Disability ambassadors successfully complete Zero-G flight
[ad_1]
LONG BEACH, Calif. — A crew of 12 “disability ambassadors” successfully completed a weightless flight Sunday (Oct. 17) in the pursuit to make space accessible for all.
On Sept. 15, Hayley Arceneaux became the first person with a prosthesis to fly to space when she launched aboard SpaceX’s private Inspiration4 orbital mission. And earlier this year, in February, the European Space Agency put out a call for people with disabilities to apply to become astronauts, or “parastronauts,” with the agency. However, spaceflight is not yet fully available to those with disabilities: a problem that Mission: AstroAccess aims to solve.
AstroAccess — an initiative created with SciAccess, which works to make STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) more accessible and inclusive — flew a crew of 12 “disability ambassadors” to an altitude of 32,000 feet (9,753 meters) on a weightless parabolic flight on Sunday to work towards a more inclusive and accessible future in space.
“What we did yesterday was absolutely historic,” George Whitesides, the co-project lead of AstroAccess and chair of the Space Advisory Board for Virgin Galactic, said during a post-flight press conference in Long Beach, CA on Monday (Oct. 18).
Related: How to become an astronaut
The flight took place aboard Zero Gravity Corporation’s (Zero-G) “G-Force One” plane, which flies in a series of parabolas to create period feelings of both weightlessness and increased gravity inside the cabin.
The 12 ambassadors on board, which included people with mobility, vision and hearing disabilities, conducted demonstrations and experiments during the flight. They aim to use their experience to improve the understanding of what spacecraft environments could and should be like to be more inclusive and accessible for all.
One of the ambassadors, Mary Cooper, an aerospace engineering and computer science student at Stanford University, shared her experience conducting a demonstration while weightless during the conference.
“I really wanted to demonstrate that I am able to maneuver and take care of my disability in the same way I do on Earth, so that I would be able to do that in the zero gravity environment,” Cooper told Space.com during the conference. “So I took off my prosthetic leg, I even let it float around a bit, which is a surreal euphoric experience, to say the least. And then from there, I was able to also put it back on as well,” Cooper added.
Cooper suggested that since the flight she already has ideas for improved accessibility in a spacecraft cabin, including the inclusion of a foot rail or a magnetic surface.
“We are making history here,” Centra “Ce-Ce” Mazyck, one of the ambassadors and a U.S. Army veteran jumpmaster, said during the news conference. “Life truly begins at the start of the end of your comfort zone
“It doesn’t stop here,” Mazyck added. “I think we have a long way to go … but I am so proud and elated about what’s happening here. We are paving the way for the future.”
“I am so grateful and I pray that this is not the last time I am in the air,” she added.
Dana Bolles, one of the ambassadors who is also a science communicator at NASA, added that with AstroAccess, not only does the group aim to tangibly improve inclusive design in spaceflight, they also want to “show the potential of our community to the rest of the world.”
Email Chelsea Gohd at cgohd@space.com or follow her on Twitter @chelsea_gohd. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.
[ad_2]
Original Post
Hello, i think that i saw you visited my blog so i came to “return the favor”.I am trying to find things to improve my site!I suppose its ok to use some of your ideas!!
When I initially commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get three e-mails with the same comment. Is there any way you can remove me from that service? Thanks!
I know this if off topic but I’m looking into starting my own blog and was wondering what all is needed to get set up? I’m assuming having a blog like yours would cost a pretty penny? I’m not very internet savvy so I’m not 100 sure. Any recommendations or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
This is a topic close to my heart cheers, where are your contact details though?
Great wordpress blog here.. It’s hard to find quality writing like yours these days. I really appreciate people like you! take care
Greetings from Ohio! I’m bored at work so I decided to check out your site on my iphone during lunch break. I really like the info you present here and can’t wait to take a look when I get home. I’m surprised at how fast your blog loaded on my phone .. I’m not even using WIFI, just 3G .. Anyhow, superb blog!
Hey very nice website!! Guy .. Excellent .. Superb .. I’ll bookmark your site and take the feeds additionallyKI am satisfied to seek out a lot of helpful information right here within the post, we’d like develop more techniques on this regard, thank you for sharing. . . . . .
Definitely, what a splendid blog and enlightening posts, I will bookmark your website.Have an awsome day!
Hello! I could have sworn I’ve been to this site before but after reading through some of the post I realized it’s new to me. Anyhow, I’m definitely delighted I found it and I’ll be book-marking and checking back often!
I really appreciate this post. I?¦ve been looking all over for this! Thank goodness I found it on Bing. You’ve made my day! Thanks again
Pretty section of content. I just stumbled upon your web site and in accession capital to assert that I get actually enjoyed account your blog posts. Any way I’ll be subscribing to your augment and even I achievement you access consistently quickly.
Hello. magnificent job. I did not imagine this. This is a remarkable story. Thanks!
Thank you a lot for providing individuals with an exceptionally special chance to read from this blog. It really is very superb and also stuffed with a good time for me and my office fellow workers to search your website particularly three times in a week to read through the new things you have got. Of course, I’m just always impressed with all the exceptional inspiring ideas you give. Some two points in this article are really the most effective I have had.
Hi, Neat post. There’s a problem with your site in internet explorer, may test this?K IE nonetheless is the market leader and a huge section of other folks will omit your excellent writing due to this problem.
You completed a few fine points there. I did a search on the theme and found mainly persons will go along with with your blog.
I likewise think thus, perfectly indited post! .
Some really interesting details you have written.Assisted me a lot, just what I was looking for : D.
I have been absent for a while, but now I remember why I used to love this web site. Thank you, I¦ll try and check back more often. How frequently you update your web site?
We are a group of volunteers and opening a new scheme in our community. Your site offered us with valuable info to work on. You’ve done a formidable job and our entire community will be grateful to you.
Hello, you used to write wonderful, but the last few posts have been kinda boring?K I miss your super writings. Past several posts are just a little out of track! come on!
I haven’t checked in here for some time as I thought it was getting boring, but the last few posts are great quality so I guess I will add you back to my daily bloglist. You deserve it my friend 🙂
It?¦s really a cool and helpful piece of info. I am happy that you shared this helpful info with us. Please stay us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.
Great line up. We will be linking to this great article on our site. Keep up the good writing.
There’s noticeably a bundle to know about this. I assume you made certain good factors in options also.
Woh I love your articles, saved to favorites! .
I get pleasure from, cause I discovered exactly what I was having a look for. You have ended my 4 day lengthy hunt! God Bless you man. Have a nice day. Bye
of course like your web-site however you have to take a look at the spelling on several of your posts. Several of them are rife with spelling issues and I in finding it very troublesome to inform the reality nevertheless I¦ll surely come again again.
Do you have a spam problem on this site; I also am a blogger, and I was wanting to know your situation; many of us have developed some nice methods and we are looking to trade solutions with other folks, why not shoot me an email if interested.
You really make it appear really easy together with your presentation however I in finding this topic to be really one thing that I believe I’d by no means understand. It seems too complicated and very wide for me. I am taking a look forward for your subsequent publish, I will attempt to get the grasp of it!
Thank you for sharing with us, I think this website genuinely stands out : D.
It is the best time to make a few plans for the long run and it is time to be happy. I have read this publish and if I may just I desire to recommend you some attention-grabbing things or advice. Maybe you can write subsequent articles referring to this article. I want to read more things approximately it!
Those are yours alright! . We at least need to get these people stealing images to start blogging! They probably just did a image search and grabbed them. They look good though!