Cologne. For the tenth time, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) organized parable flights in its Airbus A300 ZERO-G from September 3 to 17, 2007. The world’s largest laboratory started at the airport Cologne Bonn for altogether five research flights into zero gravity. Three-time Olympic luge champion Georg Hackl from Berchtesgaden was on board for one of the flights. This unique experience for the three-time World Champion was initiated by Prof. Johann-Dietrich Wörner, Chairman of the DLR Board of Directors, Bernhard Fuhrmann as well as astronaut Thomas Reiter.

Originally, parable flights were invented to enable zero gravity training for astronauts. Today, they are mainly done in order to carry out experiments under weightlessness and to test aerospace technology. Flights usually last three to four hours, during which 31 parables are flown. From a horizontal flight, the plane ascends steeply upwards in an angle of up to 52 degrees, reduces the thrust of the turbines thus taking a parabolic path. In doing so, the plane with its passengers reaches a state of free fall creating approximate zero gravity for about 22 seconds during each parable. Altogether, the researchers have about 40 minutes during the five flight days in order to carry out their experiments in zero gravity.