microgravity
Orbital freefall environment
Microgravity is the condition of very weak gravity, as experienced in orbiting spacecraft where objects and people float freely.
The prefix micro- is misleading—it doesn't mean one-millionth of Earth's gravity, but rather the near-weightlessness that occurs during continuous freefall: Astronauts conducted experiments in microgravity.
The term distinguishes orbital conditions from true zero gravity, which exists only far from any massive body.
Staying atop liquid
- driftingMoving without purpose
- weightlessnessAbsence of apparent mass
- freefallUnimpeded downward motion
- suspensionTemporary halt or exclusion
zero-g · levitation · hovering · tumbling · reorientation · handholds · tethering
Orbiting multinational research facility
- spacecraftVehicle for outer space
- satelliteOrbiting celestial body
- freefallUnimpeded downward motion
- stationkeepingMaintaining a fixed location
reboost · delta-v · geosynchronous · apogee · perigee · inclination · rendezvous · docking
Loss of spatial awareness
- nauseaPre-vomiting stomach discomfort
- proprioceptionBody's spatial self-awareness
- rehabilitationRecovery from injury/addiction
- countermeasuresDefensive actions against threats
Systematic testing of ideas
- combustionExothermic reaction with oxygen
- thermodynamicsScience of heat-energy relationships
- solidificationTransition to firm state
- bioprintingDepositing living cells mechanically
floating
Staying atop liquid
- driftingMoving without purpose
- weightlessnessAbsence of apparent mass
- freefallUnimpeded downward motion
suspension · zero-g · levitation · hovering · tumbling · reorientation · handholds · tethering
ISS
Orbiting multinational research facility
- spacecraftVehicle for outer space
- satelliteOrbiting celestial body
- freefallUnimpeded downward motion
stationkeeping · reboost · delta-v · geosynchronous · apogee · perigee · inclination · rendezvous · docking · Mir
disorientation
Loss of spatial awareness
- nauseaPre-vomiting stomach discomfort
- proprioceptionBody's spatial self-awareness
- rehabilitationRecovery from injury/addiction
experimentation
Systematic testing of ideas
- combustionExothermic reaction with oxygen
- thermodynamicsScience of heat-energy relationships
- solidificationTransition to firm state
suborbital
Below orbital altitude
- spacespace, sun, moon, stars, star
- aerospaceairplane, helicopter, rocket, rockets, spacecraft
- gravityescape velocity, gravimeter, weightlessness, gravimetry, zero-g
- space explorationrockets, Saturn V, satellites, mission, Falcon Heavy
- spaceflightlaunch, astronaut, spacecraft, liftoff, orbit
- Floatingfloat, floating, afloat, hover, hovering
gravity, gravitate, gravitation, antigravity, gravitational, graviton, gravitons, zero-gravity, hypergravity