TikTok trainspotting sensation Francis Bourgeois experienced severe motion sickness during a zero-gravity training flight, earning the aircraft its notorious nickname 'Vomit Rocket'. The social media star, known for his enthusiastic reactions to trains, was taking part in a new Channel 4 documentary, 'Mission to Space with Francis Bourgeois', which airs this Sunday.
During the microgravity session, Bourgeois initially performed acrobatics but soon felt unwell. He told the crew, 'Hang on, I'm feeling a bit sick. I need a bag,' before violently vomiting into a paper sickbag as the plane continued to spin him around the cabin. After landing, he reflected: 'It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life, and it quickly became the most horrendous experience of my life.'
The 'Vomit Rocket' is a modified aircraft that simulates weightlessness by flying in parabolic arcs. It climbs steeply to 7,500 metres, creating a force 1.8 times stronger than gravity, then enters freefall for about 30 seconds. This cycle repeats up to 20 times, often causing motion sickness in passengers.
In the documentary, Bourgeois pursues his childhood dream of becoming an astronaut, beginning with G-force training under British astronaut Tim Peake. He expressed concerns about his height and postural hypertension, saying, 'My ability to withstand G-force in the Z-axis was definitely a concern.'
