Win a chance to send your science experiment to space
DUBAI — Are you a passionate science student or teacher? The first Emirati astronaut could be taking your science experiment to space next year, thanks to a new competition that will be launched soon by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC).
The competition will be open to private and public schools, aiming to spark more interest and work in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects.
More than one experiment will be sent to the International Space Station (ISS); though full details will be revealed in “about a month”, once the competition is officially launched. The competition was briefly discussed during a presentation held by the MBRSC at the What Works forum, organised by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) on Monday.
Amal Amin, head of the education unit at the MBRSC, said the application round would begin once the formal announcement has been made. Winners will be announced in January.
“We have the UAE astronaut programme, which we launched last year, and we had selected two astronauts to go to space. This is a very important mission for the UAE and we wanted to give you (teachers and students) an opportunity to be a part of that. That’s why we are launching a number of competitions, including the one where UAE students can send their experiments to space,” she said.
The experiments would either travel with the Emirati astronaut or may be sent during other launch periods, Amin said.
The participant will first have to create two identical experiments, one will be carried out on Earth and the other will be conducted in
(Sending our astronauts to space) is a very important mission for the UAE and we wanted to give you (teachers and students) an opportunity to be a part of that.” Amal Amin, head of the education unit, MBRSC
space. Then, both the results will be compared.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) holds a similar competition every year. It is called Genes in Space and it sends student-designed experiments to the ISS. Emirati teen Alia Al Mansoori was one of the winners of the Nasa-led contest.
While this will be the first time that the UAE is holding such an initiative for pupils, the academe has been significantly involved in the country’s space sector. The MBRSC sent more than 10 students to Florida earlier this year to experience a parabolic flight and conduct experiments on board and under zero gravity. Also, a nanosatellite developed by 20 UAE students from the Khalifa University at the Yahsat Space Lab is being sent to the ISS on November 15.
The MBRSC is also launching a challenge for teachers, which aims to inspire them to find new ways to encourage students to be more involved in STEM-related fields.
“We are trying to focus on building capabilities when it comes to science within teachers and students,” Amin said. “We have more than 10 programmes that focus on how to build these capabilities within schools and universities.”