F-104 low-gravity calibration tests for materials processing in space precursory experiments

A precursory low-gravity flight experiment in an F-104 aircraft was conducted to check out the vehicle as a suitable flight test carrier for microgravity experiments. Calibration experiment verification tests in the F-104 were completed. Three flight parabolas were flown. The test data shows all the test parameters recorded by telemetry to have reasonable values. Photographic records are clear and distinct.Solidification modes were the same as those observed in other low gravity environments. The F-104 has been proven to be a useful test bed for low gravity experiments which require less than 60 seconds of low g time.