Free fall machine


The free fall machine is designed to permit the development of small biological sample such as cell cultures with a simulated effect of micro-gravity, under free fall conditions.

Description

The free fall machine addresses some of the problems of the simple horizontal clinostat or random positioning machines. In a typical machine samples are allowed to cycle between free fall for about a metre down a column and a "bounce" back to the top of the column that is intended to be so fast that it is undetected by the biological sample. Long duration of hyper-gravity is often simulated by machines such as the large diameter centrifuge at ESA. To simulate partial-gravity conditions, an RPM can also be used. The sample therefore effectively grows at near 0 g.