Michael Braukus
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.                                                     
March 24, 1994
(Phone:  202/358-1979)


RELEASE:  94-52

NASA ANNOUNCES 2-year MICROGRAVITY RESEARCH GRANTS

   NASA has selected 55 researchers to receive 2-year grants for 
conducting ground-based microgravity research, totaling more than 
$5.6 million.  The annual funding of each proposal is 
approximately $50,000.

   The purpose of the microgravity research grants is to encourage 
new researchers with new ideas to conduct ground-based scientific 
investigations for NASA.  The grants also offer an opportunity for 
NASA-sponsored scientists to explore new ideas concerning the 
influence of gravity on important physical and chemical processes 
that ultimately may lead to improvements in Earth-based production 
methods and materials.

   Sponsored by NASA's Office of Life and Microgravity Sciences 
and Applications, Headquarters, Washington, D.C., this 
ground-based research offers investigators the opportunity to take 
advantage of NASA's microgravity research facilities to improve 
the understanding of fundamental physical and chemical processes.  
The investigators will have at their disposal NASA's drop tubes, 
drop towers and aircraft that fly in parabolic arcs.  These 
facilities can provide several seconds of reduced gravity.

   NASA received 217 proposals in response to this research 
opportunities announcement.  The proposals were peer reviewed by 
non-NASA scientific and technical experts.  The selected proposals 
represent the following areas -- fluid physics (24), materials 
science (26) and fundamental physics (6).

   The ground-based science funded in this proposal supports a 
program of research that employs experiments on Earth and in 
low-Earth orbit to obtain critical data that can be used to 
advance knowledge and technological development on Earth.  This 
research ultimately may lead to improvements in Earth-based 
production methods and materials.
                             - end -
                                      
Editors Note:  A list of the grant recipients is available to 
media representatives by calling the NASA Newsroom at 
202/358-1600.