How do they simulate weightlessness on earth within our gravity? Example: movie Apolo 3.?

Answer 1

I’m not sure about movie Apollo 3, but the only way to simulate a zero gravity is a free fall. The free fall can be generated by taking an airplane into a dive. And I’m not kidding. Obviously under these circumstances the experience of zero gravity will last for a few minutes only.

The simulation of work in space could be done by using buoyancy by submerging astronauts in a pool of water. For more information I would visit NASA site.

Answer 2

They use a jet aeroplane where all the seats have been removed, and the cabin has been padded. Inside the padded cabin, there are "traffic lights" to alert the participants.

To create 30 seconds of weightlessness, the aeroplane goes into a steep climb momentarily, and then levels out suddenly - which creates the initial zero gravity, and maintains it by going into a dive - where it descends several thousand feet. Just before it reaches the bottom of the curve, the lights in the cabin flash a certain colour to warn the participants to hold on to something as levelling out at the bottom creates high gravity.

On a training run, the aeroplane normally does this manoeuvre 25 times. The first few dives are fun for the participants, but it does get nauseating after a while. Hence, why the aeroplane gets nicknamed the "vomit comet"

Answer 3

They use a plane nicknamed "The Vomit Comet" it climbs to a certain altitude then dives toward the earth. Since the plane is traveling at the same speed you would be falling due to gravity they cancel each other out and you are weightless. The plane makes a series of these up and down moves simulating zero gravity and partial gravity depending on the rate of decent. You can even pay to take a ride on one of these planes. The price ain't cheap and zero gravity is only for about 30 seconds at a time.

Answer 4

The weightless sequences in the movie Apollo 13 were filmed on a NASA aircraft that can produce weightless conditions for about 20 or 30 seconds at a time by flying a parabolic trajectory. There is now a private company that offers similar weightless flights commercially for $3,750 plus tax.

Answer 5

There is a 747 (I think its a 747, could be something else now) known as the "Vomit Comet" I flies to very high altitude and then dives essentially straight down. Those inside experience weightlessness (aka free fall) for a few minutes before the jet pulls out of the dive and repeats the process.

There are commercial versions of this flight that you can go on for about $3,000 - but they're not available in the US last time I checked.

Answer 6

Apolo 13

The US air force has an airplane they use. They make big sweeping dives and climbs, works kinda like the pirate ship roller coaster, the arm swings up and at the top you become weight less for a few secs, only in the plane the weightlessness lasts longer.

Answer 7

Great question. They actually have the set of the capsule built inside a jumbo jet. The jet climbs to an altitude and then dives with the same acceleration as gravity (32 ft/s^2). They have about 24 seconds of film time for each dive, and it took almost 500 or so dives to complete Apollo 13.

Bring your barf bag! ;0)

Answer 8

three ways:
- the "Vomit Comet" is a plane that is designed to fly in a wave like path. When it enters the steep dive the passengers experience weightlessness because they are accelerating at about -9.8m/s^2.

- pools - NASA uses them for two reasons. 1 experiencing near nutral boyancy is like weightlessness. 2. familiarize/test new tools in a weightless environment. (try using a power screwdriver in space.)

- turbofans - used to train parachutists. Not really weightless, but there is a balance of forces that suspends you in the air.

Answer 9

They fly an airplane around 80,000 to 90,000 feet, then to stimulate the weightlessness, they fly towards earth at an angle equal to the current force of gravity. When you equal this current force of gravity, all forces cancel out, allowing you to achieve weightlessness.

Answer 10

There is a humongous 'swimming pool' in Houston.
As for the movie, There is a big jet that they call the Vomit Comet,
which gives people about 4 min. of weightlessness.