Michael Najjar

20 October, 2013

Michael returns to Star City for Cosmonaut Training

Michael once more returned to Star City to continue his cosmonaut training, this time taking a parabolic flight in a Russian Ilyushin II-76. The zero or microgravity of space is simulated by flying a series of parabolic flight maneuvers that counter the forces of gravity and allow astronauts and cosmonauts to learn how to perform tasks in conditions of zero gravity.

German scientists Fritz and Heinz Haber invented the parabolic flight in 1950, and over the past 50 years, aircraft flying parabolic trajectories have been an important stepping stone in space exploration and research. The trajectory starts with a climb, and halfway through it, lift and thrust are reduced to produce approximately 25 seconds of 0 g. During the 0 g phase, the plane reaches a plateau and begins to descend.

A state of weightlessness is something humans experience during every space flight. It means that the body has to operate in a completely different environment to the constant gravitational world in which it evolved. So research into the effects of microgravity on the human body is vital for sustaining humans in long-duration spaceflight, especially when they have to perform taxing operational tasks. What's more, some research in physics and chemistry, such as the study of fluid mechanics applied to fuel flow in spacecraft, can only be performed in conditions of microgravity. Ever since space exploration first began, only a few hundred people have had the privilege of experiencing the literally out of this world feeling of floating in total weightlessness.

Michael's zero-g training was part of the preparation for his upcoming spaceflight with Virgin Galactic. He was especially keen to learn how to handle his camera in conditions of weightlessness. On this trip Michael was again accompanied by the renowned German photographer Thomas Rusch who shot photo and video footage during the flight.

Michael returns to Star City for Cosmonaut Training

Art Basel Miami Beach

new artwork "arctic streams"

Exhibition views Fotografiska Stockholm

Solo presentation at Paris Photo

Exhibition at Fotografiska Stockholm

Residency at Shanghai Museum of Glass

Lecture Astronomy Museum Shanghai

DEEP PURPLE - Scientific Expedition to Greenland

Exhibition at Kunsthalle Bahnitz

flashback: UKE Hamburg

new artwork "netropolis | shenzhen | 2024"

Interview with Space Ambition

new artwork "CDF-X"

Exhibition JUT Art Museum, Taipei

new artwork "fusion power"

ARCO Madrid

Exhibition "A Constant State of Transformation", Melbourne

Podcast "FotoPsychoLogisch"

Symposium "Enter the Future"

Exhibition at Caixa Forum, Madrid

Exhibition at ArtScience Museum, Singapore

"orbital ascent" special edition

Exhibition at BANK Gallery, Shanghai

Podcast "Fotografie neu denken"

Michael shoots at ITER Fusion Ractor in France

Nanjing Artfair, China

Wired UK magazine

Ars Electronica Festival - Who owns the truth?

Final test flight of Spaceship Unity

Civilization exhibition at Saatchi Gallery, London

Michael at the Starbase

new artwork "starbase II"

ART SG Singapore

"cool earth" exhibition at Studio la Città Gallery

Screening at COP27

Lecture at Deutsche Museum München

CIVILIZATION exhibition at Museo San Domenico

Frieze Seoul

Arctic expedition

Galería Juan Silió presents "cool earth" exhibition

New series "cool earth"

New Artwork "starbase"

mission:space re-edited version

new artwork "down to earth"

Michael visits STARBASE

New book "outer space v2"

Exhibition at Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg

Historic Spaceflight of VSS Unity

"Overview Effect" exhibition at Museum for Contemporary Art, Belgrade

Solo Exhibition "outer space" in Beijing

National Air and Space Museum aquires 3 artworks for permanent collection

New publication "Space is the Place - Current Reflections on Art and Architecture"

"outer space | portfolio box 2020" is now available

"New Classics of Mountains and Seas" Exhibition at Zhejiang Museum, China

"FUTURO" exhibition at Galleri d'Italia, Vincenza

"Space Works" exhibition at Tampere Art Museum, Finland

"CIVILIZATION" at Auckland Art Gallery, New Zealand

new artwork "crew dragon"

Large scale mural "lunar explorers"

skype interview with curator Benjamin Weil

new artwork "ascension"

"terraforming" video on view at Studio National des Arts Contemporains

VSS Unity spaceship transferred to Spaceport America

new artwork "space renaissance"

Video interview on "outer space"

"Beyond the Horizon" - exhibition at Wittenstein Innovation Factory

"outer space" exhibition opens in Shanghai

"terraforming" exhibition at Galería Juan Silio, Spain

New artwork "lunar explorers"

Photo shooting at CERN

new artwork "ignition"

"intergalactic" exhibition at BNKR in Munich

SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch

Shooting of Soyuz rocket launch in French Guiana

CIVILIZATION exhibition opened at the UCCA Beijing

Lecture at the European Space Research and Technology Center

A Bright Future - New Scientist magazine publicates the artwork "synlight"

VSS Unity - Welcome to Space !

Opening of the epic landmark exhibition „CIVILIZATION“ at Museum MCA, Seoul, South Korea