The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
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Vladimir Pletser, ESA’s parabolic flight campaign manager, during one of the final flights with the ‘Zero-G’ Airbus.
The world’s largest aircraft for parabolic flights took its last trips to weightlessness for ESA science this week. The converted A300 Airbus flew for the 61st ESA campaign having completed over 450 experiments, 3500 parabolas and 20 hours on repeated microgravity rides. After 17 years of reliable service, it’s time to get new wings.
Novespace, who own the aircraft, and is in charge of the organisation and preparation of the parabolic flight campaigns, will replace the 'Zero-G' with an Airbus A310, a more modern and powerful aircraft.
More about ESA's parabolic flight campaigns: http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Human_Spaceflight/Research/Parabolic_flights