Dubai: Do you want to experience zero gravity the way astronauts do when they’re in space?
If you’re a student in the UAE, here is your chance.
The Mohammad Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) is offering 20 winning students the chance to experience lunar and Martian zero gravity on-board a Boeing 727 aircraft in Florida in the US in October.
Titled UAE Zero Gravity, the competition enables winners to carry out their own scientific experiment under three gravitational conditions similar to astronauts on the International Space Station. This initiative is in line with MBRSC ambitions for future space exploration and discovery as well as the Mars 2117 strategy, which aims to build an inhabitable human settlement on Mars through global research alliances.
Yousuf Hamad Al Shaibani, MBRSC Director-General, said the competition is another step on the UAE’s journey that showcases the country’s constant investment in young talent to be part of science and space programmes.
“These programmes are designed to help serve national interests in the future, actively participating in global space exploration and exploring the prospects of human life in space and supporting scientific research that helps us achieve the UAE ambitious vision to become a leading country in the global race to the red planet,” he said.
Adnan Al Rais, Director of Mars 2117 Programme at MBRSC, said the competition offers a unique scientific experience to the future generation of space explorers residing in the UAE to enable them to join the country in its journey to space.
“We will be selecting 20 lucky students to board the flight with us in October and encourage all budding astronauts to participate and look forward to strengthening the ambitious spirit of the participants,” he said.
Interested students can apply through the MBRSC website where they will be asked to answer three questions either in written format or by making a video. They can talk about what experiment they would conduct in zero gravity conditions.
The winners will be selected to take part in a Parabolic Flight, which simulates micro gravity conditions through a series of maneuvers (called parabola) that achieves weightlessness for passengers. During each parabola the passenger will experience up to 22 seconds of weightlessness.
Parabolic flights are used to prepare astronauts for their missions in advance of making the trip to space for the first time and has been experienced previously by the likes of the famous scientist Stephen Hawking.
For more information and to register, please visit https://mbrsc.ae/zerog/
How to join
Qualifications: The UAE Zero Gravity Experience is open to all students studying in the UAE
Age requirement: 16 and above, including students with determination
Type of applications: Individual or group applications are encouraged (groups must be not more than three people)
Submission deadline: July 5
When is the trip taking place: October 2018
How many students will be chosen: 20
*The applicant must have a US visa to be eligible to travel for the UAE Zero Gravity. Applicants are responsible for applying and paying for their US visa fees. MBRSC will pay for air tickets and accommodation only.
