NASA PRESS RELEASE
NASA for the first time last week used microgravity research flights aboard commercially-owned aircraft to test hardware and technologies. These flights, on an airplane operated by the Zero Gravity Corporation, simulated the weightless conditions of space.
In addition to numerous NASA experiments, five companies sponsored by the agency’s Innovative Partnerships Program flew experiments aboard the reduced-gravity aircraft flights from Ellington Field in Houston. The flights were the first in NASA’s Facilitated Access to the Space Environment for Technology Development and Training program, called FAST.
Continue reading ‘NASA Uses Zero-G Plane for Experiments for First Time’
Space Adventures has consolidated its position in the space tourism market by acquiring a 100 percent stake in Zero-G, a company that provides micro-gravity aircraft flights. No price was disclosed.
“Bringing the companies together allows us to provide a range of exclusive commercial spaceflight services from parabolic flights to orbital missions,” said Zero-G CEO Peter Diamandis.
Diamandis, who also co-founded Space Adventures, remains as Zero-G’s chief executive and becomes a managing director of Space Adventures. Former NASA astronaut Byron Lichtenberg will stay as Zero-G’s chief technology officer.
Space Adventures was already a major investor in Zero-G. The Vienna, Virginia-based company provides tourism flights to the International Space Station and is planning similar missions around the moon. Zero-G is based in Florida and Las Vegas.
Space.com has more information. You can also read Space Adventures‘ press release.
Zero Gravity Corporation Press Release
MOFFETT FIELD, CA–(Marketwire - February 18, 2008) - Zero Gravity Corporation (ZERO-G®), the first and only FAA-approved provider of commercial weightless flights, welcomed San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and fiancé Jennifer Siebel to experience a weightless adventure aboard one of the first zero-gravity flights for the general public from NASA’s Moffett Federal Airfield on Saturday, February 16, 2008.
During the unforgettable weightless escapade, Newsom and Siebel flew like Superman, flipped like Olympic gymnasts and enjoyed 10-times more hang-time than the world’s best basketball player. The newly engaged duo floated on cloud nine as they danced mid-air in the rare and exalted state of weightlessness.
Continue reading ‘San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and Fiance Jennifer Siebel ‘Float on Air’ During ZERO-G Weightless Flight From Moffett Field’
Space Frontier Foundation Co-founders James Muncy and Bob Werb have praised a recent NASA-Zero Gravity Corp. deal as “a true hallelujah moment for the NewSpace industry” in a Space News op-ed piece.
NASA recently agreed to buy up to $25.4 million in commercial parabolic flight services from the private company. The space agency usually flies its own parabolic flights, which are used to train astronauts in a micro-gravity environment.
“This announcement is a strong positive signal to the NewSpace companies trying to develop Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) systems and other capabilities that NASA needs. Up until now, many of us could - and regularly did - say to NASA: ‘How can you expect industry to raise tens or hundreds of millions of dollars to develop a service on the promise that NASA will buy, when it won’t even buy an existing commercial parabolic flight service from Zero Gravity Corp.?’” they wrote.
Former ‘N Sync member Joey Fatone celebrated his 31st birthday by taking a parabolic flight aboard a Zero-G plane. Fatone reportedly muched on M&Ms and water droplets during the zero gravity flight, which took off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Several years ago, Fatone’s band mate Lance Bass attempted to fly to the International Space Station aboard a Soyuz spacecraft. The flight never occurred.
