STORIES of Space and Zero-G Sends Human Stories to Zero Gravity 

Non-profit and Space Tourism Firm Team Up to Advance Space Exploration and STEM Careers

ST CHARLES, IL and Orlando, FL – May 8, 2024 STORIES of Space, a non-profit supporting the human story in space, and Zero-G, the world leader in zero gravity flights, just brought hundreds of human written stories into zero gravity. This second official mission (Mission 02)  for STORIES of Space opened access to space for people of all backgrounds and abilities with a 7.5-minute weightless flight experience which carried contributed stories on micro SD-cards. The March 28 flight saw the stories fly at Ellington Field in Houston, Texas. 

The Zero-G mission follows the success of STORIES of Space Mission 01, which launched hundreds of human stories to the International Space Station for an eight-month orbit. Stories from Mission 01 returned to Earth on Friday, April 4 on a MISSE satellite carrier, provided by Aegis Aerospace. The SD-cards from Mission One will now be tested for radiation exposure by academic partners from Utah State University. Results of the research will be available to space industry professionals and the interested public later this year.

As the first and only FAA-approved provider of zero gravity flights, Zero-G does it all: Astronaut training; scientific research; entertainment, TV, & film; and even public flights. With a spotless safety record over the past 20 years, Zero-G has made the excitement and adventure of space accessible to the general public. Whether you’re a training astronaut, a scientist conducting groundbreaking research, or a civilian pursuing a lifelong dream, it all starts in the same place–with Zero-G., everyone has the no-cost opportunity to submit a story that will travel into low-earth orbit.

The STORIES of Space non-profit offers a unique opportunity for people to share their story in space. By sending written stories into orbit and other space-like environments, STORIES of Space asks the question, “Can a story change the way we explore space?” Each human story submitted to STORIES of Space helps spark ideas for future space inventions or inspires people to pursue careers in the space industry.

The inaugural STORIES of Space mission launched August 1, 2023 from the NASA Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on a Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft on an Antares rocket via a MISSE satellite carrier provided by Aegis Aerospace Inc. The stories connected with the International Space Station later in August and remained in orbit through April 2024. With each mission, STORIES of Space provides humans on Earth the knowledge that part of themselves – their story – are a part of space exploration.

“A Zero-G flight has the capacity to support hundreds of stories going into zero gravity, providing even more people the opportunity to experience space exploration. It’s exciting to help so many people, young and old, from all corners of the world, to send a part of themselves – their story – to space. With each mission, STORIES of Space inspires more people to think about their role in space exploration, whether on the ground or in orbit,” says Beth Mund, Founder and CEO, STORIES of Space.

About STORIES of Space

STORIES of Space (Story SD Card Testing and On-Board Research on the International Space Station Experiment and Survey) sends the written word to space, re-igniting scientific literacy and conducting a scientific experiment collecting data to determine the ideal data storage hardware for future commercial space applications.  Completing science experiments and connecting people to space through the STORIES Project helps change the way we explore space – one story at a time.

About Zero-G

Zero Gravity Corporation is a privately held space entertainment and tourism company whose mission is to make the excitement and adventure of space accessible to the public. The experience offered by Zero-G gives individuals the opportunity to experience true “weightlessness” without going to space. Zero-G’s attention to detail, excellent service and quality of experience combined with its exciting history has set the foundation for exhilarating adventure-based tourism.