Stephen Hawking holds it together in zero-g vomit comet

We tip our hats to you, Sir Hawking. You said you were gonna do it, and you surely did, hopping in a tricked out 727 to experience the weightlessness of space. During his eight successive 30 second stints of zero gravity, Hawking did a coupla spins and was even photographed with an apple of Newtonian symbolism. Not surprisingly, Stephen was totally stoked about his trip, saying afterward, "space, here I come." before totally popping a rocking wheelie in his robo wheelchair. Ok, maybe we made up that last bit, but we'd just like to say to Stephen: way to go, broham. We're looking forward to all the rad theoretical physics you'll come up with after this inspiring trip to pseudo-space.

[tt @ Apr 27th 2007 3:59PM]

LOOK MA...NO HANDS!!!!

[Dude @ Apr 27th 2007 4:01PM]

Fake.

[Andrew H. @ Apr 27th 2007 4:26PM]

Dude I seriously hope you are just joking around with your "fake" comment.
http://www.thestar.com/article/207903

[Marc Mitchell @ Apr 27th 2007 4:14PM]

Nice to see he's an "Apple" user :) haha

MM

[Irwin @ Apr 27th 2007 4:22PM]

so much respect for this man.

[Guilherme @ Apr 27th 2007 4:27PM]

same here

[Dude @ Apr 27th 2007 5:14PM]

You believe everything you read on the internet?

[Andrew H. @ Apr 27th 2007 5:55PM]

toronto star is a newspaper dumbass

[hobgoblin @ Apr 27th 2007 4:37PM]

engineering isnt his field of work, so he would have a hard time designing said suit.

[Chuckles McGee @ Apr 27th 2007 4:39PM]

"phsyics"... I love your articles...just wish you'd run spell check

[Neebs @ Apr 27th 2007 4:51PM]

He seriously looks like a gangsta flashing a sign in that picture.

[Richard Flynn @ Apr 27th 2007 4:55PM]

"Sir Hawking"? That's an awful solecism. When people are knighted, you use Sir (or Lady) + Given name, so it would be Sir Stephen. However, Hawking isn't a Knight, but is simply a Commander of the British Empire (CBE), which isn't recognized with any honorific title except the letters being used after the name.

[KC @ Apr 27th 2007 4:56PM]

Looks like he was protecting his privates when someone threw an apple at him!

[HEADsoldier07 @ Apr 27th 2007 5:35PM]

no - why don't you go read this in the newspaper or watch it on tv then. (as long as its not the inquierer or mtv)

[Leoedin @ Apr 27th 2007 5:15PM]

Having flown in zero-g parabolas, I can attest that you do not throw up...

or at least I didn't :D

[Irwin @ Apr 27th 2007 5:27PM]

LOL
"Dude" are u serious? please tell me you're joking.

[Dude @ Apr 27th 2007 5:57PM]

Ok what channel is it on? The liberal media lies, btw.

[HEADsoldier07 @ Apr 28th 2007 12:25PM]

I'm not sure but you could probably find it on like msn.com or some trusted website. But seriously, this makes sense - you know who steven hawking is right? - and theres no reason why this couldn't have happened right? (nothin personal you know)

[greg @ Apr 27th 2007 5:37PM]

can I speak my opinion?

[Wilson @ Apr 27th 2007 6:14PM]

Hope his dream will come true :)

To Dude:
http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/detail.cfm?mediaid=31873
From NASA

[Dude @ Apr 27th 2007 6:16PM]

OMG you guys, the government, like, totally tells the truth all the time! I believe them, like, completely!





Sheep.

[Dave @ Apr 27th 2007 6:29PM]

Dude, you're the kind of person who thinks the US government flew their own planes into the towers on 9/11 just as an excuse to go to war with the middle east for their oil, don't you?

What would the government gain by telling this story? Honestly, save up your pennies and take a history class at a community goddamn college if you're really so inept about the past and present workings of the government.

[spec @ Apr 27th 2007 7:32PM]

'Dude', you really are the BIGGEST f'ing TOOL this site has EVER seen. Please do us all a favor and just go kill yourself!

[Mike10010100 @ Apr 27th 2007 6:55PM]

Ok, so "Dude" you must really be an idiot. This has been on the news for days, and why would something so simple as a famous physicist going on a special airplane be faked?

Two conclusions follow:

1. You are just trying to get attention by making everyone here annoyed.

2. You really believe the crap you're spouting.

if (conclusion == 2)
{
suggestion = follow this link: http://tinyurl.com/37bur
}

[Mike10010100 @ Apr 27th 2007 6:59PM]

Also, a simple Google search comes up with this VIDEO!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXQeQD0CJzY&mode=related&search=

Idiot

[Lee Roy Brandon III @ Apr 27th 2007 7:07PM]

Congrats to Prof. Hawking, who has infinitely more intelligence than "Dude". Hope he makes it to his space ride, nobody has done more to make me dream of the Universe and its beauty.

[Crobar @ Apr 27th 2007 7:18PM]

Believe it or not, I have a friend who supplies his wheelchair accesible cars when he comes to the Seattle area. So, when he came to make his speach/ do the space flight thing, I met him and helped carry his bags to his car!...He's really funny by the way.

[Fruition @ Apr 27th 2007 7:44PM]

lol guys, just ignore Dude. Talking to him only makes him stronger.

[Mike10010100 @ Apr 27th 2007 7:45PM]

"Dude," there has been only one thing you have been right about thus far- that people shouldn't attack someone personally just because he's paranoid.

You have caught me "Dude," I'm really a secret government agent bent on spreading disinformation.

