Looking for that truly out-of-this-world holiday gift? Look no further than a Zero-G flight.
The Zero Gravity Corp., a Virginia-based private space entertainment and tourism organization, averages about three zero-gravity tourism flights a month across the country aboard its specially modified Boeing 727, G-Force One.
Each tourism flight consists of 12 to 15 parabolic maneuvers (or "loop-de-loops") between the altitudes of 24,000 and 34,000 feet. The result: 25 to 30 seconds of weightlessness on each downward swing, followed by a gentle pull-up that increases gravitational force to 1.8, or nearly twice normal.
What does weightlessness feel like?
"You cannot describe it until you've experienced it," says Terese Brewster, president and COO of the Zero-Gravity Corp. "It's not like swimming in a pool or skydiving. When you come over the top, you just kind of lift off the ground and become weightless. It's much more gentle than people realize."
That's when the fun starts -- you can start playing with items like floating M&Ms and water droplets. Zero G has hosted weightless birthday parties, surprise parties and even weddings.
"We have a lot of repeat clients," Brewster says. "We do all ages, as young as 8 to people well into their 90s. It's for everyone."
Price: $4,950 per person includes the Zero-G experience, a personalized flight suit, a certificate of weightlessness, a "Regravitation Celebration," and a video and photos of your flight.