Programs

ZERO-G FLIGHTS

Challenger Center for Space Science Education worked with Northrop-Grumman this summer to contact local Challenger Learning Centers to approach their cadre of science teachers (who fly their students simulated Challenger space missions) to participate in the Northrop-Grumman Foundations' Weightless Flights of Discovery program.

Teachers are flying this fall on "G Force One" and experiencing 15 segments of zero-g (weightlessness) during the flight over the Atlantic. Northrop-Grumman's goal is to have science teachers become primary sources for their students, allowing teachers to bring back to the classroom what they have experienced outside of it. These teachers are bringing the concepts of force and motion, microgravity and living and working in space to their science classes. The specially modified jet is the only way to experience weightlessness, commonly referred to as “zero-g”, without actually going into space. The aircraft makes a series of parabolic arcs and as the plane passes through the top of an arc the passengers experience the thrill of weightlessness. Parabolic flight is the method NASA uses to train astronauts and it was used to film many of the sequences included in the movie “Apollo 13.”

NY’s Challenger Learning Center of the Lower Hudson Valley, in Suffern NY, had three teachers fly on the ZeroG plane. Frank Viggiani, a former Challenger Center "Teacher of the Year" said before the flight said, “I’m more nervous”, but “my students are more excited.” After the flight, Viggiani wrote to the Challenger Learning Center saying, “It was AWESOME! What an experience? Thanks again!!!!!” Charles Fulco, the Environmental Science and Planetarium Coordinator at the Port Chester Middle School participated as well and found the that “the zero-g experience was amazing!” Fulco, too, thanked the Challenger Center for promoting his experience with weightlessness and added, “My school district will love it!” Connecticut teacher, Ray Johnson, found the flight to be, “the experience of a lifetime. I can’t even describe how great it was. Thanks for letting me know about it.” See below the photos, press and video about their flights.

NJ's Buehler Challenger & Science Center in Paramus, had six teachers fly on the ZeroG plane including Christopher Bias from the Denville Middle School, in New Jersey; Jennifer Tomaskovic of West Brook Middle School, Paramus, NJ; Sally Casper of Glen Rock High School, Glen Rock, NJ; Kimberly Klein of Byram Middle School, Byram, NJ; Monique De Ruggerio from Chestnut Ridge, NY; and Carrie Hittel from the Renaissance Middle School in Montclair, NJ.

Challenger Center Founding Director June Scobee Rodgers also had the chance to fly the Zero-G plane this fall.

Click here for a press article from the NJ Star Ledger about the New York/New Jersey flight.

Watch a video from the NJ Star Ledger about the flight.

Article on June Scobee Rodgers' flight, Returning to Weightlessness

Richard Garriott (son of Skylab astronaut Owen Garriott) who flew with Dr. Scobee Rodgers on the Zero-G plane announces his upcoming Space Adventures' flight to the Space Station

Although the term 'zero gravity' is often used as a synonym, weightlessness in orbit is not the result of gravity itself being eliminated or even reduced significantly (in fact, the acceleration due to gravity at an altitude of 100 km is only 3% less than at the earth's surface — a person at rest at that altitude would accelerate to earth at a familiar rate). Weightlessness (roughly speaking) occurs when a body (e.g. a person) is: falling freely; in orbit; in outer space (far from a planet, star, or other massive body); or in an airplane following a particular parabolic flight path. A parabolic flight path is the same path that would be taken by an object in free fall, such as a cannonball fired into the air. As a result, the aircraft does not exert any G force on its contents, so the contents have zero apparent weight relative to the aircraft. After a few seconds, the aircraft pulls into a climb, resulting in high G forces until the next parabola begins. In general this aircraft is used to train astronauts in zero-g maneuvers, giving them about 25 seconds of weightlessness out of 65 seconds of flight.

Click on any image to make it larger.

June Scobee Rodgers' Flight

Teacher's Flight

More photos of the teachers can be found at: http://www.gozerog.com/photos/thumbnails.php?album=70

Additional Information

For more information on Challenger Learning Center programs, please contact a Learning Center Coordinator via e-mail at info@challenger.org; by telephone at (877) 443-5701 or (816) 471-7770; or by completing the Feedback Form.