News: Weightless rides now available in the US

Posted at 2:43 PM EDT (1843 GMT)

Sep. 15th, 2004 -- Just as NASA is getting ready to retire it's "Vomit Comet", a Fort Lauderdale, Fla. based company has obtained the FAA's approval to offer the same type of ride to average citizens.  For the bargain basement price of $3000, tourists are given a full day of activities.  The day starts with flight training, then the 90-minute flight, followed by a party with your fellow tourists.

The same type of experience has been available all along, though to participate riders would have to travel to either Russia or Sweden where other companyies had set up arrangements with the governments there.  Those trips run in the neighborhood of $6500 to $7000.

The Zero Gravity people have figured out a very creative way to cut down on the costs of the trips.  They have partnered with Amerijet International, a cargo company also out of Fort Lauderdale, to provide the jets.  Together, they have developed a cabin structure that enables the planes to go from normal cargo carrier to the ultimate amusement ride in a matter of hours. 

The Zero Gravity trip does differ from the NASA experience though.  The duration of weightlessness is a bit less than what astronauts have experienced, but the result is far fewer incidents of "space-sickness".

More from MSNBC.

Zero Gravity Corp.'s official website.