IIAS is the exclusive educational partner of Integrated Spaceflight Services, US integrator of the National Research Council Falcon-20 reduced gravity aircraft. We have experience integrating a wide range of payloads, specializing in human research. Our pilots have 25 years of micro-gravity experience with demonstrated quality within 20 milli-g’s with flights dedicated to your experiment.
Reduced Gravity Laboratory
With Integrated Spaceflight Services and the National Research Council of Canada
Gravity-Offset Laboratory
Two-axis active system producing zero-G to 1-G vertical offload and near-frictionless translation
Together with Kansas State University, IIAS has developed a gravity-offset laboratory at the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) headquarters in Montreal, Quebec. The two-axis system is actively controlled like NASA’s ARGOS system combining a hoist with active force control for vertical gravity-offset and a ‘friction-less’ air-bearing axis for horizontal motion. The system is designed to be used to with human test subjects to evaluate human performance and EVA space suit functionality in terrestrial environments of partial gravity (using CSA’s lunar test yard for surface EVA simulations of martian or lunar environments) or in the simulation of zero gravity environments (using a Quest Airlock mock-up).
The IIAS gravity-offset laboratory may also be used to evaluate EVA tools and techniques in a safe, analog environment. To date, a variety of geological and contingency medical tools have been evaluated in the laboratory, as well as several tools approximating those that would be useful on zero-G maintenance EVAs.
Post-Landing Human Factors Laboratory
Evaluating human performance and spacecraft and space suit technologies in nominal and contingency post-landing environments. (NASA Orion spacecraft mock-up shown)
IIAS and Survival Systems USA have jointly developed a Post-Landing Egress Laboratory (PLEL) laboratory that provides analog landing and post-landing environments for the testing and evaluation of crewed space vehicle test ‘boilerplates’. The PLEL consists of a 18′ pool, human-rated hoist, and a means to simulate a variety of environmental conditions.
Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory
Evaluating human performance and space suit technologies in underwater analog environments using space station mock-ups (Quest Airlock shown)
IIAS and Survival Systems USA have jointly developed a Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) laboratory that provides analog environments for the testing and evaluation of space suit technologies in neutral buoyant environments. Consisting of a 18′ pool with a human-rated hoist, the facility may also be configured as an underwater NBL environment for EVA space suit testing.
Hypobaric and Hyperbaric Altitude Chamber
High-Altitude Research Facility in partnership with the Southern Aeromedical Institute (SAMI)
IIAS is a well-renowned in high-altitude space suit systems testing and crew training. Since 2014, IIAS has partnered with the Southern Aeromedical Institute to conduct low-pressure testing of space suit technologies through human testing in hypobaric hypoxic environments. IIAS also has expertise in training and evaluation of human operators of space suit technologies in slow-onset hypoxia environments.
Space Suit Testing Laboratory
Human Performance Evaluation of IVA and EVA Space Suit Prototypes
The IIAS Space Suit Laboratory consists of motion camera technologies and simulation which may be used for cockpit design trade studies, range-of-motion studies, CO2 washout testing, and kinesthetic assessments. IIAS owns:
1 EVA Space Suit Prototype with Liquid Cooling Garment and tethered Personal Life Support System (PLSS)
3 IVA Space Suits (5th Generation) with pressurization and intercooler systems.
2 IVA Space Suits (4th Generation) with post-landing gear (life preserver units, egress bottles, neck dams)
Research and Training Aircraft
Remote Sensing Research, Human Factors Research, and Education
IIAS owns or has direct access to a variety of aircraft used for research and educational purposes. The following aircraft can be configured for a variety of missions including remote sensing, space suit test and evaluation, training and high-G indoctrination, and flight test engineering:
Extra 300L: IIAS owns an Extra 300L aircraft (N17NL) for high-G human factors research, High-G indoctrination, and for performance and spin test flight demonstrations. The two-seat aircraft is certified to +/- 10G loads.
Mooney M20K: ISS owns a turbocharged Mooney M20K aircraft (N231TF) for high-altitude remote sensing research, human factors research, and fixed-wing performance flight test demonstrations. The M20K is a 4-place, 165 KIAS, IFR-certified aircraft.
Cessna 310: Twin-engine aircraft used for the training of airborne imagery techniques and for minimum-control-speed flight test demonstrations. The C-310 is a 4-place, 180 KIAS, IFR-certified aircraft.
Marchetti S-211: IIAS contracts a Marchetti S211 for high-performance flight testing demonstrations and high-G human factors research. The 2-seat aircraft can access speeds of 414 KIAS.
Instrumentation and Remote Sensing Laboratory
Space-rated camera systems, aircraft and balloon integrations
IIAS maintains an instrumentation and remote sensing laboratory. To date, this laboratory has produced the pressure-vessel camera systems recently flown on NASA’s PMC-Turbo mission as well as a variety of airborne camera and remote sensing instrumentation.
IIAS Orbital Space Flight Simulator
Based on NASA's Orion spacecraft (2015 variant)
The IIAS Orbital Space Flight Simulator is based on the 2015 design variant of NASA’s Orion Spacecraft and supports egress testing and human factors research activities in addition to educational uses. The IIAS Orbital Simulator is used in conjunction with astrodynamics and orbital mechanics courses to better provide an immersive educational experience to our students.
IIAS Suborbital Space Flight Simulator
Based on Virgin Galactic's Space Ship Two
The IIAS Suborbital Space Flight Simulator is based on Virgin Galactic’s Spaceship Two vehicle and is used in conjunction with IIAS aeronomy and fundamentals of astronautics courses in order to better provide an immersive educational experience to our students.
