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 A NASA employee on the flight volunteers to spin people during the near zero-g portions of the flight. |
While working on my Physics major at Drury University in Springfield, Missouri I was able to take part in the most amazing science experiment. We submitted a proposal to NASA for an experiement that would ride on their KC-135 aircraft called the "Weightless Wonder" (a.k.a. "The Vomit Comet"). Our experiment was to place a small, free-floating sphere with a small charge into orbit around a fixed central sphere of opposite charge. This would then Simulate the Keplerian Motion using Coulomb Attraction, which is the same motion that describes the orbits of the planets around the sun due to the Gravitational force. |
 Here I am working hard on our experiment trying to get the small free floating sphere in place. |
The KC-135 does about thirty-two parabolas during it's flight of which all but two are Zero-g parabolas. One parabola is a Martian one which allows you to feel how you weigh on Mars. The last parabola was a Lunar one which allows you to feel how much you would weigh on the moon. Both the Martian and the Lunar parabola gave a chance to do some one armed push ups. :) |
 KC-135 trajectory showing where the Zero-g section is in the flight parabola. |
 One armed push up time! (It's easy when you only have to deal with Martian or Lunar Gravity.) |
This is some low resolution video of two of the flights we went on. I was on the second flight in this video. |
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Leave a Comment
englslady at 8:53pm on Mar. 3, 2008
about 1 year ago
Cool article. It must feel so weird being "weightless". Reply...
lb at 4:26pm on Feb. 25, 2008
about 1 year ago
what does it feel like as you go from zero gravity to some gravity? Reply...
MattSmith at 8:11am on Feb. 26, 2008
On the flight you actually go from near zero gravity to approximately twice the normal gravity at the bottom of the parabolic flight pattern. They give you a warning when it's going to happen, but you feel twice your normal weight and it makes it very difficult to move around... you are basically pushed towards the ground. It feels like something is pushing against you and then once it goes back to zero gravity the pressure is off and you just start floating again. Very amazing experience. Reply...
Michael Neril at 8:01pm on Feb. 25, 2008
about 1 year ago
This is so cool! Reply...
Adam Durfee at 5:47pm on Feb. 21, 2008
about 1 year ago
That is so cool. I'm so jealous. How many times total did you go up? How did the experiment go? What was the most unexpected thing for you with the weightlessness? Reply...
MattSmith at 6:51am on Feb. 25, 2008
We had four people from our school... There were two flights, but we had to split up into two groups so we each only got to go on one flight. Our experiment did not quite perform as we had hoped, but we did see some partial parabolic orbits of the small sphere around the large central sphere. My partner on my flight got a little sick and almost had to use one of the supplied barf bags. He overcame his sickness though and was able to enjoy the second half of the flight. It is better than any roller coaster ride you could ever go on! If you ever have a chance to do something like this... definitely take advantage! Reply...