• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.78-87
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• 2021

Understanding the liquid propellant transport phenomena in low gravity is essential for developing Korea Space Launch Vehicle (KSLV) upper-stage for the diversity of space missions. A low-gravity environment can be simulated via the free-fall method on the ground; however, the air drag is inevitable. To reduce air resistance during free fall, air-drag shield is usually adopted. In this study, the free-fall method was performed with an air-drag shield from a 7-m height tower. The acceleration of a falling object was measured and analyzed. Low gravity below 0.01 g was achieved during 1.2-s free fall with the air-drag shield. The minimum gravitational acceleration value at 1.2-s after free fall was ±0.005 g, which is comparable to the value obtained from Bremen drop tower experiments, ±0.002 g. A prolonged free-fall duration may enhance the low-gravity quality during the drop tower experiments.