A water table (on the right) is seen with a few centimetres of water spread out on a plastic membrane. The water will support the very thin layer of solar cells and simulate zero gravity.

The crew is now busy preparing this ground model of the arrays to resemble the last known condition of the arrays in space. In case of trouble, the ground arrays can be used to simulate the problems in space, and possible solutions can be tested on ground before activities in space will be carried out.

This test area has been constructed in the hall of the astronaut training-centrifuge - a huge contraption that rotates the astronauts around to simulate large accelerations.

[2 March 2002 15:15 UT]

Credit: ESA 2002. Photo by Lars Lindberg Christensen