Stephen Hawking goes on "Zero G" flight

[iceman]

This was all over the news yesterday:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18334489/

What an amazing experience for a guy stuck in a wheelchair for almost 40 years. Interesting to hear his thoughts that he's trying to promote space travel and interest in space for the general community.

He believes that humans won't survive on Earth, be in due to a global warming catostrophe, nuclear weapon or virus - so we need to travel into space for our race to survive.

Apparently he also has a booking on the Virgin Space Ship One which is due to fly in 2009. That'll take him much higher to the edge of space for more weightlessness!

Interesting to note the Zero G flight is only US$3500 or so - pretty cheap for the experience I guess.

[sheeny]

Good on him! It's good to see him get the opportunity to do it.

Al.

[DobDobDob]

Not to mention the most important reason of all, which is that our planet and Solar system has a 'Use by' date. :P

[Omaroo]

He's a trouper all right. I can only imagine how fragile he is - so they must have been pretty careful with him through this experience.

[DobDobDob]

Yes but imagine the freedom, I simply could not imagine how it would be to float after 30 odd years in a chair....it must have been far more mind blowing for him than an able bodied person I would surmise :P

[Ric]

Lucky beggar, I wish I could have a go a zero G.
I hear he is going into space with Richard Branson in a year or two.

Cheers

[mickoking]

Good on him. Stephen Hawkins has done a lot for science and has done a great job of making cutting edge astrophysics available to dumb-arses like me :) I can't imagine the logistical problems of getting someone suffering Stephens disabilities into space tho, but it's great.

[Adrian-H]

I believe the exact same thing, it dosent take a genius to figure that out though.

A race that cant make peace with itself will have no peace. anyways.