And (just for the fun of making the paranoid sound like idiots) I am currently in my lab playing with my anti-gravity machine.

We staged the entire scene, including Stephen Hawking. He's really an animatronic.

For all the really normal people out there, who are not like "Dude," this man and his weightless feat is truly an inspiration.

Thanks for the entertainment "Dude"(pronounced ih dee ut).

P.S. How do you explain the Youtube video?

[Dude @ Apr 27th 2007 7:48PM]

"P.S. How do you explain the Youtube video?"

That's your big argument? How do you explain the movie Jurassic Park? You believe Dinosaurs are running around Costa Rica, too?

p.s. I 100% believe your "government agent" bit. They say "nothing lies like the truth."

[Wilson @ Apr 27th 2007 7:56PM]

So I guess you still think it's still a fake news then :)

Wonder what do you actually trust...
Can I've a list of things that you think it's fake please?

[tf @ Apr 27th 2007 7:49PM]

In all honesty I think this photo will go down in history in much the same way the light hearted one of Einstein sticking out his tongue did. It humanizes the person who is far more brilliant than we can even imagine.

The Newtonian apple is classic. It reminds me of the Apollo astronaut dropping the hammer and feather on the surface of the moon. Timeless.

[Mike10010100 @ Apr 27th 2007 7:51PM]

Yet again, so funny to watch the "government paranoid."
There is a special class of insanity for you guys. It's called "paranoia" and I'm sorry that this truly inspiring moment has to be ruined by you.

[Googone @ Apr 27th 2007 7:54PM]

So any reasonably skeptical comment is obviously a troll? Real clever, guys. It definately takes a genius to lash out in LOL at the first site of disagreement.

I wouldn't mind seeing some proof of this guy's flight myself. For all we know, the guy in the suit is Admiral Ackbar, with Hawking pasted over the fishy head.

[Googone @ Apr 27th 2007 8:03PM]

Me?

It doesn't have to be fake to be a lie. Enron, for example. And cars that can get 60 mph (EPA has proof). They don't want you to know this because of government subsidies the American people and worldwide economies (NAFTA) don't know about. It's all in the paperwork, but who's going to look. Vomit comet is no different, just because it goes to space! LOL.

[Fruition @ Apr 27th 2007 8:02PM]

Googone = Dude reborn?

Bah, ignore the both of them for good measure. After all, you know what they say about arguing on the Internet.

[Fruition @ Apr 27th 2007 8:06PM]

"And cars that can get 60 mph"

Googone, many cars can travel at 60 miles per hour. That's not a lie.

[Mike10010100 @ Apr 27th 2007 8:07PM]

Ignorance too! The "Vomit Comet" doesn't go into space! Get that straight!

It is just a regular airplane modified to have an empty inside. It uses the fact that by flying in parabolic motion, it can imitate the weightlessness of space. The entire airplane is falling at the same accelleration of gravity, so it LOOKS like they are floating. They and the airplane are actually falling to Earth.

Jeez!

[Fruition @ Apr 27th 2007 8:12PM]

I think our friend Googone was confused because "comet" would suggest it does not enter Earth's atmosphere. He probably would be more satisfied with something like "vomit meteorite"... But that doesn't nearly sound as good.

[Dude @ Apr 27th 2007 8:13PM]

Yes thank you Mike! I'm glad we finally agree. Vomit Comet, despite the lies of those in power, does NOT FLY IN SPACE.

Some people, eh?

[Dude @ Apr 27th 2007 8:11PM]

Googone, I'm afraid this might be arguing with a troll, but someone needs to tell you...

THE VOMIT COMET DOES NOT FLY IN SPACE. THAT IS ANOTHER GOVERNMENT FABRICATION.

Idiot.

[Mike10010100 @ Apr 27th 2007 8:15PM]

Those in power use physics, not "government lies" for every explination. AND THEY NEVER SAID IT WENT INTO SPACE!!!!!!!!!

Logic is the ruler of all.

"I am Lacutus of the Borg. Resistence is futile. You will be assimilated."

[Dude @ Apr 27th 2007 8:19PM]

"Those in power use physics, not "government lies" for every explination."

Mike, I really think our viewpoints are closer than we admit -- of course those in power use things like "physics" and "logic" instead of saying "we use government lies!"

Don't be silly, man.

[Mike10010100 @ Apr 27th 2007 8:23PM]

Right, but logic was invented before the creation of the U.S., back in Roman times.

Back then, they didn't care about "government lies," they cared about finding out how the world worked.

We use the same logic that was created thousands of years ago.

Weasel out of that.

[triplec @ Apr 27th 2007 8:23PM]

Someone I know was lucky enough to be on this flight with Mr. Hawking. I can assure you all, it's as real as can be.

[Dude @ Apr 27th 2007 8:28PM]

Oh, triplec. I didn't realize. Sorry, my bad.

[Mike10010100 @ Apr 27th 2007 8:24PM]

Sorry also meant Greek!

[JD @ Apr 27th 2007 9:20PM]

As someone on the flight with Prof. Hawking I can assure everyone that it was real, and it was incredibly fun. Hawking certainly enjoyed it. I watched his face as he lifted off for the first time and as he was spun around the first time, and there was an undeniable look of sheer joy on his face.

For a full press release, and more media as it becomes available, visit GoZeroG.com

[B @ Apr 27th 2007 9:36PM]

Dude, you're an idiot.

[crzyjamaican46 @ Apr 27th 2007 10:45PM]

Yall can go to. The Sharper Image will soon begin selling tickets in all of its stores for Zero G flights. They really do offer some neat products and experiences. Look at theLogo on the fligfht suits.