Weightless Man

Where does a heavy man weigh nothing?

This happens whenever the pull of gravity of the “G” factor is overcome. It can occur when an aircraft is put into a sleep drive.

Astronauts experience this “weightlessness” in space. So that they can  get used to its effects  before leaving the earth’s atmosphere, special machines have been built in an attempt to create the same conditions. Astronauts also train for space weightlessness in large water tanks.

It is essential that an astronaut should get used to the feeling of weightlessness which occurs when earth’s gravity is no longer effective. For instance, he cannot pour liquid into a cup or drink from it. With enough practice, however, he can learn to move about, eat, drink and sleep without difficulty.

When an astronaut goes outside his vehicle in space, there is some gravitational pull between him and his cabin. But owing to the small mass of both, the attraction between them is negligible. It is far too small to bring him back if he jumped off. So he has to use a special life-line to prevent himself from drifting into space.