Beschreibung
The Einstein-Elevator is a novel earthbound facility for conducting scientific experiments under microgravity. It is a modification of the classical drop tower, whose free-fall simulation is based on a novel and worldwide unprecedented drive and guide concept. An experiment placed in an evacuable gondola is vertically accelerated, then following a parabolic flight path. Rolling resistance and air drag acting on the gondola are compensated by a linear direct drive. The drive also generates the high acceleration forces required for launching the experiment. After the vertical parabolic flight, experiment and gondola are decelerated and centered at zero speed to prepare for the next experiment. With this drive concept, a repetition every 4 min is possible, amounting to 100 experiments per day. The high standards required for carrying out scientific experiments under microgravity imply complex structural measures that will be described within the scope of this paper. Furthermore, the interfaces to the building, the guide arrangement of gondola and drive, position transducers as well as the gondola's design and the experiment carrier are presented. Finally the requirements related to the building are given. [335]
