Portugal and Estonia share the 2026 Astronaut for a Day flight
For the first time, the Portuguese Space Agency will run the final stage of the Astronaut for a Day initiative in partnership with another space agency. On September 20, 30 young people — 20 from Portugal and 10 from Estonia — will share the parabolic flight from Santa Maria, in the Azores.
In 2026, the final stage of Astronaut for a Day will take two countries into the skies. On 20 September, Portuguese and Estonian students will share a parabolic flight departing from the island of Santa Maria, in the Azores. This marks the first edition of the initiative, in which the Portuguese Space Agency is running the final stage in partnership with another space agency.
The partner is Space Estonia, the Estonian Space Office, which has taken up the Portuguese initiative for the third time. Last year, in 2025, the flight was shared with Luxembourg and Austria. In Estonia, the project is run by KVARK, a science communication company. Created in Portugal and now adopted across several European countries, Astronaut for a Day moves from a national programme replicated abroad to a collaborative initiative with two groups of young people preparing and flying side by side.
“With this flight, the Portuguese Space Agency shares an initiative it created with a partner that has the same ambition. Two agencies choosing to fly together reflects the cooperation that has built space in Europe”, says Hugo André Costa, executive director of the Portuguese Space Agency.
The two delegations reached the flight by separate routes, with each agency running its own selection process. The 25 Portuguese finalists were selected through tests of memory, speed and spatial reasoning, physical trials and a final interview. The selection of the Estonian students was made by Space Estonia, through its own process. In Estonia, the selection began with a web game testing cognitive skills, followed by a three-day space camp with engineering, teamwork challenges and learning about the space sector, and the final ten candidates were chosen through interviews.
“Bringing Portuguese and Estonian students together gives them a taste of what the European space sector does every day: cooperating. Reaching young people this early is how we keep the sector growing, and this year, they will share the same aircraft. That is the Europe we want them to know”, says Marta Gonçalves, Science and Education Officer from the Portuguese Space Agency.
“It is an excellent opportunity for young people to learn about the European space sector, explore future career paths, and become part of the next generation of professionals who will shape the future of the space industry”, adds Elise Guerra Monasterio, project manager from the Estonian Space Agency.
“Additionally, the project serves as a wonderful platform for young people to travel and connect with peers worldwide,” says Riin Teugijas, project Manager for the Astronaut for a Day project in Estonia.
The flight is set for September 20, from Santa Maria. In the coming days, the two delegations will take part in activities and training sessions to prepare them for the experience, which include getting to know the island and the available space infrastructure. The names of the 25 Portuguese finalists are already known and can be found on the Astronaut for a Day website.
The 2026 edition of Astronaut for a Day is supported by the Municipality of Vila do Porto, Ciência Viva, the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences at the University of Porto (FPCEUP), the Faculty of Human Kinetics at the University of Lisbon, and SATA Azores Airlines.
