The 2nd edition of the initiative “Zero-G Portugal – Astronauta por Um Dia” was launched. see the pictures
The program that allows dozens of young people to be “astronauts for a day”, boarding a zero gravity flight, will take place again this year, with the new edition being launched on Monday.
The launch of the 2nd edition of the initiative “Zero-G Portugal – Astronauta por Um Dia” took place at Escola Secundária Diogo Gouveia, in Beja.
The Portuguese Space Agency (Portugal Space) resumes an initiative, started last year, which allows dozens of young people to board a zero gravity flight and experience what astronauts felt.
In the first edition, almost 500 young people applied, of which only 30 were selected.
“This year, Portugal Space foresees an increase in the number of visitors to participate in a program of enormous celebration”, adds MCTES.
In September last year, 30 young people experienced the sensation of zero gravity on a parabolic flight, the first in Portugal, aboard a plane departing from the Beja Air Base.
The initiative by the Portuguese space agency brought together students between the ages of 14 and 18 selected after several eliminatory tests.
Last year, the flight chartered by Portugal Space was made by an Airbus A310 plane, which simulated the absence of gravity that exists in space from ascension and free-fall maneuvers (parabolas) performed by the aircraft that allow passengers to float in the inside in cycles of about 20 to 25 seconds.
Parabolic flights (along with underwater training) are practically the only means on Earth capable of reproducing the effect of weightlessness or microgravity with people. What allows this effect to be generated in the air are precisely the parabolas that the plane describes.
In the words uttered by the councilor of the City Council of Beja, Marisa Martins Saturnino, “Beja currently has students who are motivated, committed and professionals who meet the necessary conditions to make differentiated acquisitions, developing skills that have built them tools designed for an autonomous and promising future , if they intend to apply for the ‘ZeroG Portugal – Astronauta for a day’ project”.
According to the mayor, “this educational project promoted by the Portuguese Space Agency is a way of bringing young people closer to space and, as students, motivating them to study the space sector, stimulating their interest in it and encouraging them to accept their academic training and/or professional career in this area of study.”
Marisa Saturino concluded by referring that “for the Municipality of Beja, it is an honor to be associated with this initiative again and we hope that this year the participation will be even greater. The Municipality of Beja will be here to collaborate in whatever is necessary and within its reach”, leaving the challenge to “young people from the district of Beja to integrate the group of finalists of the Project and represent our region in this second edition”.
The president of the Portuguese Space Agency, Ricardo Conde, said that “this is an extraordinary event, an event dedicated to young people, dedicated to inspiration in what space is and what space represents”.
Ricardo Gomes stressed that “we had almost 500 applications last year in pre-registration and this year we have already surpassed that number by a lot”, adding that “the first edition was a huge success, in such a way that Portugal is an example for the whole of Europe and I can say that Luxembourg, Estonia, Germany itself, Romania are also countries that are in contact with us so that we can make a broad partnership to launch this project in Europe”.
Below are the images of this event in a report by Hugo Calado: