NASA Offering Free Zero Gravity Flights

An anonymous reader writes to tell us that NASA is offering free zero-g flight time for anyone with a viable proposal for emerging space technologies. While NASA will provide the flight time, approved projects will be responsible for all other expenses. "NASA's Facilitated Access to the Space Environment for Technology Development and Training, or FAST, program helps emerging technologies mature through testing in a reduced gravity environment. To prepare technologies for space applications, it is important to demonstrate they work in a zero-gravity environment. This unique testing environment can be provided in an aircraft flying repeated parabolic trajectories which create brief periods of zero gravity. The aircraft also can simulate reduced-gravity levels similar to those found on the surface of the moon or Mars."

Comments

Fights?

[HetMes]

Immediately, Chinese action movie images went through my head. But alas, no Crouching Tiger in space just yet. Would be cool, though, Zero-G Fights.

Re:Fights?

[quickOnTheUptake]

This unique testing environment can be provided in an aircraft flying repeated parabolic trajectories which create brief periods of zero gravity.

Speaking of mental images, I cracked up imagining them trying to choreograph a fight sequence in such a parabolic flight: What happens as gravity returns and they are still floating in the air?

Re:Fights?

[Anonymous Coward]

Better actually--the thing with parabolic flight is--they start climbing again. Not just regular gravity--but multiple times normal gravity!

Slashdot emerging technology

[syousef]

I would like to take a slashdot troll up and see what the effect of zero-G is on said troll with a view to simulating any nausea and vomiting right here on the ground upon the user hitting the submit button. All I'll need is myself, a troll, a barf bag and a stick to whack the troll with.

There. Do I get my free zero-G flight now?

Will they also swallow the cost...

[Peet42]

...of fitting proper lighting to the plane and painting the inside of the hull green so I can shoot some "proper" space footage in there and CGI the backgrounds in at a later date?

Re:Well, nothing much happens

[cyberworm]

In your view the OP's experiment isn't complete until he gets to whack you with a stick. That should be worth a few million.

Reproduction in Space

[Joebert]

I can just see it now.

In front of a NASA officials desk sits a well dressed man smoking a cigar pitching his project to the official who has an uneasy look on his face.

We hears that you guys here at the NASA have a problem involving the uh, reporduction, in space. Here's what we're gonna do for you.
As you can see, Debbie and Frank back there ain't wearin much. In fact, all they're wearin is our new uh, prototype. It is this, prototype, that will allow Debbie and Frank back there to, reproduce, in space.
We have the crew, all of the required equipment, and our own camera men to uh, document, our product and the techniques involved in the products use.
All we need from you here at the NASA, is the zero gravity.

Meanwhile a man and a woman are standing in the back of the NASA officials office wearing nothing but leather strap outfits, he has a chain attached to a leather collar on his neck and she is holding the other end.

Hey Frank, do you think they'll go for it ?

I sure hope so Deb, it would be the first time I was ever encouraged to get to the money shot as quickly as possible.

Re:I'll do an experiment in the name of everyone o

[Grimbleton]

Never hurts to repeat research

Re:Plummeting

[insane_machine]

In this case you are not paying for the plummet, as you said it's cheap (go jump off a bridge) you are paying for the not die at the end of the plummet.