Vapor compression refrigeration testing on parabolic flights: Part 1 - cycle stability

•First vapor compression refrigeration cycle experiment on parabolic flights.•Simple stability indicators show on average less than 15% changes for different measurements across range of operating conditions.•Loss of superheat due to parabolas observed for initial condition of less than 3 Kelvin superheat at onset of parabola maneuvers.•Comparison of operational changes due to parabolas with effects of varying inclination angle in a laboratory.