Over 750 students apply to be Astronauts for a Day

Astronaut for a Day encourages young Portuguese students to defy gravity — and the response has been increasingly significant. In its fifth edition, the competition created by the Portuguese Space Agency reached a new record for applications, with 762 registrations. “This volume of applications not only sets a new record for Astronaut for a Day, but also proves that this is, indeed, a benchmark initiative in the space sector for young people, resulting from the work that the Portuguese Space Agency has been developing to bring space to the entire territory,” says Hugo André Costa, executive director of the Portuguese Space Agency.

The 2026 figures represent a significant increase over last year (217 more applications) and surpass the 2023 edition, which, until now, is the most popular, with 634 registrations. Regarding gender, the balance was near-perfect: 380 girls and 382 boys. As for age, the majority of candidates are between 15 and 16 years old.

In geographical terms, the initiative once again had wide coverage across mainland Portugal and the islands. Most candidates reside in the districts of Lisbon (168), Porto (99), and Braga (83). From the Autonomous Region of the Azores, 40 students applied, while 8 applications came from Madeira. Districts such as Aveiro, Coimbra, Faro, Santarém, and Setúbal also continue to have strong representation in the first phase of the competition.

“Naturally, the largest districts have the highest number of candidates, but it is very positive to see the growing interest from young people in the Azores and Madeira over the years. This is also the result of a great effort by the Astronaut for a Day ambassadors, who promote the initiative within their communities, motivating young people to want to experience this adventure,” points out Marta Gonçalves, responsible for Education and Science programmes at the Portuguese Space Agency.

Now that the recruitment and application phase has ended, a period of evaluation of the presentation videos submitted by the candidates follows, with the assessment being carried out by the Portuguese Space Agency team. Similar to previous years, the selection process comprises several stages. For the second phase, 200 candidates will be selected, who will have to put their Memory, Speed, and Spatial Reasoning skills to the test. This will be followed by physical tests, with 75 candidates selected. Finally, 40 young students will be chosen for the final interview, which will determine the names of the 20 finalists of Astronaut for a Day 2026. This year’s parabolic flight is scheduled for 20 September, departing from the island of Santa Maria, in the Azores.