The 3-G Demands on an Astronaut

Jun 17, 2011 5:00 AMNov 12, 2019 4:17 AM
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The MomentThe Multiple Axis Space Test Inertial Facility at what is now the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland mimicked the complex motions of a spacecraft during astronaut training for Project Mercury in 1960. The rig, which consisted of three aluminum cages powered by nitrogen jets, aimed to teach pilots how to regain control of a tumbling craft. An operator set the apparatus rolling, pitching, and yawing (video); the test pilot strapped into the center then used the jets to stabilize the simulator.

The ShotNASA photographer Bill Bowles used both double-exposure and long-exposure techniques to create this image of the trainer in action.

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