Seatbelts off

Services Calendar 11 June 2013 - European scientists do not hesitate when offered a ticket to weightlessness on Earth. Despite the confusion of losing track of up and down, repeated periods of microgravity can push their experiments to the limit on Europe's 'Zero-G' Airbus A300. Parabolic flights are the only way to run such experiments on humans without leaving Earth's atmosphere. Over the course of multiple roller-coaster flights at up to 45°, researchers find out more about the effects of gravity on experiments and improve equipment destined for space. Each ascent and descent offers about 20 seconds of microgravity. Parabola after parabola, the total weightlessness time per flight can be as much as 10 minutes. Researchers can squeeze an enormous amount of scientific data out of a parabolic flight campaign that involves three flights over three days.