A Weightless Vacation
Department:
Privatizing Spaceflight
Teaser:
"A space scientist and father is taking his family on a zero gravity vacation this Fourth of July weekend as the realm of space tourism moves forward."
Source:
SPACE.com Download time: Jul 2 2010 3:36 PM ET
As the Fourth of July holiday weekend approaches, American families may be preparing for barbecues, picnics and days at the beach. But what about taking a trip high into the sky and experiencing what it would feel like to be in space, on the moon, or on Mars?
At least one family will be doing just that – spending part of their Independence Day weightless. Sound farfetched? These types of "family vacations" may soon be more commonplace than you think.
This weekend, Alan Stern, Associate Vice President at the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), is taking his wife and three children aboard Zero Gravity Corporation's G-Force One aircraft to experience what it feels like to be in an environment of true weightlessness.
Stern is leading a new project at SwRI that looks into the science applications of such aircraft and other next-generation suborbital space vehicles, and is taking part in the flight as part of that venture.…
See SPACE.com for links to further info.
Also see this other story in Space.com.
