Engineering

Flyin' Lions complete blog available online

Over the spring break holiday, a group of seven engineering students headed to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston to fly and conduct an experiment in plasma physics and microgravity. As part of the program, the students flew aboard on NASA's "Weightless Wonder," a modified McDonnell Douglas DC-9.

The Flyin' Lions -- Jaci Croce, architectural engineering senior; Kel Elkins, aerospace engineering senior; Matthew Futterman, mechanical engineering senior; Chad Gerdish, aerospace engineering senior; Shannon Kolensky, aerospace engineering senior; Val O'Donnell, aerospace engineering freshman; and Jessica Tramaglini, aerospace engineering sophomore -- are one of 34 teams selected to fly and the third team selected from Penn State.

To achieve a weightless environment, the DC-9 follows a parabolic vertical flight path -- a series of steep dives and climbs -- which earns the flight its other nickname: the "Vomit Comet."

On board for the operation is aerospace engineering sophomore Jessica Tramaglini. As part of the experience, Tramaglini chronicled the mission on a blog. The complete blog with photographs can be viewed http://www.flyinlions.blogspot.com online.

Last Updated March 20, 2009

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