The NASA microgravity fundamental physics program Original Research Article

Gravity obscures some of the most subtle phenomena that are key to solving outstanding questions in physics today. To address these questions, the micro-gravity research division of NASA has recently formed a fundamental physics discipline. Currently, the research focus areas in this discipline are Low Temperature and Condensed Matter Physics (LT/CMP), Laser Cooling and Atomic Physics (LCAP) and Gravitational and Relativistic Physics (GRP). NASA objectives in these areas are to support ground-based research with flight potential, to develop research-enabling technologies and to conduct flight investigations. There are currently 54 on-going research investigations being funded, 8 of which are potential flight experiments. A review of the current directions of research in this discipline will be presented. NASAʹs plans for development of flight hardware to support research on the International Space Station over the next decades will also be discussed including the planned development of a cryogenic facility for providing an environment below 2 Kelvin for up to 6 months to future investigators.