“The Space Power Facility at NASA Glenn Research Center’s Plum Brook Station in Sandusky, Ohio, houses the world’s largest vacuum chamber. It measures 100 feet in diameter and is a towering 122 feet tall. The facility is currently undergoing construction to support Orion crew exploration vehicle testing in 2010.” [via]
I think you can write a better caption.
wasn’t this from that movie called “inner space”? I also recall this shot from one of those old, lame intel commercials. I can almost see the blue man group poping out from around the corner.
“NASA has high expectations for its new penis pump.”
In a herculean attempt to measure the precise vapidness of reality TV, NASA has constructed the world’s largest vacuum chamber at the Space Power Facility in Sandusky, Ohio.
Measuring 100 feet in diameter and over 120 feet in height, NASA engineers expect to be able to measure exactly 25% of the Fox Reality Channel’s vapaciousness, and then extrapolate that number to account for the remainder of reality television. This came only after plans to measure reality TV in its entirety were scrapped when the Australian government denied NASA’s request to use the Outback.
Mrs. Teevee: [while waiting for Mike to appear on the screen] Why is it taking so long?
Charlie Bucket: A million pieces take a long time to put together…
“With the intention of preparing troops for space battles, NASA has just begun training men in this, their prototype Danger Room.”
Just when the Steve Austria post on BBmain starts make me feel really bummed out about my current home state, this comes along to restore my belief that this patch of prairie is not a complete waste.
Oh this is definitely going on the Evil Villain property list. Do want.
You could do some really nice secret-agent disposal in a vacuum chamber.
*pfffffffffff-slooosh*
Did anyone else think of Mirror’s Edge when they looked at that pic?
I was thinking more “Oompa Loompas”.
All I know is you touched the walls which now have to be sterilized so YOU LOSE.
Good day sir!
Intergalactic, planetary, planetary, intergalactic
I was wondering how they pumped it down and how long it took, and found that information here, through the comments thread on the [via] link:
http://facilities.grc.nasa.gov/spf/capabilities.html
Now I just wonder what they patch leaks with.
…also, I would love to hear an audio recordings from this thing, especially from a microphone inside the chamber as it was re-pressurized at various rates.
This week in gynecological science; A closer look at Madonna’s vadge.
If I leave a hot cup of coffee in there, how long would it stay hot?
“Professor X? These new uniforms suck.”
Perfect accessory to the biggest wind tunnels in the world, at NASA Ames. Largest cross-section is 80′x120′. http://www.windtunnels.arc.nasa.gov/nfac.html
See it off 101 just south of the Google campus, or find it on Google Earth/Maps.
Given that the tunnels pulls air through the test chamber…I’ll leave it up to you to come up with your own double entendres.
How about: “Huge sucking sound, east of Toledo – NASA Research or Davis-Besse meltdown? Details at 11.”
“MEGATRON – YOUR PENIS ENLARGEMENT TUBE IS NOW READY!”
Yes, I went there.
Redshirt, I believe the question is: How long would it stay coffee?
Not very long.
“Enlarge your dong.”
@ #18: Oops… you beat me.
Wow, I didn’t know NASA sucked so much.
That a whole lot of nothing…
Some years back, I circulated a business plan for American Vacuum Corporation (AmVac) which was intended to manufacture and sell vacuum in convenient colourful containers ranging from lipstick-sized nanoVacs to bus-sized gigaVacs. I thought it was a plausible idea(*) — no crazier than selling pressurized air in cans, right? But I was unable to attract investors and after hearing every possible joke about “nothing”, gave up and took a respectable desk-job as a mortgage analyst.
(*) Yes, really. We brainstormed several dozen uses for retail vacuum and included them in our report. If you google around, you should be able to find page 8 (Sexual Applications(**)), although after several rounds of meme-ing across multiple languages, it has mutated considerably.
(**) It _starts_ with Hickies.