Posted on 04/27/2007 8:29:39 AM PDT by Jake The Goose
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Free of his wheelchair and tethered only to heart rate and blood pressure monitors, astrophysicist Stephen Hawking on Thursday fulfilled a dream of floating weightless on a zero-gravity jet, a step he hopes leads to further space adventures.
The modified jet carrying Hawking, a handful of his physicians and nurses, and dozens of others first flew up to 24,000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean off Florida. Nurses lifted Hawking and carried him to the front of the jet, where they placed him on his back atop a special foam pillow.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
I cannot imagine how Stephen Hawkins must have felt.
We live in a great country.
I hope he bought some carbon off-sets for this flight.
Best story of the week. Thanks for posting it.
you funny....
Pretty cool lucky guy
It goes to show you that a lot of people love and admire the man.
Very cool.
This time we are going to shoot intelligent life into space.
Pretty unique.
Check out the smile on Hawking’s face.
Way too cool.
It really is. What an opportunity for him, like being set free!
I bet he had a great time...
My Dad was the NASA Test Director and Program Manager of the Reduced Gravity office at Ellington Field for many years before he retired from NASA...
Flew a lot of people to get them used to the idea of MicroGravity...Got a chance myself as a vestibular studies test subject to do it a few times as well...
Of course I was “bullet-proof” (didn’t get sick), I believe it is hereditary...hehehe So most of the baseline data from that study is from me, my brother and a few others who were rock solid on adapting to weightless enviromnents...Pretty cool stuff...
Now if I had only gotten the chance to be EVA rated...I’ve been know to turn a good wrench in some hazardous environments...hehehe
Build a space station you say??? Sure no prob!
Sounds like the Zero-G Corporation got some additional publicity now...
Yep, he’s a global-warming kook—and climate’s not his field of expertise.
*****Unable to talk or move his hands and legs, Hawking can only make tiny facial expressions using the muscles around his eyes, eyebrows, cheek and mouth.*****
That huge grin on his face tells me something different.
Very cool stuff - you are “bullet proof”.
From now on - you are “Zero G Stevie”
Wow - interesting question you ask - let’s keep an ear peeled and see what he says in the coming days.
Good observation.
Were there strippers?
LOL, I think Albore sold Hawkings some of his carbon offsets.
Yes - they were just off-camera.
Why did you think he was smiling?
I’m reminded of a Heinlein story, “The Rolling Stones” (really!!) where one of space miners is supposed to be in his 100’s. Heinlein comments about space being the perfect place for old people due to low gravity.
I don't understand that - help me out?
Yeah - I just love the look on his face.
Yeah, saw that. The disease is usually fatal much sooner and that Hawking has remained in good spirits all along in spite of the bad hand he was dealt says enough.
Yeah...I used to take a snack up on some of the longer flights...
Usually something light, sweet...Like fruit cocktail or something portable like that...
Of course what can you carry it in???
I used a barf bag, because it was moisture and leak proof for the most part...
And since we still flew in flightsuits, the lower leg pockets were the perfect size for this stuff...No big deal??? Right???
Well We had a few minutes between parabolas, and I went back and had a quick bite...My Dad saw me and said we have to try something...So after I rolled my eyes a bit...We proceeded with the plan...
Now mind you, the Zero G boys are bullet proof...A legend in the NASA community and the world for that matter...
I came back up in front of the seating area looking a bit glum....My Dad being the ever thoughtful test flight director came over to me and expressed his extreme concern over his son “having a bad day”...
He proceeded to ask me what I had for breakfast, to an ever larger crowd coming to the back to see what was going on...
I told him you know, the usual...scrambled eggs...Bacon...Toast...jelly, milk...All the things a growing boy needs...
He (Dad) proceeded to reach into my barf bag and pulled out a “grape”, and very quickly stuffed it and swallowed...Yummy!
Considering the precarious nature of the rest of the passengers...We had to have had the all time “kill” count of any zeroG flight ever...
I think all but about 2-3 people hit their own “bags” before the flight was over...
We had always wanted to make a stencil that looked like a barf bag so we could credit the pilot with the number of kills for a particular flight of note...
I think there are still a couple stamps of them on the old KC-135 up on the stilts at Ellington Field below the aircraft commanders seat (left side) below the window pane...
All in all we sure did have a lot of fun on those flights...
I think Hawkings had a great time, and is undoubtable part of the “bullet proof” crowd...
Must be remarkable freedom: a wheelchair-bound guy actually able to fly for a few minutes!
(I hope his space time will be free of motion sickness.)
Man - I am so envious.
What a great set of experiences you have had.
I wonder if his body can take the acceleration of launch and recovery decelleration/vibration.
Once in free-fall, he’d be OK essentially forever, with a lot less strain on muscles and heart since there is almost no gravity loads, though he still needs aid for almost everything of course.
If there’s an accident before launch, he couldn’t escape fast enough: NASA/Russia would pretty much have to accept his loss regardless of who tries to help him.
Thats a great idea!!! They’ve had gymnist on there at one time doing all the tumbles anmoves they do on the ground up there...Its amazing how bullet-proof they actually are...They’re naturals...
But alas, the only one I know that got nakid on this plane was Penn Jillette of Penn and Teller...
They were doing some promotional flights with some celebrities, I think Billy Gibbons (ZZTop), Penn Jillette,and a few others I can’t think of now made that flight...
Penn was so excited he wanted to do it nakid...I think hes done a few things nakid before like skydiving etc etc...This was just another one of those venues I suppose...
I have tons of stories like this...Some are pretty funny, and some are pretty serious...
Its a good program, and needs to be based on some serious stuff first and foremost, but the fun comes with the experience of actually doing the work...
My Dad did it everyday...He hated being in that office, but when they flew, it made the day that much more special...
A lot of peoples first real experience in the effects of space flight started right in this particular program...
If you ever have a cool $3800 bucks burning a hole in your pocket...This is worth it...
He is impervious. A couple years ago he was racing his wheelchair down the drive and failed to make the corner. He dumped the chair and all, but emerged unscathed aside from roadburn. This is not a fragile person.
I agree...
The russian vehicles are a bit...not full of creature comforts...
Hawkings might be good on a shuttle launch...But they are pretty much booked up for the rest of the 15 or so flights to get the station done...
Unless someone comes up with something quick...I’m afriad this is about the only thing Mr. Hawkings will get...
But I’m sure he’s ok with that fact...
Could not just let him enjoy the moment, huh?
If only his wives were as happy.
“CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Free of his wheelchair and tethered only to heart rate and blood pressure monitors, astrophysicist Stephen Hawking on Thursday fulfilled a dream of floating weightless on a zero-gravity jet, a step he hopes leads to further space adventures.
The modified jet carrying Hawking, a handful of his physicians and nurses, and dozens of others first flew up to 24,000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean off Florida. Nurses lifted Hawking and carried him to the front of the jet, where they placed him on his back atop a special foam .”
Just another dopey hypocrite enviro-mentalist who thinks that what he proscribes for others doesn’t apply to him... Screw Hawking.
http://www.livescience.com/environment/ap_060622_hawking_climate.html
Asked about the environment, Hawking, who suffers from a degenerative disease, uses a wheelchair and speaks through a computerized voice synthesizer, said he was “very worried about global warming.’’
He said he was afraid that Earth “might end up like Venus, at 250 degrees centigrade and raining sulfuric acid.’’
Nice Story.
Wow - incredible - thanks for posting that information.
I still like the story - just from a human compassion standpoint.
There's at least one in every thread.
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