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weightlessness
Sign in to saveAlso known as absence of weight
thumb|upright=1.35|Astronauts on the International Space Station experience only microgravity and thus display an example of weightlessness. [[Michael Foale can be seen exercising in the foreground.]]
Weightlessness, or microgravity, is the condition astronauts experience in space where they float freely because they are in continuous free fall around Earth rather than being supported by a surface. It matters because understanding and adapting to weightlessness is essential for astronauts working on space stations like the International Space Station.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Research
10,501 papers- Physiological effects of weightlessness: countermeasure system development for a long-term Chinese manned spaceflight.ReviewFrontiers of medicine · 2019Wang L, Li Z, Tan C et al.DOI: 10.1007/s11684-017-0587-7
- Weightlessness simulations for cardiovascular and muscle systems: validity of rat models.ReviewJournal of gravitational physiology : a journal of the International Society for Gravitational Physiology · 1997Musacchia XJ, Fagette S, New Collective Author
- Limb position sense and sensorimotor performance under conditions of weightlessness.ReviewLife sciences in space research · 2022Weber B, Proske UDOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2021.11.003
- Simulated weightlessness induces hippocampal insulin resistance and cognitive impairment.Life sciences · 2023Li J, Xue C, Yang H et al.DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.122112
- hBMSC-EVs alleviate weightlessness-induced skeletal muscle atrophy by suppressing oxidative stress and inflammation.Stem cell research & therapy · 2025Chang M, Liu R, Chen B et al.DOI: 10.1186/s13287-025-04175-y
- Cerebellar morphology and behavioural correlations of the vestibular function alterations in weightlessness.ReviewNeuroscience and biobehavioral reviews · 2021Kharlamova A, Proshchina A, Gulimova V et al.DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.03.011
- Otolith functions in weightlessness.ReviewLife sciences and space research · 1975Gerathewohl SJ
- Brain potential responses involved in decision-making in weightlessness.Scientific reports · 2022Cebolla AM, Petieau M, Palmero-Soler E et al.DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-17234-8
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Article
24 sectionsContents
- Weightlessness in Newtonian mechanics
- Weightless and reduced weight environments
- Reduced weight in aircraft
- NASA's Reduced Gravity Aircraft
- European Space Agency A310 Zero-G
- Commercial flights for public passengers
- Ground-based drop facilities
- Random Positioning Machines
- Neutral buoyancy
- Orbits
- Sub-Orbital flights
- Orbital Motion
- Weightlessness at the center of a planet
- Absence of gravity
- Health effects
- Space motion sickness
- Musculoskeletal effects
- Cardiovascular effects
- Effects on non-human organisms
- Commercial applications
- High-quality crystals
- See also
- References
- External links
thumb|upright=1.35|Astronauts on the International Space Station experience only microgravity and thus display an example of weightlessness. [[Michael Foale can be seen exercising in the foreground.]]
Weightlessness is the complete or near-complete absence of the sensation of weight, i.e., zero apparent weight. It is also termed zero g-force, or zero-g (named after the g-force) or, misleadingly, zero gravity.