Isothermal dendritic growth experiment flight unit tests

Abstract The Isothermal Dendritic Growth Experiment is a microgravity materials science experiment planned to fly on three United States Microgravity Payload missions. Test of the engineering unit began in 1990. In mission simulations, succinonitrile dendrites were repeatedly solidified and photographed at supercoolings from 0.1 to 1.0 centigrade degrees. Then tip radii and velocities were measured to evaluate performance. Flight unit testing began in 1992. Flight unit teleoperational capabilities include uplink of commands and downlink of scientific and engineering data such as slow scan television images of solidifying dendrites and acceleration data. The first flight will be on the USMP-2 carrier in the Shuttle cargo bay during 1994.