Parabolic flight - flying so as to induce microgravity? in an aircraft or suborbital spacecraft
Parabolic flight is often used to test equipment to be used in longer-duration (orbital) microgravity conditions, or to conduct research on microgravity phenomena. It is also used to help train astronauts. More recently, it has become a recreational experience, offered by Zero Gravity Corporation. The recent surge of entrepreneurial activity in suborbital space tourism? has resulted in the design and testing of vehicles that can also be used for microgravity science experiments.
Ecuadorian? Space Agency parabolic flight
Project Persephone will require some operations to be performed in microgravity, at least for initial set-up in LEO. Some exovivaria designs might not use artificial gravity? at all, meaning that all user operations will be under microgravity conditions. Very short-duration testing and rehearsal of telebotic operations might be done in drop towers, which can offer a few seconds of microgravity; longer-duration testing might be done in sounding rockets?, which can offer minutes. Parabolic flight offers a range of durations between those two options, and relatively frequent repetition of microgravity conditions, while also permitting hands-on researcher involvement in the experiment.
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