Limerick teens invited to design test for microgravity experiment

AS PART of a bid to sustain life beyond this planet, Limerick students could be in with a chance to develop an experiment to be tested in microgravity.

Second-level students are invited to develop an experiment focused on environmental issues to be tested by researchers on an international microgravity flight this October. 

The exciting international project is open to Irish students between the ages of 15 and 17 thanks to a unique partnership between the Irish Composites Centre (IComp) at the University of Limerick and Project Polar Suborbital Science in the Upper Mesosphere (Project PoSSUM). 

“This is an opportunity for students to develop skills in STEM, teamwork, research and creativity – all of which are skills that are required throughout our careers,” said Dr Norah Patten. 

“And what better place to develop these skills than a microgravity flight opportunity.” 

Dr Patten, project manager at IComp, is also currently in the running to become Ireland’s first astronaut. 

“I truly hope this project sparks the interest and imagination of these students,” she added. 

This October, (Project PoSSUM will fly a number of microgravity flights in Canada.  IComp is inviting students to team up, with either a female lead or a minimum of two females per team, and develop ideas for experiments focused on environmental issues. 

This initiative is running parallel to the PoSSUM 13 International Microgravity Flight Challenge, an effort to celebrate the Mercury 13 and the achievements of women in space science.

This upcoming flight is planned for 18 parabolas, a curved flight path, providing researchers with an opportunity to test an experiment for 15 to 20 seconds in microgravity. 

According to IComp, this unique opportunity is made even more special because the experiments will be handled and controlled by researchers on board.  The Irish student experiment selected to fly in October will also be handled and controlled by a researcher wearing a pressurized intravehicular activity (IVA) spacesuit, something that has never been done before.

The top five entries will be invited to the University of Limerick on May 23 to present their experiment and ideas to a panel of experts, where the winner will be selected.

The winning team will work with experts at IComp and UL to prepare the experiment for the October flight. 

“This opportunity was made possible thanks to the sponsorship received through IComp, the Bernal Institute, Varicomp and The Faculty of Science and Engineering at the University of Limerick,” Dr Patten said. 

Details on how to enter, and the project’s terms and conditions, are available on www.icomp.ie.

Closing date for entries is Tuesday May 14.  IComp is one of four strands of ‘research clusters’ operating out of the Bernal Institute, the largest research institute at UL.