Wednesday, June 11, 2014

My Experince: Carl Barcroft

Carl, Monkey, and Bat checking on the experiment

My experience was amazing, although at the beginning I didn't think it would be. We had some issues with our brain cavity leaking and I was initially worried that I would be spending the entire flight trying to mitigate this problem. However, it turned out that while our experiment leaked slightly, the precautionary measures that we took with installing hazmat absorption pads worked as intended and provided a worry free environment. I really enjoyed looking at the data we were collecting during the transitions to microgravity. The real-time graphs showed that our experiment was not only working, but also collecting useful data that will contribute to a great final report.

The feeling of microgravity is awesome and comparable to skydiving, but unlike skydiving you don't have high speed wind ripping across your body and face. I hated the idea of taking the scopolamine before the flight. I'm not into taking drugs that aren't absolutely necessary. The drug initially made me dizzy, unable to focus, and drowsy but once we started the parabolas in the airplane, I felt great. While I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have gotten sick without the drug, I'm glad I came out of the experience without the wooziness that you typically get from a day of riding rides at the fair. The flight was awesome and I would do it again in a heartbeat. I would recommend this experience to anyone who has the opportunity.