KC-135 Turbulence Test ("The Vomit Comet")
The contestants will board a KC-135 aircraft, which will climb to an altitude of 35,000 feet and will drop to 24,000 feet in a period of 20-30 seconds. During this time, the contestants will experience a period of "weightlessness." It is called the vomit comet because it just... tends to happen.
T-38 Flight Training
Contestants will learn the basics of supersonic techniques and as observers. A trained pilot will be in the front of the jet, with the contestants in the back seat doing navigation and communicating with airport personnel.
Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory Training
The Neutral Buoyancy Lab will test contestants in their ability to quickly adapt and get the feel of working in a free-floating environment. There will also be times when the contestants will experience the dynamics of body motion under weightless conditions.
Scuba Diving and Parachute Jumping
The purpose of the scuba diving and parachute jumping activities is to rid the contestants of any remaining fear they may have of heights or low pressure. This will also help their endurance and will be a fun activity before taking on the heavy and hard ones.
Guidance, Navigation, and Control Systems Training
One of the most critical aspects of the whole show is this activity, which they will be practicing throughout the weeks. They will learn how to properly operate all of the systems of the spacecraft, and will lead to the most important activity of the show: the flight simulation.
Flight Simulation
After the contestants learn how to control Apollo Xtreme, they will work in a mock flight deck, learning how to fly the Shuttle into and from space. The simulator allows the contestants to interact with the controls and the displays just like in the real spacecraft. Each contestant will be assigned to an instructor who will guide him or her through the first simulation. The next simulation will be televised and the judges will grade their performance.
Mock Space Travel
After successfully passing the Flight Simulation exercise, the remaining contestants will simulate an actual space mission, where they will have an objective to accomplish. Each contestant will have a job to do and all the jobs will be of the same difficulty. This is the last activity before the final decision is made and the winners are chosen (both by audience vote and judge recommendations).
