Bremen Drop Tower

Bremen Drop Tower is ZARM's 146-metre microgravity laboratory at the University of Bremen, in operation since 1990. Free-fall experiments provide 4.7 seconds of microgravity in drop mode or up to 9.3 seconds using the catapult, with residual acceleration below one millionth of Earth's gravity. Researchers use the repeatable environment for space-related experiments and hardware tests, with engineering support for experiment design, capsule integration, qualification and data retrieval. The separate GraviTower complements the tower with shorter experiments and partial-gravity capability. Advance-booked public tours introduce microgravity through hands-on demonstrations and scientists' working areas; laboratory operations permitting, they also reveal the tower's inner tube, GraviTower and ZARM's Mars research station. Fixed individual dates, group tours and school programmes are offered. Standard tours last about 75–90 minutes and do not visit the panorama rooms at the top. Contact ZARM for current dates, language options and accessibility arrangements. Address: Am Fallturm 2, 28359 Bremen, Germany.