2025

AST 102 provides a foundation in the microgravity environment, microgravity research campaign planning and operations, microgravity experiment and payload design and development, and science communication and public outreach.

Students in the course will apply their knowledge and skills learned in the webinars in a parabolic flight campaign with Integrated Spaceflight Services and the National Research Council of Canada. The flight campaign will take place at the NRC Flight Research Lab (FRL) located in Ottawa, Canada. The address is 1920 Research Private, Ottawa, ON K1V 1J8, Canada and is suited within walking distance of the Ottawa International Airport. Students should plan to arrive at 8AM each day. A typical day will end by 6PM. Students should plan to stay until 6PM on the last day of the campaign. Additional details of the flight campaign will be provided in the webinars.

Students will need to provide the following information one month prior to the flight campaign:
• Full legal Name
• Date of Birth
• Nationality
• Passport Number and scan of passport photo page

Notes on COVID-19:
• The NRC is a Government of Canada agency and we will comply with all Canadian health regulations regarding COVID-19.
• Students are advised to monitor the travel restrictions regarding the US/Canada border.
• Students in need of travel visas should contact the Instructor as early as possible.

What to expect

Participating members should allow for four to five days.  Upon arrival, each members will receive a safety briefing and instruction on research protocol as part of the Test Readiness Review (TRR). Members participate in egress tests and system testing.  All teams will rehearse until they reach a level of proficiency in 1G conditions before their flight.  Once the mission is approved by both test director and NRC flight safety officer, the flight will commence.

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Mission Plan:

Each sortie is planned for 18 parabolas, but flights may be terminated for reason. A flight may be terminated  for any of the following reasons:

1. Test participant vomiting in the suit or bio-monitor data in excess of established limits
2. Excessive vomiting by any flight team member.
3. Failure of essential equipment
4. Any condition created by a flight team that violates any safety protocol

BIO 104 provides instruction on spacesuit use in nominal and off-nominal post-landing environments. Students demonstrate reliable functionality of parachute release, life preserver unit (LPU), and snorkel functionality in varying sea and lighting conditions. Students also learn the effective use of radios, beacons, signal flares, and other signaling devices in water and egress bottle use for egress operations.

Curriculum:

Classroom instruction: Suit (Pressure suit system description, Analog suit differences),  Parachute components, Ejection (sequence, components), Post-ejection, Post-departure through crew/seat separation, Descent (Post seat separation through canopy open and canopy descent, Proper position, CVSPSR, Landing), Survival/signaling, Survival gear descriptions and use, Signaling ops, Water Operations (Psychological, Practical), Rescue Operations, Safety

Capsule Egress Operations: Unsuited Capsule Egress (Side Hatch, Top Hatch, Life raft ops/ingress, Raft ops/signaling), Suited Capsule Egress (Side Hatch, Top Hatch, Life raft ops/ingress, Raft ops/signaling)

Suited Parachute lift and drop: dry (Lift, Position, Canopy check, Visor, Seat kit, Prepare, Release), Suited Parachute lift – wet (Lift, Position, Canopy check, Visor, Seat kit, Prepare, Drop, Release

Canopy extraction, Hoist ops (Horse collar, Forrest Penetrator, Mail hook)