• What is the functional relationship between acceleration, distance, and time?
  
  Use the four sets of drop facility data points given in the text and the additional data set (0 meters, 0 seconds). What does the (0 meters, 0 seconds) data set represent? Why is it a valid data set to use?
  
  Suggested solution methods: Use different types of graph paper. Use a computer curvefitting program. Do a dimensional analysis.
  
  
• Knowing that g=9.8 m/s ² , what equation can you write to incorporate acceleration, distance, and time?
  
  
• Assume it costs $5,000 per meter of height to build a drop tower.
  
  How much does it cost to build a drop tower to allow drops of 1 second, 2 seconds, 4 seconds, 10 seconds?
  
  Why does it cost so much more for the longer times?
  
  What would be an inexpensive way to double low-gravity time in a drop tower?
  
  

Microgravity carriers and other spacecraft follow paths best described by conic sections. The aircraft and sub-orbital rockets trace out parabolas. Orbiting spacecraft are free falling on elliptical paths. When a meteoroid is on a path that is influenced by Earth or any other planetary body but does not get captured by the gravitational field of the body, its motion, as it approaches then moves away from the body, traces out a hyperbolic path.