A zero-gravity internship!

As part of her internship at LRP, Lisa Gatineau, an engineering student in materials science at Polytech Grenoble, took part in the ESA’s 86th parabolic flight campaign aboard Novespace’s A310 Zero-G aircraft, operating out of Bordeaux-Mérignac airport from May 12 to 23, 2025.

Thanks to the KRABS experiment (Kinetics of Red cell Aggregation and Blood Structure-rheology), co-developed by LRP and  CREST and supported by CNES, she tested an improved version of the setup in microgravity, with the goal of implementing it on the MASER 17 sounding rocket, scheduled for launch in 2026.

This experiment aims to better understand abnormal red blood cell aggregation in venous circulation—a phenomenon already observed in astronauts. The microgravity conditions provided by parabolic flights allow researchers to eliminate the rapid sedimentation of red blood cells that normally occurs under near-stagnant flow conditions.

After completing 62 parabolas over the Atlantic Ocean and 31 over the Mediterranean Sea, Lisa gathered original results on the evolution of the viscous properties of red blood cell suspensions in response to changes in flow conditions. The campaign also offered her the opportunity to troubleshoot technical issues in real time during flight and to implement effective solutions in a demanding experimental environment. She worked in a stimulating international setting alongside scientists from across Europe, journalists, and even astronauts!