Portuguese students to talk and float with Matthias Maurer

The Zero-G Portugal – Astronauta por um Dia initiative is returning to Beja and bringing astronaut Matthias Maurer to the Alentejo city. After spending 175 days on the International Space Station, the German astronaut returns to Beja to fly (and talk) with the finalists of the competition organised by the Portuguese Space Agency.

The event “Chatting with Matthias Maurer” is scheduled for 2 September at the Beja Municipal Library. This session precedes the parabolic flight, scheduled for the morning of 3 September, which marks the end of the second edition of the Astronaut for a Day initiative.

Once again, 30 young people from all over the country, aged between 14 and 18, will take part in this experience, which will allow them to float like astronauts.  The parabolic flight will depart from Air Base No. 11, in Beja, at 10.00 am. Over the previous days, the Portuguese Space Agency, in cooperation with other partners, is organising several activities so that the young students can develop their skills, but also have fun on an adventure that will be memorable for everyone.

Of the 30 participants selected for the parabolic flight, 20 are boys and 10 are girls. As for where the finalists came from, this year’s initiative was more geographically representative.

The Zero-G Portugal – Astronauta por um Dia initiative has the support of the Portuguese Air Force, Beja City Council, Ciência Viva, the Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology of the University of Porto and the Faculty of Human Motricity of the University of Lisbon.