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By Hartriono B. Sastrowardoyo, Education Writer Keansburg - If Brian Katz seems to be walking on air, that's because he was. Literally. Katz, a 26-year-old Keansburg High School biology and anatomy teacher, was one of 30 instructors taking part Tuesday in a zero-gravity flight sponsored by the Northrop Grumman Foundation. During the flight, Katz, the only New Jersey teacher participating, conducted experiments that could only be performed in microgravity. Following the flight, the teachers will bring their experience back to their students. "It's all about inspiring students," Katz said, "and possibly getting them interested in pursuing science as a career." Northrop Grumman Foundation and Zero Gravity Corporation partnered in 2006 on the Weightless Flights of Discovery program for math and science teachers. Since then, more than 1,000 teachers from all 50 states and 25 countries have participated, the foundation states. "If you motivate the teacher, you motivate students," said Cheryl Horn, program manager. In an editorial, Charles F. Bolden Jr., the National Aeronautics and Space Administration administrator and a former astronaut, said that education is critical to America's future. "We need new scientists and engineers if we are to remain competitive and retain our role as the technological leaders in the world," Bolden wrote in September in the Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel. Bolden concludes, "It is crucial that America remains the world leader in science and technology. We must find innovative ways to inspire and educate the next generation of scientists and engineers or watch other nations assume our leadership role. The choice is ours." Katz missed the cutoff date when he first heard about the weightless flights program two years ago. This time, there was no keeping him grounded. "Sure, I wanted to be an astronaut. Who hasn't?" Katz said. "This is the closest I'll get." The zero gravity flight, using a modified 727 airplane follows a path similar to that of a roller coaster. There's an uphill climb, followed by a descent. And as the coaster's car, or the airplane, goes over the zenith of its arc, the gravitational force pulling the riders downward is canceled by centrifugal force. The result is a few seconds of reduced or zero gravity. The upward trajectory can have participants experience almost twice their body weight. But on the downward arcs, participants first experience Martian gravity (one-third Earth gravity), and then two stints of lunar gravity (one-sixth gravity), all to acclimate attendees to zero-gravity. All of the reduced or zero gravity phases last about 20 seconds each, with a total of approximately eight minutes of weightlessness. A total of fifteen parabolic arcs are flown over a two-hour total flight. By contrast, America's first astronaut, Alan Shepard Jr., experienced only five minutes of weightlessness during his 15-minute liftoff-to-splashdown flight. Shepard was also held firmly in his seat during that time, unlike the teachers on Zero-G's flights. A month earlier an on-the-ground workshop was held where teachers learned about the physics of weightlessness and what to expect on the zero-gravity flight. The instructors also used the time to design microgravity experiments which applied science, technology, engineering and mathematics principles to human activities in a weightless environment. Katz said among other activities he will use footage of a liquid coming out of a syringe to demonstrate that water has different properties on Earth than it does in zero gravity. That is, gravity holds water together, and in its absence, clumps. As well, "I'll show them the fun stuff, such as when we released M&Ms," Katz said. But first, there's coming back down to Earth. "It was the single most exciting experience of my life," Katz said.
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