Frequently Asked Questions







What is Zero Gravity Corporation?

Zero Gravity Corporation (Zero G) is a privately held space entertainment and tourism company headquartered in Las Vegas, NV. Zero G conducts weightless flights aboard G-Force One, a specially modified Boeing 727-200 aircraft.

Able to accommodate up to 35 Flyers and six crew members, G-Force One is licensed at the highest levels of safety with the FAA following extensive testing and evaluation. G-Force One flies parabolic flight maneuvers - a controlled ascent and descent that creates temporary weightlessness and/or reduced gravity. These are the same types of flights used by NASA to train astronauts and used by Ron Howard and Tom Hanks in the filming of Apollo 13.

The mission of Zero G is to enable the general public to experience the excitement of weightlessness in a safe, fun, and cost-effective fashion.
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What is Vacations To Go?

Vacations To Go acts as agent in the sale of individual seats, group seats and full-flight charters for Zero Gravity Corporation and others. The company is a privately held travel and publishing firm founded in 1983 and based in Houston, TX. Vacations To Go is a bonded and fully accredited travel agency, and is a member in good standing of the Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC), the International Airlines Travel Agent Network (IATAN), the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA) and the Society for Accessible Travel and Hospitality (SATH).

Vacations To Go is one of the largest sellers of international vacations of all types, the world's largest seller of cruises, and among the largest sellers of river cruises, escorted tours, safaris and resort packages. More than 600,000 people will book an international vacation through Vacations To Go this year alone.

Vacations To Go can help you reserve your Zero G flight and an air and hotel package to either Las Vegas or Orlando, as required.

Inquiries for Zero G can be addressed to Vacations To Go at 1-800-998-6897. Other company Web sites can be viewed by clicking any of the following: cruises, river cruises, hotels and resorts, escorted tours, safaris.
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When was Zero Gravity Corporation formed?

The company was founded by Dr. Diamandis and Dr. Lichtenberg in 1993. The initial focus of the company was on the selection of the 727 aircraft and the completion of an extensive series of FAA test flights. The company has achieved the FAA's highest level of safety for its operations.

In 2002, Zero G was granted permission by the FAA to conduct passenger-related parabolic flights. The company's first commercial flights departed from Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 2004. Since then, Zero G has conducted more than 180 flights in numerous cities across the United States.

In 2006, Zero G began regularly scheduled flights from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida using the Shuttle Landing Facility. In 2007, Zero G added regularly scheduled departures from Las Vegas, Nevada. Other departure cities are anticipated.
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Are there other companies offering this type of service?

No. Zero G is the only company in the world that offers weightless flights to the public.
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What does NASA think of Zero Gravity Corporation?

Senior officials at NASA have been very supportive of Zero G efforts. In January of 2008, NASA contracted with Zero G to perform parabolic flights for NASA-operated experiments and personnel. The relationship marks a milestone for NASA's parabolic operations, which have previously used government aircraft and personnel, and is the first time a commercial operator has been contracted to provide weightless flight services. Zero G's flights will primarily initiate from NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston and NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland.

NASA most recently operated its own C-9 aircraft, a military version of the McDonnell Douglas DC-9, to conduct its reduced-gravity flight program. Compared to NASA's C-9, G-Force One is significantly larger, carrying 50% more passengers, and is 75% larger in volume.
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What is Zero G the Weightless Experience like?

Your flight begins like any other commercial flight. You taxi out to the runway and await permission to take off. Once granted, the captain flies out for about a half an hour to the airspace that the FAA has designated as our playground for the day. About the time the captain of a commercial flight would be turning off the seatbelt sign, you are given the okay to unbuckle your seatbelt and truly "move about the cabin". Your team leader will guide you to the floating area and instruct you to lay on the padded floor to prepare for the first parabola.

After a few moments of feeling pressed gently into the floor as you experience 1.8 g's, the Flight Director will call out "Martian 1" and you begin to feel lighter. Okay, so you haven't done a pushup since junior high, but suddenly it doesn't seem that difficult - even if you are only using one hand.

Between parabolas you assume the prone position on the floor as you mentally prepare for what you want to do on the next parabola.

Then you hear "Lunar 1" and jump up excitedly to see what this will feel like. Whoops - where'd that ceiling come from? It took almost no effort to get there.

