Zero Gravity Corporation
The Zero Gravity Corporation (also known as ZERO-G ) is an aviation company in Arlington (Virginia, USA), the experience of weightlessness offers. For this purpose, parabolic flights are carried out with a converted Boeing 727 , similar to the Reduced Gravity Aircraft ; an also converted Boeing KC-135 from NASA .
The aircraft of the type 727-227 (F) with the serial number 21243 was converted twice, initially flew as a freighter for AmeriJet and was labeled ZeroG there from August 2004.
Ansari X Prize CEO Peter Diamandis is the former co-founder and chief executive officer of ZERO-G. Another co-founder is former astronaut Byron Lichtenberg . A multitude of famous people have performed parabolic flights aboard ZERO-G aircraft, including Stephen Hawking , Martha Stewart , Burt Rutan , Buzz Aldrin , and John Carmack .
procedure
The flight price for a single passenger is US $ 5,760 (around € 5,000, as of 6/2019). General physical health, which is queried via a medical questionnaire, is a prerequisite for participation. The event lasts the whole day, of which the actual flight takes about 90 to 100 minutes. Before boarding, the planes undergo a brief training session with a light breakfast. Passengers are then checked at check-in , as is the case with any normal flight. Each participant receives an aviator suit that he can keep and socks in certain colors. The participants are divided into three groups of 10–12 people who differ in their sock colors (gold, silver, blue). During take-off and landing, the participants are strapped into normal seats. The rest of the aircraft has been cleared out and the interior is completely padded. Each group is supervised by several trainers who take photos and film at the same time. You will receive the recordings later as a souvenir. The individual parabolas are announced, lying flat on the ground during each ascent. During the climbs you are exposed to 1.8 times your body weight (1.8 G ). Slight discomfort can occur during the climbs, which can be countered with appropriate transdermal patches if necessary .
A total of fifteen parabolas are flown, each of which simulates about 20-30 seconds of different weightlessness. It begins with two parables that simulate weightlessness on the moon, i.e. one sixth of the earth's gravity. This is followed by a parabola that simulates Martian gravity (about a third of Earth's gravity ) and twelve parabolas that simulate complete weightlessness. Each parabola begins with the aircraft climbing at a 45-degree angle to an altitude of approximately 23,000 feet (7,000 m), peaks at 32,000 feet (9,800 m) and ends with the aircraft descending at a 30-degree Angle. Different exercises are performed with each parabolic flight. This includes somersaults in weightlessness, “flying” through the plane à la Superman or sucking in weightlessly floating mineral water with your mouth.
Airbus A-300
Parabolic flight
Water in weightlessness
Float in weightlessness
Web links
- Official site (English).
- Notes on a Zero-G flight by John Carmack (September 26, 2004)
Individual evidence
- ↑ FAQ , Zero-G. Retrieved June 7, 2019.
- ↑ What_to_Expect , Zero-G, (English). Retrieved June 7, 2019.