CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Renowned theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking, who wrote the best-selling book “A Brief History of Time,” soon will experience a brief history with weightlessness.

Hawking, who is almost completely paralyzed, plans to go on a weightless flight April 26, officials said Thursday.

The flight, operated by Zero Gravity Corporation, a space tourism and entertainment company, will take off and return at the Kennedy Space Center.

The modified Boeing 727 generally soars to 32,000 feet at a sharp angle and then plunges so passengers can experience 25-second snippets of zero gravity.