We were invited byEuropean Space Agency to try one of the parabolic flights ZERO G in the basis of Ninespace near Bordeaux, France. The flight takes place with an airplane Airbus A310 governed by three pilots – one for each axis – and consists of 31 parables over the course of approximately three hours in which moments of “normal gravity” alternate with phases in hypergravity (the initial and final moments of the parables) in which they are experienced 1.8g and of microgravitythat is, the so-called “zero g” in which you experience the apparent weightlessness and float like astronauts in the International Space Station.
In the video attached here you can learn everything about the – crazy – experience of flying in zero g but also on scientific purpose of these flights.
How the parable of a ZERO G flight unfolds
In the three hour flight you experience approximately 10 minutes total of apparent weightlessness distributed in 31 parables. Each parable has three phases:
- Hypergravity (1.8g): The plane is initially located at 6000 meters of altitude and proceeds horizontally. The parabola begins with an upward acceleration that causes the aircraft to soar until it reaches an angle of 50° to 7500 meters of altitude. This acceleration with full engines lasts approximately 25 seconds and causes an apparent increase in the weight of the80%equal to a perceived gravity of 1.8g.
- Microgravity (zero g): TO 7500 meters the engines are shut down and the plane continues to climb but without thrust. This is where it begins zero g real, that is, the apparent absence of weight, which lasts 22 seconds. This is the “dome” of the parable, which reaches the 8500 meters of altitude and in which the aircraft has a perfectly ballistic trajectory which in the first half is up and in the second half is down free fall with the “snout” facing downwards. This is where it fluctuates: the plane and everything inside it, including the people on board, all fall with the same acceleration, effectively eliminating the sensation of weight.
- Second hypergravity: The plane, at the end of the free fall, reaches i 42° of inclination to 7500 meters of altitude when the engines are restarted to return to horizontal attitude a 6000 meters of altitude. Until this happens, the acceleration causes another phase of hypergravity with an apparent increase in weight a 1.8g.
These maneuvers are not managed by computers but carried out completely manually by three specially trained pilots: one regulates the pushanother theroll axis and another thepitch axis. This is because the airplane is mechanical, not electronic. This allows parabolic flights to be carried out without the astronomical costs and bureaucratic retraining constraints that a modern aircraft would entail. It all happens anyway in total safety.
The scientific utility of parabolic flight: on-board experiments
These flights are not a ride to have fun: they are used to accomplish scientific experiments useful for materials sciences, human physiology and space exploration. This is because microgravity allows the study of particular physical or biological phenomena that are “disturbed” by the natural gravity of the earth. These flights are also for train future astronauts to carry out operations in apparent weightlessness.
On the flight we took part in, for example, there were dozens of people on board busy doing things 10 experiments which ranged from experimenting with new anesthetic techniques to the development of innovative spacesuits.
