Simulation and The Overview Effect
By Brooke Edwards
Science Communicator/Writer/Analog Astronaut
This past May found me at the NASTAR Spaceflight Training Center to train for the g-forces felt in spaceflight. This involved riding a human centrifuge built by ETC; all in Southeast Pennsylvania, just outside of Northeast Philadelphia. The ride followed a Virgin Galactic flight profile; yet there was more to be found than the experience I was anticipating.
After conditioning flights that took me up to 6Gs in the x and z directions on day one, it was time to face the Virgin Galactic flight profile. On day two of my training, I nervously strapped into the centrifuge; armed only with the knowledge of how to counteract the forces my body would experience. Strain when feeling g-forces in the Z direction and pressure breathe when feeling g-forces in the X direction. It seemed simple enough, yet nervous excitement was setting in as I waited to be launched ‘into space’. This time I would have realistic graphics to go along with it. Graphics that filled the large screen in front of me, and mimicked a spaceship windshield.
The simulation began with me finding myself around 45,000 ft in the air in Spaceship Two. After being dropped from the carrier aircraft, the rockets fired and there was a sharp turn upward; g-forces in both directions increasing up to 6Gs. The fact that this was in a spinning centrifuge completely left my mind. Even though I have not been launched to space before, this felt incredibly real. There are no other words to describe it besides ‘being shoved up into the sky’ under so much force that it’s hard to catch your breath. This I had anticipated.
After pressure breathing through being pushed into my seat at up to 6Gs, and watching the sky in front of my turn to black, everything slowed down. Calmness entered me as my visuals rotated to a view of the Earth under the ship. So realistic. So beautiful.
As I enjoyed the simulated ride in space, the ship did an unexpected turn in the direction of the vastness of the universe. A bright orb of light against the blackness entered my vision. The Sun. Our star. Now I was seeing it without the Earth’s atmosphere. It was more apparent than ever; we are on a rock captured by this star’s gravity, just along for the ride.
Of course, I knew this fact, and I’ve seen many photos and videos. Still, this felt different. Something was going on in my brain I could not describe. Admiring this sight, my awe was interrupted by reentry. The view left my mind as I celebrated what I had just accomplished.
A few hours later, I found myself driving to a park I used to frequent. Out of nowhere the view of our Sun among the blackness of space entered my mind. Something stirred in my heart and I involuntarily smiled. All of my past pain and hurt seemed to melt away as I pondered how we are all orbiting this star — the very star that keeps us alive.
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Bringing the car to a stop in the parking lot of my destination; my phone was quickly brought out to record myself talking. This never happens. My heart still stirring, I began speaking to the camera in an extroverted manner. Being an INFJ and extreme introvert; it was apparent that something in my brain was lighting up. Rambling on about life and our place in the universe, I kept reciting how this was not like me; talking non-stop in front of a camera.
Perfectly sane and even doing some reality checks, it didn’t stop. The feeling to express myself was unlike anything ever felt. Extreme peacefulness and awareness of our place in the universe was washing over me.
“What was this?” I was plagued by this question as the scene of the Sun amongst the blackness kept entering into my mind.
It couldn’t be…
“There is no way I’m experiencing the Overview Effect,” I told myself, “It’s just not possible in this situation.”
The view didn’t leave my mind for days. It was almost haunting.
The days following the event I even broke down into tears when given reminders of the hate and violence in the world. One occasion was seeing a soldier in uniform walking casually through a parking lot. All the ‘whys’ and ‘hows’ of him wearing that uniform quickly played on my mind as I broke down into tears in the rental car. Again, this was not like me; a strong and quiet person.
It was about a week afterward I finally realized the truth; I had a taste of the Overview Effect.
As that view still occasionally enters my mind, it reminds me to be humble. We’re all on this Spaceship Earth traveling around a star; a star that is holding us tightly with its gravity.
Aspiring to fly to space in the future, it excites and scares me at the same time how powerful this experience will be seeing it and knowing it is real.
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