Applications open for the fourth edition of Astronaut for a Day
Applications for the first phase of the competition promoted by the Portuguese Space Agency are open until March 2nd. The 30 finalists will take flight on September 21st of this year.
The Portuguese Space Agency is once again giving students from the Portuguese education system the chance to float like astronauts on a zero-gravity flight. The fourth edition of the national programme Astronaut for a Day kicks off this Friday, January 24th, with the opening of the application period. Up until March 2nd, both primary and secondary school students between the ages of 14 and 18 can submit their applications on the initiative’s official website.
Since the programme was launched in 2022, the initiative has involved 91 young participants, who were chosen through a selection process that simulates the methods used to recruit astronauts. This year, the format remains the same: the first phase requires sending general and contact information, as well as a motivational video of no longer than 45 seconds. 250 candidates will then be selected for a second phase, which will assess their memory, speed and space rationale skills. Only 100 will go through to the third phase, consisting of a physical aptitude test. Out of these, 50 will be called for an interview and 30 finalists will take part in the flight after passing a medical examination.
Hugo André Costa, executive director of the Portuguese Space Agency, highlights the growing impact of this programme: “Having completed three editions, we now have 91 Astronaut for a Day ambassadors, who share their experiences across the country, inspiring new candidates.” An example of this is the event scheduled for February 2nd, at 3 pm, at the Aveiro Ciência Viva Centre Factory, which will bring together five students from the Aveiro Region who were finalists in the three editions of the initiative.
“Last year we registered a record 634 applications, and we hope to continue growing, once again guaranteeing representation from all of Portugal’s regions and uniting the country around a common goal,” adds Hugo Costa, pointing out that in 2024 the initiative broadened its geographical impact, having received applications and finalists from the districts of Castelo Branco and Viana do Castelo for the first time, as well as from the Autonomous Region of Madeira. “But we’re going to keep aiming for Bragança and Portalegre, the only national districts from which we’ve never received finalists,” the Portuguese Space Agency executive director adds.
Marta Gonçalves, programme manager for Education and Science, highlights the importance of promoting Space opportunities to young people: “We want to convey that Space is accessible and closer than it seems. It’s for everyone, and the selection process reflects just that: the finalists distinguish themselves by being versatile and not just excellent students in certain subjects.”
Astronaut for a Day will continue to count on the collaboration of Ciência Viva, the Faculty of Human Kinetics of the University of Lisbon and the Faculty of Psychology and Education Science of the University of Porto.
For further details, please visit the official website, where the regulations and application form are available.
