落管是一种垂直放置的真空或充气长管,样品在其中进行落体实验以模拟空间环境,研究微重力条件下的过程及物质性质。在这些实验中,目前进行较广泛的是金属或合金凝固过程的研究,即利用置于落管顶端的熔炉将金属或合金熔化,成为液滴落下,在降落过程中凝固。 The drop tube is a vertically-placed vacuum or gas-filled tube in which the sample is subjected to a drop experiment to simulate the space environment and to investigate the process and material properties under microgravity. In these experiments, the more extensive research currently being conducted on the solidification of metals or alloys is the use of a furnace placed at the top of the drop tube to melt the metal or alloy into a droplet that solidifies during the descent.