T h e first glovebox was designed by the E u r o p e a n Space M a n i p u l a t i o n — A n investigation of the effects of low
Agency (ESA) in an agreement with N A S A that allowed E S A gravity o n thermocapillary flow in fluids was aided by t h e
to use the facility o n the space shuttle with n o exchange of ability of the astronaut conducting the experiment to place
funds between the t w o agencies. T h e success of the glovebox his hands inside the glovebox and m a k e fine adjustments to
p r o g r a m is largely linked to the adaptability of the facility. the e q u i p m e n t for the experiment so that a variety of factors
T h e design has allowed the glovebox concept to be adapted to could be examined to determine their influence on experiment
both the shuttle's Spacelab m o d u l e a n d m i d d e c k area, results. E x p e r i m e n t variables included such changes as the
w h e r e gloveboxes facilitated microgravity investigations addition of heat a n d the altering of the acoustic forces that
Proof of C o n c e p t — Conducting complex science
often requires developing tools that can function very precisely.
Researchers have used the glovebox to test systems that will
allow t h e m to study the effect gravity has on b u r n i n g fuel
droplets. To conduct droplet combustion experiments,
researchers had to develop a system to dispense a droplet of
fuel of a specific size, hold it in position so that its burning
could be recorded by cameras, and develop instruments capa-
ble of measuring the size of the flame that was produced, the
fuel's b u r n rate, and total b u r n i n g time. Glovebox studies on
fiber-supported fuel droplets proved the feasibility of burn-
ing a single droplet and returning data on the results. This
research in turn m a d e it possible to pursue a m u c h m o r e
complicated p r o b l e m — burning unsupported droplets —
by providing proof that the i n s t r u m e n t s w o r k e d repeatedly
and reliably. Research on b u r n i n g fuel droplets in m i c r o -
gravity may lead to ways to decrease pollutant p r o d u c t i o n
Using the glovebox, researchers were able to pinpoint the exact amount of from combustion engines, which provide the majority of
acoustic force necessary to position a drop in low gravity without causing the the world's power.
drop to rotate or producing a mixing motion inside the fluid.
were used to position the liquid for study. Instead of only being
able to study one variable per flight, the ability to make adjust-
ments to the experiment on orbit increased the amount of data
that was gathered, thereby m a k i n g the most of the available
crew time. By studying thermocapillary flow in a low-gravity
environment, researchers are discovering ways to control the
mixing of liquid materials for a variety of applications on Earth.