Soon it's time for "Zero 1", your first weightless parabola. It's like nothing on Earth. Fly like Superman; drink a bubble of water floating by you; walk up the side of the plane; let your imagination stretch.

Nearby, you see two teenagers playing catch with their father. Yes, he's the ball.

It is an experience that few have tried, but those who have call it amazing and life-changing. It's a feeling of true freedom, a place where the impossible becomes real. Parabolic flight is the only way to create sustained weightlessness without going into space.

During a parabola, you have 25 times more hang-time than the best basketball player, and are more acrobatic than any Olympic gold medalist. For once, you are in a realm where the law of gravity has lost its throne. It's the stuff dreams are made of… it's Zero G!
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Can you experience weightlessness on Earth without flying in an aircraft?

No. Parabolic flight is the only way to experience true, sustained weightlessness (up to 30 seconds at a time) without going into space.
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How long does the flight last? How long will I be weightless?

The entire Zero G weightless experience takes 3-4 hours. This includes an initial orientation meeting, transportation to the aircraft, FAA screening, ferrying to the fly zone, the weightless maneuvers, return ferrying to the airport and a follow-up re-gravitation party (a champagne celebration where passengers are toasted and provided with complimentary Zero G merchandise).

The typical flight lasts approximately 90 to 100 minutes, during which every customer experiences 15 parabolic arcs, each providing about 30 seconds of reduced gravity or weightlessness. By the end of the flight you will log about 7 to 8 minutes of reduced gravity - that's about as much zero-gravity time as Alan Shepard experienced on America's first human spaceflight.
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What can you do during weightlessness?

Thirty seconds is actually a lot of time, especially in zero gravity. During this time you can fly the length of the cabin, or pop a water balloon and watch the water hover before your eyes, or release a handful of M&Ms and play a game of Pac-Man as you chase them down.

From a research perspective, 30 seconds is long enough to effectively test equipment before it is launched on expensive space-bound missions. From a television and filming perspective, 30 seconds is long enough to film TV commercials or scenes for a movie.

During the training session, your Team Coach will present a number of fun weightless tricks that we have designed for your education and pleasure during parabolic flight. You are also encouraged to use your imagination and create your own weightless activities. The most important thing to remember is to have fun!
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What g-forces will I feel during the parabolic maneuvers?

Generally, you will experience Martian gravity, Lunar gravity and weightlessness (zero gravity), depending on the planned flight sequence. During the pull-out (or high-g) portion which precedes each reduced-gravity segment, you will experience about 1.8-times your normal body weight. For these high-g portions all passengers are comfortably lying flat on their backs on the padded floor. Lifting heavy arms or legs off the mat is an experience in itself!
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Is the transition to high-g sudden?

The transition from the zero-g portion of the flight to the high-g segment is done gradually, over the course of about 10 seconds, with an alert given by the pilot and flight director. In addition, each passenger is assigned to a coach who is on hand to make sure that you are well taken care of during flight.
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Will someone from Zero G take photographs or video during the flight?

As part of your ticket price, your weightless experience will be captured with both still photographs and video. Each floating area of the aircraft has mounted High Definition (HD) video cameras and Zero G also has a staff photographer onboard ready to capture your adventure from the start to the very last parabola. Of course, you are welcome to bring your own camera or small handheld video camera as well, but most Flyers leave them behind and merely concentrate on the experience.
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Where does Zero G fly from?

Zero Gravity Corporation is headquartered in Las Vegas and regularly flies from both Signature Air Terminal at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas and the Shuttle Landing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center in Central Florida. From time to time, other departure airports are scheduled.

For customers wishing to charter an entire flight, our aircraft can be taken to any airport as long as it can accommodate a Boeing 727-200. For more details and pricing information, contact Vacations To Go.

Flight dates and locations for our currently scheduled flights are available by clicking here.
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How does parabolic flight work?

The weightless experience offered by Zero G is not simulated. It is the result of the same principles that cause astronauts in orbit to experience zero gravity and provides an experience that is truly like nothing on Earth.

Specially trained pilots fly parabolic maneuvers between approximately 24,000 and 32,000 feet altitude. The plane is initially heading upwards until it reaches the proper altitude, at which point the captain flies in the shape of a parabola. It is over the top of the parabola that gravity is perfectly defied and guests inside experience weightlessness.

