. During this USRP internship, he was also the flight team leader for a team of interns that flew an experiment aboard NASA's "weightless wonder" as a part of the NASA Reduced Gravity Student Flight Opportunities Program. Upon earning his B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering with an Aerospace emphasis, Geoff plans to pursue a graduate degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering. As far as career goals, it has always been his dream to be able to work directly towards the advancement of the future of human space flight and exploration. As a result, he hopes to return to NASA very soon as a full time engineer.
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