How do they film the scenes where astronauts appear to be floating?

Question

I was watching Apollo 13 for the 500th time last night and at first I thought they just used the harnesses with the invisible wires. I thought that when the astronauts appeared to be moving horizontally, that they were actually moving vertically, but for some of the scenes, that theory didn't seem to work. Anyone have any ideas?

Answer 1

Contrary to popular belief, the scenes involving weightlessness did *not* involve green screen technology or wires/harnesses. Scenes involving weightlessness were filmed aboard NASA's "Vomit Comet", a KC-135 aircraft which is used to create weightless conditions for short periods by performing a series of parabolic dives. It is believed these scenes were the first to feature actual, rather than simulated, weightlessness in a non-documentary film.

Answer 2

I'm pretty sure they filmed at least some of the shots on an airplane. They have planes to train astronauts that fly high and then drop fast to simulate zero gravity for a minute or so.

Answer 3

Actually there are 2 ways of doing it.

1. CGI blue or green screen Computer-generated imagery

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer-generated_imagery

2. What we call "wire removal"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wire_removal


Mking 624 actually has a more specific answer.

Ciao

Answer 4

With wires. Trust me.

<3,

Answer 5

They are filmed in front of a blank green or blue screen. The suspending cables are erased digitally.

Answer 6

Cables and green screens

Answer 7

treadmill, harness& wires, green screen

Answer 8

Oh my goodness this is not a serious question
you see it is green screen technology.

Answer 9

magic