Hooray for Stephen Hawking

If you didn't already know, Stephen Hawking rode on a Zero Gravity Corps flight to experience weightlessness. Although he was excited about the idea of it the quote tells it all:

"After one zero-gravity ride, crew members asked if he wanted to go again. Hawking dramatically stretched his eyebrows upward in an apparently emphatic yes. 'He was grinning the entire time,' Diamandis said."

I can't really think of anything right now that makes me feel more giddy inside. It's that whole childish imagination of space flight, of Stephen Hawking reliving his own little boy fantasies, and the possibility of exploration all rolled into one. Also, Hawking's flight was a fundraiser for Lou Gehrig's disease and Easter Seals.

Now I'm only shocked that these flights are only $3,500 and will be available through Sharper Image!! I remember sitting in my apartment not 6 months ago watching TLC with one of my housemates and watching the competition between companies to "fly" in space. At the time the flights were $1 million a piece, which still kind of seemed a reasonable amount for someone who wanted to do such a thing. But only $3,500 is like the cost of two people going on a cruise-- I can't imagine that everyone wouldn't want to try it. Who knows, maybe they'll get a 12-month payment plan going.