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Parabolic flight - Loss of sense of orientationOn the earth, or in level flight, a blindfolded subject being rotated at constant velocity about his recumbent long body axis experiences illusory orbital motion of his body in the opposite direction. By contrast, during comparable rotation in the free-fall phase of parabolic flight, no body motion is perceived and all sense of external orientation may be lost; when touch and pressure stimulation is applied to the body surface, a sense of orientation is reestablished immediately. The increased gravitoinertial force period of a parabola produces an exaggeration of the orbital motion experienced in level flight. These observations reveal an important influence of touch, pressure, and kinesthetic information on spatial orientation and provide a basis for understanding many of the postural illusions reported by astronauts in space flight.
Document ID
19800028905
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Lackner, J. R.
(Brandeis University Waltham, Mass., United States)
Graybiel, A.
(U.S. Navy, Naval Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory, Pensacola Fla., United States)
Date Acquired
August 10, 2013
Publication Date
November 30, 1979
Publication Information
Publication: Science
Volume: 206
Subject Category
Aerospace Medicine
Accession Number
80A13075
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS9-15147
CONTRACT_GRANT: NASA ORDER T-5904-B
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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