WEBVTT

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Intro music.

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Affectionately called  the "vomit comet" by astronauts and also known as the "weightless wonder,"

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NASA's KC-135 aircraft is retiring after many years of valuable service.

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NASA created the Reduced Gravity Program in 1959 and the KC-135 was later chosen as the

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perfect aircraft to better understand the role of gravity on humans and hardware in space.

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Reduced gravity is obtained with a specially modified aircraft,

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similar to the commercial Boeing 707 turbojet, flying steep climbs and dives that produce weightless periods.

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During a typical mission lasting two to three hours, the aircraft will make 30 to 40 climbs and dives,

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called parabolic arcs, providing periods of reduced gravity that last about 20 to 25 seconds.

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Weightlessness, though, can have a stomach-turning effect, even on the most seasoned astronaut -- hence the nickname, vomit comet.

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After about 34,000 ups and downs, the reliable KC-135 made its last flight in October 2004.

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A new Navy C-9 aircraft, designated as NASA 932, was chosen to take the place of the KC-135.

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After undergoing modification, it will soar into service in 2005 as the next "weightless wonder."

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