Inside the aircraft, it is extremely smooth and it is difficult to tell which direction the airplane is facing as it becomes a magical floating room. For about 30 seconds, everything in the plane is completely weightless. After the pilot has sustained the maneuver to the maximum time, he gently pulls out of the descent and begins to gain altitude again as he repeats the parabola. In between weightless periods, everything in the aircraft becomes heavy as the pull out generates about 1.8 g's of force.
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What airspace does Zero G use for its flights?

Zero G conducts flights within a FAA-designated corridor that is approximately 100 miles long and 10 miles wide over unpopulated regions, such as the oceans, the Great Lakes, and deserts. The parabolic maneuver is typically performed in a block of airspace between 24,000 and 32,000 feet in altitude.
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How will weather affect flights?

Weather delays for Zero G flights are rare because of the operation's tremendous flexibility. The company takes off from Point A and returns to Point A and can modify the location of the parabolic flights and the take-off time to avoid bad weather. In Las Vegas, for example, we are able to fly north, south, east or west in order to get to clear air for our parabolic flights. The FAA has been very supportive in this regard.
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How many Zero G flights operate on a departure date?

There are generally 2 to 3 flights on each scheduled departure date starting between about 9 AM and 4 PM.
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What type of aircraft does Zero G use for its parabolic flight service?

A Boeing 727-200. After an extensive evaluation process, Zero G selected the Boeing 727-200 cargo aircraft over alternatives including the Boeing 707, 727, 737, and 757, and the DC-9. Routinely used by commercial carriers, the 727-200 characteristics include economical operations and maintenance, rapid availability of parts and servicing, and conformity to FAA noise abatement standards. The aircraft has a large cargo door and a 70-foot long floating zone.
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Does parabolic flight cause undue stress on the aircraft?

Parabolic flight causes no undue stress on the aircraft. G-load stress on the 727 during parabolic flights ranges from 0 G's to +1.8 G's. The Boeing 727-200 was originally certified by Boeing to stresses ranging from -1 G to +2.5G. Zero G's operations are well within Boeing's original specifications. In addition, Zero G has implemented a maintenance inspection program based on a detailed structural analysis.
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Are parabolic flights safe?

YES, extremely safe. Safety is the first and highest priority for Zero G. Zero G has an outstanding safety record during its first 180 commercial flights and 4,000 passengers flown. In addition, NASA, The Department of Defense, the Russian Space Program, and the European Space Agency (ESA) have performed parabolic flights for 45 years without incident. NASA alone has performed more than 150,000 parabolas on aircraft such as the KC-135, C-9 and Learjet-25. Zero G is committed to maintaining this record of safety by emulating NASA's best practice standards and utilizing expert staff.
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Can I book my group or organization on Zero G?

In addition to handling your booking of individual seats aboard Zero G flights, Vacations To Go can accommodate groups or arrange full-flight charters for the following:

Corporate & Incentive - corporate promotions, product launches, client or employee incentives, team building or any other corporate use;

Film and Entertainment - production companies using Zero G flights to film movies, television shows or commercials;

Research - experiments that are best conducted in a weightless environment;

Education - flying teachers and other educators in order to provide an experience that can be taken back to a classroom or museum;

Government - training and research flights for NASA and other governmental agencies.
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Are there medical or age restrictions?

The minimum age to fly is 8, and one adult must accompany each child age 8 or 9. One adult must accompany every two children age 10-12. One adult must accompany every 10 children age 12-14. Age 15 or older, no adult required.

There is no maximum age limit and several passengers in their 90's have enjoyed Zero G.

All passengers must sign a medical history form that includes questions pertaining to certain medical conditions. If you do not have any of these conditions, it will not be necessary to consult with a doctor. If you do have any of the indicated conditions, you must confer with your personal physician and obtain his/her sign-off (a 'fit to fly' letter). If you are pregnant or have heart or back problems, you should consult your physician to see if this experience is appropriate for you.
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Will I experience motion sickness?

Only a small fraction of customers feel motion sick, so it's very unlikely that you will experience any discomfort.

While some people on NASA's KC-135 airplane get motion sick, NASA flies anywhere from 40 to 80 parabolas during a typical mission and flights are focused on maximizing science data, not on flyer comfort. NASA's experience is that most people do well for the first 20 parabolas.

