He's flown across the universe on the USS Enterprise. Now, you have a chance to fly with "Star Trek" star George Takei, who played "Sulu" in the iconic sci-fi series, and experience zero gravity in a special plane.
For just $6,500 a ticket (plus tax), 20 lucky fans will get to experience weightlessness along with the "Star Trek" actor for up to 30 seconds at a time. The flight, which leaves Las Vegas on Aug. 4, will fly a series of parabolas, causing attendees to float like astronauts when the plane plunges down from the peak of each parabola.
"[H]aving George Takei on board makes it a truly special experience," Terese Brewster, president and chief operating officer of Zero Gravity Corp., which operates the flights, said in a statement. "This will be an extraordinary opportunity for people to feel like they are in space while sharing that experience with someone who helped ignite our fascination for space exploration."
The company partnered with Roddenberry Adventures, an adventure travel company led by Rod Roddenberry (son of "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry), to produce the flight. The "Star Trek" franchise is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year with exhibits and special events around the world, not to mention the release of the franchise's latest movie in July.
The flight will take place on board a specially modified Boeing 727 called "G-Force One." Passengers will get to float like International Space Station astronauts, as well as experience simulations of lunar gravity (as the Apollo astronauts did) and Martian gravity (where NASA hopes to bring astronauts next).
And if that experience weren't enough, ticket holders will also get to talk to Sulu himself about his intergalactic experiences. Takei will be available beforehand to talk with everyone, but in "standard gravity" only, company representatives said in the statement.
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