One Person’s First Zero Gravity Experience

by brian shiro When I was in middle school, I had the opportunity to visit read more »

by brian shiro
When I was in middle school, I had the opportunity to visit Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama. The first thing I did when I got there was ask where the zero gravity room was. Unfortunately, it turned out that such a room didn’t exist, but I learned that astronauts do train in zero gravity aboard parabolic flights. Ever since I have wanted to get on one of those flights to experience the freedom of floating in microgravity and better appreciate what it takes to train as an astronaut. Now that dream has come true.
There are two ways one can get on a parabolic flight. If you have a few thousand dollars to burn, you can purchase a flight as a tourist with the Zero Gravity Corporation for 15 parabolas – or about 6 minutes – of reduced gravity fun. I was tantalizing close to making that happen in 2010, but it just didn’t work out. The other way to fly in microgravity is to get involved with a research or education program requiring parabolic flight. If you are ...