With that in mind, Zero G has taken a number of steps to minimize the incidence of motion sickness and ensure a fun, comfortable and inspirational flight:

First, we limit the number of parabolas for our public flights to about 15. Research has shown that a significant percentage of people feel motion sick at 25 parabolas, so we stay far beneath that number.

Next, we "ease" into weightlessness by first conducting a Martian-g parabola (1/3-g), followed by two Lunar-g parabolas (1/6-g), before getting to our zero-g parabolas. You will adjust to reduced weightlessness in a gradual fashion that reduces anxiety and the possibility of motion sickness.

Third, we typically place a few minutes of straight and level flight interspersed into our flight profile.

Fourth, we provide a light meal or snack (depending on departure time) low in proteins or dairy products on the day of the flight.

Fifth, we recommend a specific airsickness medication available by prescription. Dramamine is also available. Passengers who obtain this prescription rarely have any problems.

Finally, should anyone get motion sickness, we have a fully dedicated flight attendant onboard assigned to take care of that person.

Again, only a small fraction of customers feel motion sick, so it's very unlikely that you will experience any discomfort.
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What happens the day of the flight?

First, you will check in at your flight center, where we'll make sure you've filled out all your waiver forms and other information. You'll select and put on your flight suit, which is yours to keep. Then you'll head into the orientation room and enjoy a light breakfast on us.

The orientation and safety video goes over everything you need to know before you board the plane and while you're on it. There will be a short question and answer session after the screening of the video. You must watch the orientation and safety video in its entirety in order to board the airplane. If you leave the room at any time during the screening, you will have to watch the video again in its entirety. This could jeopardize your flight status, there are no exceptions.

The video lasts approximately 30 minutes. Immediately thereafter, colored armbands are distributed that verify that you have viewed the entire video. Without this armband you will not be able to board the plane.
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How can I book a seat with Zero G?

Zero G has established a relationship with Vacations To Go, one of the largest travel companies in America, to handle reservations for individual seats, groups and full-flight charters. The Zero G experience, which includes a flight of 15 parabolas, flight suit, complimentary merchandise, awards, a post-event party, photos, and a DVD of the flight, is offered at a price of $3,950 per seat, plus tax.

In addition to The Zero G flight, Vacation To Go can arrange your flight to, and hotels in, Las Vegas or Orlando. Call Vacations To Go now at 1-800-998-6897.
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What is Zero G's policy on cancellations?

Weather or aircraft cancellations - Passengers for flights which are delayed or cancelled due to aircraft maintenance or weather conditions will be rescheduled to another flight leaving within 24 hours of the scheduled departure time of the delayed or cancelled flight. If Zero G cannot reschedule another flight within that 24-hour period, Zero G will provide the passenger with a full refund of the entire purchase price paid, or offer to reschedule the flight to another date and provide the passenger with a certificate for $500 off the price of a second flight at some point in the future. The extent of liability for Zero G or Vacations To Go is limited to this cash refund.

Cancellation due to less-than-full capacity - Any flight with less than 60% of its seat capacity sold by 5 pm Pacific Time on the date which is two weeks before the scheduled flight date can be cancelled at the option of Zero G. Passengers with reservations for the cancelled flight shall be notified at the telephone and e-mail address provided for the passenger at the time of reservation and shall be rescheduled on another flight, or, if another flight is not available for the passenger, refunded the entire purchase price paid for the flight. The extent of liability for Zero G or Vacations To Go is limited to this cash refund.

Exchanges, transfers and refunds - Once purchased, seats are non-refundable. At their sole discretion, Zero G may consider a request to re-schedule a passenger.
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Is travel insurance available?

Yes, your Vacations To Go travel counselor can explain your travel insurance options. Call Vacations To Go at 1-800-998-6897.
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What happens after I book a seat?

Guest confirmations will be distributed within 24 hours of your reservation. Along with your confirmation, you will receive guest forms that must be completed and returned to Zero G within 10 days. Guests booking seats within two weeks of the scheduled mission will be required to complete and return forms immediately. Guests are permitted to book (subject to availability) and return forms to Zero G as late as the day of the flight.
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Who do I contact if I have further questions?

Vacations To Go will handle all of your questions before and after your weightless experience. Call us at 1-800-998-6897 or e-mail us at contact@ExperienceZeroG.com.
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1-800-998-6897    OR    Click to inquire about Zero G via e-mail