Zero Gravity Corporation

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Zero Gravity Corporation
Type
Founded
Headquarters Las Vegas[1], U.S.
Key people Peter Diamandis
Byron K. Lichtenberg
Ray Cronise
Website http://www.gozerog.com
Zero Gravity Corporation's headquarters
Zero Gravity Corporation's headquarters
Zero Gravity Corporation's aircraft
Zero Gravity Corporation's aircraft

Zero Gravity Corporation (also known as ZERO-G) is a Nevada-based company, formerly of Fort Lauderdale, which operates weightless flights. The company operates a modified Boeing 727 which flies parabolic arcs similar to those of NASA's KC-135 Reduced Gravity Aircraft. Unlike NASA, Zero G is governed by the FAA under Part 121 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (as are all US commercial passenger and cargo airlines) enabling them to offer the experience of weightlessness to both adventure tourists and researchers alike.

Founded by entrepreneur Peter Diamandis, astronaut Byron K. Lichtenberg, and NASA engineer Ray Cronise, the company is one of many private space companies working towards space tourism. A number of notable passengers have been on weightless flights run by the company, including Penn Jillette[2] and Teller[3] , Martha Stewart, Burt Rutan, Buzz Aldrin, and John Carmack. Theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking also completed a shortened flight on April 26, 2007.[4][5] On December 9th of 2007, Zero G hosted Adam Savage, and Jamie Hyneman of MythBusters to prove or disproved whether the Apollo Moon landing was a hoax or not. The shoot will air in May of 2008, and coincides with NASA's 50th anniversary. On April 21, 2007, they began regular flights from Las Vegas for the general public[6] at ticket prices of USD $3,675. Good Morning America aired promotional footage[7] featuring their weatherman Sam Champion during a preview flight in Ohio.[8] In March of 2008 was acquired by Space Adventures (http://www.gozerog.com/sa_acquisition.html).

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[edit] Flight experience

A Zero G flight lasts approximately thirty minutes, and consists of 15 parabolas: 2 that simulate martian gravity, 3 that simulate lunar gravity, and 10 that simulate weightlessness[9]. Each parabola begins with the aircraft climbing at a 45 degree angle at approximately 24,000 feet (7,300 m), peaks at 32,000 ft (9,800 m), and ends with the aircraft pointed down at a 30 degree angle.

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