- Image via Wikipedia
Last week I read a post about some very cool photos of a magical world with no gravity created by Nam, a Japanese art collective based in Tokyo. As the post’s author Diana Adams commented – we’ve all thought about it – what would it be like to be weightless if suddenly there was no gravity!
I’ve always been fascinated by space, and when regular commercial space flights, space hotels and the like become a reality I’ll be one of the many wanting to go. In the interim though there are some other ways you can experience weightlessness closer to home. Namely the vomit comet, a nickname for any aircraft that can briefly provide a near weightless environment through parabolic flight. And while the aircraft are essentially the same as those used for commercial flights, instead of levelling off at cruising altitude achieving weightlessness requires slightly different flying.
As the chart here shows, an aircraft achieves weightlessness by following what is usually referred to as an elliptic or parabolic flight path and while following this trajectory the aircraft (and anything or anyone inside) are in freefall (and weightless) literally orbiting the earth. As the chart indicates weightlessness begins with ascending and lasts over the hump typically giving just under 30 seconds of weightlessness for ever minute seconds of flight. This trajectory is repeated over and over and people I have spoken to who have done it can hardly describe the feeling – it’s so unique. The downside though of the elliptic path, and hence the nickname for the aircraft, is that a majority of people, especially first timers, can become nauseous during the flight. But it doesn’t spoil the fun, and the majority of people regardless will say it’s worth it!
So we’ve all thought about it, but if I want to try weightlessness what are my options? There are a few with most companies focussing on scientific or government use but tell them what you want (even creating art) and you can receive (for a price).
In the USA
NASA now refers to its aircraft used for zero gravity flights as the Weightless Wonder and is mostly restricted to NASA training and research however there are a number of new commercial companies offering flights to individual customers, namely Zero Gravity Corporation and Aurora Aerospace.
In Russia
Not reluctant to sell access to their space program and facilities, they have partnered with western companies such as Space Adventures to offer flights.
In Europe
Flown out of Bordeaux, France (so combine with some wine tasting post flight) the European Space Agency has also used a variety of aircraft for zero gravity flights and through the company Novespace manages access to these flights.
Travelling weightless is not the cheapest experience around with for example the Zero Gravity Corporation of the USA the most tourist friendly option offering flights from US$4950 (+tax) but it still easily beats the going price of several hundred thousand for suborbital flights (when they eventually start to happen commercially) or the multi-millionaires option of buying a ride on a Soyuz spacecraft into Space.
So if you’re tired of thinking about what it would be like with no gravity you can now make it a reality!
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