LAMPS at MPB Facility; The KC-135 "Vomit Commit" during Parabolic Flight (NASA);
Drilling glycerol liquid at zero gravity aboard the KC-135 in March, 1992

Laser Materials Processing in Space - LAMPS

LAMPS was an experimental facility for laser material processing research in variable gravity environments.

LAMPS allowed investigators to specify their own experimental configuration (vacuum sample cell, isothermal furnace, infrared detectors, etc.) and provided them with generic peripherals such as support structure with vibration insulation, power supply, control and data acquisition, high power laser, and beam delivery optics.

LAMPS was based on commercially available components whenever possible, an approach that facilitated reconfiguration and easy upgrade.

LAMPS project were coordinated by MPB and the Canadian Space Agency.

Experiments on the KC-135 included laser drilling in liquids (1990), laser drilling in liquids, plastic, and quartz (1991), welds and drilling, holographic interferometry (1991), drilling in glycerol and gelatins, welds and thermal blooming (1992), high Tc superconductors surface treatment, welds and thermal blooming (1993), and containerless solidification, acoustic signature of welds (1994).