1. The resultant compilation identifies over 600 separate experiments performed in the low gravity environment prior to 1989. The base is divided into two parts designated as Version 1 and Version 2. Version 1 documents all low gravity fluids and materials processing research efforts except those which have been performed in a Soviet spacecraft. It identifies approximately 65 experiments from the Apollo and Skylab Programs, encompasses approximately 270 sounding rocket experiments from the the United States (SPAR), Federal Republic of Germany (TEXUS) , Japan (TT500A), and Sweden (MASER) programs, and documents some 220 research initiatives performed in the mid-deck, Spacelab, and payload bay of the U.S. Space Shuttle. Because of the excessive searching for information concerning past experimental efforts, it is expected that Version 1 has identified nearly all of the past research efforts which have been performed in the low gravity environment during these missions.
2. Figure 1 summarizes the missions encompassed within the data base and the approximate number of experiments identified within the versions. It is interesting to note that the largest number of low gravity experiments have been performed in sounding rockets. A1-though the rocket is not a space payload, it provides approximately 5-7 minutes of reduced g for experiment processing. Information describing experiments completed in other low gravity facilities such as drop towers (approx. 3-10sec low gravity) and aircraft (approx. 25 seconds of low gravity) is not Included in this data base but would compliment the goals of this compilation.