Steven Hawkins in space...

[joyi3eth5834]

Ok,so I have been mentally battling with the ethical issues of posting this so long that the youtube video has now gone.
But here goes....Steven Hawkins in space.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - British physicist Stephen Hawking took a flight on Thursday that gave the renowned scientist, who is confined to a wheelchair, a taste of the weightlessness of space.

Hawking, 65, and an entourage of caretakers and other thrill-seekers took off from the space shuttle's runway at the Kennedy Space Center in a specially modified jet that dives through the sky to give passengers an experience of zero gravity.

They returned to the space center in Florida about two hours later.
Reuters Pictures


Hawking acknowledged before the flight that experiencing weightlessness, even for a few seconds, would be sweet relief from the bondage of a daily life immobilized by a debilitating and irreversible neuromuscular disorder.

"I have been wheelchair-bound for almost four decades and the chance to float free in zero G will be wonderful," Hawking told a pre-flight news conference.

 

[marilynm]

I thought you had to be in great shape to go into space?

Anyway that picture is pretty funny.

 

[RauriM]

It was a plane, not a spaceship. As I understand it, they get to a suitable height and then nose-dive until the plane is traveling the same speed as a falling person. Effectively it's free-fall without the parachute, but as you're in an enclosed environment you behave as if in zero-G.

I heard part of the interview afterwards (on the radio). He obviously enjoyed it as he finished off with the quote "Space - here I come!"

As far as I'm concerned.... Good luck to him.

 

[lisaaa]

You just need to be able to handle the G-forces.

Why would you have an ethical dileofftopic Su?

 

[RockyL]

Because I thought people may think I was posting it to make fun of him, which I'm not really

 

[Ml30]

LOL I wonder what your panada was laughing at

 

[Nessie]

Shhhhhhhh!

 

[JustN45]

I'm well chuffed for him. He's spent nearly 40 years chasing what seemed like an impossible dream for him, but I'd love to see him get into space.

 

[JenniF]

I think that will be the main problem when he goes up with Virgin galactic, they reckon the re-entry G's can get up to 8 or 9. For a man in his condition you have to consider whether or not it would be safe for him to go.

 

[pinkisluv17]

Really? That high? Virgin Galactic won't be going that high up. Relatively speaking. I doubt it'd be as high as 8 or 9 for re-entry. Possibly for the brief rocket burn though. That's where I see the problems.

 

[atvracer18]

Why should he get free trips to space? Somone who has achieved just as much as Mr wheels here will never get mentioned because he is not in a wheel chair and I bet he will will never get free trips to space.

 

[retro25]

I'm sure thats what I read on their site. I think they are planning on going to around 110Km.

 

[RoscoeB]

show me one person who has achieved half as much whilst being equally disabled. Most Motor Neurone sufferers die a couple of years after diagnosis.

 

[RODNEYD]

Im not too familiar with anything he's done but hes definately an inspiration plus he talks cool

 

[YoungC]

Champion of the thick again.
Somehow you failed to understand that Hawkings wasn't getting these trips because he's in a wheelchair.

 

[Gherkinhead]

Oh has he developed a reputation for the moronic post already?

 

[AdHominem]

Comedy.

 

[tompic823]

what is?

 

[icyblue42]

Please read what the mod told you last time, then re-read my post, I'm saying if somone had acheived as much as stevie had and they wern't in a wheel chair no one would give a **** outside that area of study and they wouldn't be getting free trips to space.

If you forgot what the mod told you (which wouldnt suprise me) it is that if somone had a different opinion from you it does not make them stupid, understand or do you want me to go the get the quote to show you?

 

[carolineowen1974]

It dosen't mess up his brain though, he has no disadvantage to somone who isn't in a wheel chair except with communication and it's not as though he is responsible for not dying within years he just got lucky and has good medical care.