Northrop Grumman Foundation Weightless Flights of Discovery

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Northrop Grumman Foundation Weightless Flights
of Discovery
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The Program Objectives

• Introduce educators to the ZERO-G experience
• Inform participants of unique features of this
  program which will allow them to develop new
  strategies for their classroom
• Discuss ways to integrate the use of the ZERO-G
  experience into the classroom
• Provide teachers with a ZERO-G experience they
  can share with their students

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Background Zero Gravity

• Teachers can experience extended periods of
  weightlessness without going to space.
• Parabolic flight is the same method NASA has used
  to train its astronauts for the last 45 years and
  the same way Tom Hanks floated in Apollo 13.

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How it Works

• The weightlessness experienced is actually
  equivalent to the type of "free fall" you
  experience when sky diving.
• In this case, the body of the aircraft surrounds
  you and protects you from the on-rushing wind.
• At the end of the free fall period, the aircraft
  also scoops you up and carries you back up to the
  top of the arc to begin the free fall process
  again.

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How it Works
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The Parabolas
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Floating Area
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The Plane (G-Force 1)

• G-Force One (aircraft) Amerijet Boeing 727-200
  Origin La Guardia Speed 476 kts Altitude
  33000 ft

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Flight Path
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Horizon View
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Zero-Gravity
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Results of Experience

• Teachers are now better prepared to deliver
  instruction to meet the needs of their students.
• Experience tied to the requirements set forth in
  the National Science and Math Standards.
• Enhanced understanding of the content and
  demonstrate that they can interrelate and
  interpret important concepts associated with
  microgravity and can conduct scientific
  investigations and make the appropriate
  mathematical calculations.
• As a result, teachers will be able to
  successfully convey to students the major
  concepts, principles, theories, laws, and
  interrelationships of their experiences in
  microgravity as recommended by the National
  Science Teachers Association.

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THANK YOU!

• Special thanks to the Northrop Grumman Foundation
  and Zero-G Corporation!
• They provided educators with a once in a life
  time experience.