Astronaut for a Day: More than 500 young people seek to defy gravity
In its first phase, the fourth edition of the competition organised by the Portuguese Space Agency received applications from all over the country. For the first time, there are more female applicants than male.
Young people are still seeking to defy gravity. In a month, 545 students from all over the national territory applied for the first phase of the 2025 edition of Astronaut for a Day. This initiative by the Portuguese Space Agency, now in its fourth edition, has thus met the geographical representativeness desired by the organisation for the first phase of the competition.
As in previous editions, Lisbon was the district with the most applications, followed by Porto and Setúbal. “Astronaut for a Day is already a competition with a wide national reach. Much of this success is due to the publicity generated by the finalists of past editions – Ambassadors of the Agency – who, year after year, share their experience in their schools and communities, as well as on their social networks dedicated to the initiative,” says Hugo Costa, Director of the Portuguese Space Agency. “Through these exchanges, the Ambassadors are not only promoting the initiative but also helping to spark interest in space and space exploration,” he adds.
For the first time since the competition was created, there are more female applicants (279) than male applicants (266). According to Marta Gonçalves, Education and Science Programme Manager at the Portuguese Space Agency, this is “something that shouldn’t go unnoticed”: “These figures not only reflect the Agency’s work in favour of equal access to opportunities in the area of space but also show the growing interest of young Portuguese women in STEM.”
Looking at the year of schooling, the majority of applicants are enrolled in the 10th and 11th grades (344). There are 146 applicants from the 9th grade, while 55 are in the 8th grade. “These are crucial years for the target audience of Astronaut for a Day. At this stage, these young people decide what area they would like to pursue, whether in high school or higher education. That’s why making them realise that space is not an unattainable area and that it offers countless opportunities and possibilities is fundamental,” says Marta Gonçalves.
On March 21st, all the applicants will be informed via email whether or not they will progress to the next phase of the fourth edition of Astronaut for a Day. For the second phase (Memory, Speed, and Space Rationale test), 250 applicants will be selected. Out of these, 100 will go through to the third phase (physical test), from which 50 will be chosen for the interview phase. In the end, 30 finalists will be selected for the parabolic flight, scheduled for September 21st.
