{"id":226291,"date":"2025-05-30T00:52:13","date_gmt":"2025-05-29T14:52:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?p=870849"},"modified":"2025-05-30T00:52:13","modified_gmt":"2025-05-29T14:52:13","slug":"nasa-langley-uses-height-gravity-to-test-long-flexible-booms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=226291","title":{"rendered":"NASA Langley Uses Height, Gravity to Test Long, Flexible Booms"},"content":{"rendered":"
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2 min read<\/p>\n

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\"Researchers<\/a><\/figure>
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Researchers look at a bend that occurred in the 94-foot triangular, rollable and collapsible boom during an off-axis compression test.<\/div>\n
NASA\/David C. Bowman<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Researchers at NASA\u2019s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, have developed a technique to test long, flexible, composite booms for use in space in such a way that gravity helps, rather than hinders, the process. During a recent test campaign inside a 100-foot tower at a NASA Langley lab, researchers suspended a 94-foot triangular, rollable, and collapsible boom manufactured by Florida-based aerospace company, Redwire, and applied different forces to the boom to see how it would respond. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Having a facility tall enough to accommodate vertical testing is advantageous because horizontal tests require extra equipment to keep gravity from bending the long booms, but this extra equipment in turn affects how the boom responds. These mechanical tests are important because NASA and commercial space partners could use long composite booms for several functions including deployable solar sails and deployable structures, such as towers for solar panels, that could support humans living and working on the Moon.  <\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Redwire will be able to compare the results of the physical testing at NASA Langley to their own numerical models and get a better understanding of their hardware. NASA\u2019s Game Changing Development program in the agency\u2019s Space Technology Mission Directorate funded the tests. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n

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\"Researchers<\/a><\/figure>
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Researchers conducted the tests inside a 100-foot tower at NASA Langley.<\/div>\n
NASA\/Mark Knopp<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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