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NASA Retires Vomit Comet

Posted by michael on from the upchuck dept.

Mr. Christmas Lights writes "NASA just retired the last of the KC-135 'vomit comets' which were used for reduced (and zero-g) gravity research by flying a parabolic trajectory for about 25 seconds of Zero-G. Two of these planes (originally Air Force aerial tankers) were used with the first one being retired in 2000. /. readers will be happy to know that among the various achievements was 'at least 285 gallons of vomit' .. although unknown how much when it was used for filming the Apollo 13 movie. NASA is replacing the KC-135's with a DC-9. There is some personal significance for me in that my father flew this airplane in the 1970's for the (real) Apollo astronauts ... he commented that maintaining the Zero-G profile was accomplished not by using the sensitive G-Meter, but by hanging a nut from a string in the cockpit ... if it drops, push forward, if it raises, pull back - simple but effective. There is a recent commercial offering in this area where for a measly $3,000, you can go for a ride in Gravity One ."

5 of 42 comments (clear)

  1. The VC's most important contribution... by I+Be+Hatin' · · Score: 3, Funny
    /. readers will be happy to know that among the various achievements was 'at least 285 gallons of vomit' ... although unknown how much when it was used for filming the Apollo 13 movie.

    Vomit wasn't the only bodily excretion when the vomit comit was used for filming The Uranus Experiment. So I guess that makes 285 gallons of vomit and one pop-shot.

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  2. Repeating sentances by Vilim · · Score: 2, Funny

    "Two of these planes (originally Air Force aerial tankers) were used with the first one being retired in 2000

    ...

    Two of these planes (originally Air Force aerial tankers) were used with the first one being retired in 2000"

    Repeating sentances is fun!
    Repeating sentances is fun!

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  3. oh, I remember those planes? by conan776 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Wait, we're they originally used as Air Force aerial tankers??

    --
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  4. Had to wonder... by vandelais · · Score: 2, Funny

    Honorable or dishonorable discharge?

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  5. Dupe by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Two of these planes (originally Air Force aerial tankers) were used with the first one being retired in 2000.
    Two of these planes (originally Air Force aerial tankers) were used with the first one being retired in 2000.

    It's a new time-saving feature from the eds here at Slashdot. If they're going to make a story a dupe, they'll do them both at once!