QI | What Is The Vomit Comet?

18 May: On this day in 1991, Helen Sharman became the first woman in space.

From QI Series D, Episode 06 - 'Drinks'
With Jimmy Carr, Phill Jupitus, John Sessions and Alan Davies

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[dustinfry]

The factoid in the description is wrong.  Helen Sharman was the first British astronaut and the first woman aboard Mir, not the first woman in space.  That honor goes to Valentina Tereshkova, who went to space in 1963.

[joost]

Phil is just the best and he can go at Stephen and Sandi equally well

[magnificentfailure]

That picture of astronauts aboard the V-C is rather sad. Christa McCauliffe, Dick Scobee and Judith Resnick all died aboard Challenger.

[shmookins]

Where is Brian Cox when you need him? I want to know about the elephant and the mouse.

[Yourczarmine]

It cannot be repeated enough. Valentine Tereshkova was the first woman in space, in 1963 - the same year Helen Sharman, the first British astronaut in space, was BORN... now that's a factoid.

[Lilithe]

Not that it would happen, but if I were on the show I wouldn't be able to help but joke about the TTC.

"Okay, so I know the correct answer, but the late night buses and street cars in Toronto are also known by that name."

[tedboggs]

The photo in the background appears to include Christa McAuliffe, one of the Challenger Seven

[billyable]

I'm from Knoxville TN USA and I'm absolutely obsessed with this show. I fucking love Stephen Fry. He is your greatest treasure England along with Hitch(RIP) and I'd throw Dawkins in there

[dougsundseth]

Weight does not require gravity, but rather relative acceleration. For example, the astronauts are strongly affected by gravity while on the Vomit Comet, even during the parabolic phase of the flight. But during that phase, the plane is not accelerating _relative to the astronauts_, so the astronauts are weightless.

[tkralva.]

Interesting question about the mouse and the elephant. Shame it wasn't answered.

[jamesbowen]

So I've always wondered, did they tell the guests on this show some of the answers for the questions they'd be asked or are some of the comedians just pretty knowledgeable sometimes? More often than not they get it right after a couple joke answers and the topics can be really obscure.

[EebstertheGreat]

The Vomit Comet is fairly well-known in the U.S., but I'm still impressed that Phil Jupitus knew about it from the other side of the Atlantic.

[Chuckf]

Private Media filmed the first zero g porn in it.

[akabaker]

That's the new name for Air Force One. Every time I see it, I vomit.

[StewartNicolasBILLYCONNOLLY]

Is it me? Or is Jimmy Carr still just a failed contestant from BLIND DATE?

[veljkozivkovic]

The comment below the video is inccorect, copy paste from Wiki: Valentina Vladimirovna Tereshkova is an engineer, member of the Russian State Duma, and former Soviet cosmonaut. She is known for being the first and youngest woman in space, having flown a solo mission on the Vostok 6 on 16 June 1963.

[lzw]

This is practically proof that Jimmy is the guy Stephen was talking about when he said someone asks for the questions before shows. I know he's quick-witted and all but his buzzer response was way to quick to be even slightly believable. Even started pressing the button before the question was finished, what a prick.

[FaultAndDakranon]

Random question, but can you buy a version with a sound track where Jeremy Clarkson is muted? I'd pay extra.

[Lance-Stroll]

Just watch archer. Dont say whorediate, we hate that.

[ashman]

No Phil, that was the REAL Apollo 13. Nice try...