Yavapai County Free Library District: Star Talks – Flying the “Vomit Comet”: Experiences in Microgravity

As part of a NASA-sponsored project, Dr. Jennifer Hanley participated in reduced gravity flights to test new instruments for space exploration. She helped run nano-impactor experiments at 0.08 and 0.05 g. The impactors had motion sensors installed that monitored speed and spin upon impact in various density media. In this talk she will discuss her experiences and show videos from the multiple microgravity parabolas. Dr. Jennifer Hanley is a tenured planetary scientist at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, AZ. Her current research focuses on investigating the stability and properties of liquids and ices at low temperatures and pressures with relevance to the outer Solar System, especially Titan and Pluto. Star Talks are held in partnership with ​Prescott Astronomy Club and presented with funding from Friends of the Prescott Public Library.