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Zero Gravity Flights for the Rest of Us
waynegoode writes "Zero G Corporation, whose motto is "Question Gravity", is now offering zero gravity flights to the general public. For $3000 you get training and a 90 minute ride with 15 periods of 25 seconds of low or zero-gravity: 3 1/3 Mars gravity, 3 1/6 Lunar gravity, and 9 zero gravity. Peter Diamandis, the man behind the Ansari X Prize, worked 11 years to get FAA approval. Previously, such flights were available only to astronauts, researchers, and Tom Hanks; although recently flights for the public began Russia for about twice the price. Story also here."
The porn industry would do it first!
Come to think about it, maybe they'll start using this as well, though 25 seconds isn't very long.
...I just drink copious amounts of Jagermeister. Works like a charm, and it's a hell of a lot cheaper.
Xeni Jardin, over at Boingboing.net has a ticket and is blogging the experience.
Warning! Keep Out of Eyes! Wash Out with Water! Don't Drink Soap! Dilute! Dilute!
Well, try to remember (I know this is hard sometimes) that this company is trying to make money. I'm sure they understand the physics of their airplane rides, but to the general public "Zero Gravity" sounds a lot more exotic and exciting than "Free Falling." You can't blame them for trying to market their product.
That should read "Free-Fall Flights for the Rest of Us". Zero Gravity has a very different meaning, and hasn't been an acceptable substitute for "free-fall" in 20+ years.
Bah. This is pedantry. (on slashdot!?)
Astronauts floating in the space shuttle are experiencing 'free fall' rather than 'zero gravity'. But not many people would quibble with using the term 'zero gravity' in that instance.
The zero G experienced on this plane is the same zero G experienced by astronauts in orbiting vehicles.
And skydiving isnt very similar at all - you'll reach terminal velocity quickly and will 'feel' the force of gravity thereafter. Not to mention it's a lot windier. Skydiving on the moon on the other hand... just dont come crying to me when your parachute doesnt work.
Don't worry about that. No matter what happens, NASA technicians will most likely be able to recover some useful mission data.
Yes you can, and I find it quite fun. But there is even more fun in watching the faces of your passengers while they dodge the various pieces of debris that is laying on the cabin floor of most rental planes (chewing gum wrappers, old pencils and pens, loose change and the occasional condom package from someone's mile high club attempt). These formally forgotten items once relived of the burden of gravity that is keeping them out of sight and out of mind under feet suddenly fill the cabin of the plane like the cloud of debris around a tornado. Your passengers now overloaded with experiences totally outside of anything they have ever experienced before become totally convinced in those few seconds that the aircraft is going to pieces around them, and most become total quivering blobs of jelly while calling out loudly to their deity to save them.