Student to conduct experiments in zero gravity

A Dubai student will soon be experiencing zero-gravity in the same flight Stephen Hawking experienced weightlessness.
Amir Abdou, 17, is one of the winners of a competition by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), which awards 20 UAE students a trip to Florida to experience a simulation of a space flight, which was also used to film a few scenes for the Apollo 13 movie.
Often dubbed as the 'Vomit Comet', the parabolic flights - which are also used to prepare astronauts for their missions to space - simulates zero-gravity conditions through a series of manoeuvres that help create weightlessness for passengers. Each manoeuvre offers up to 22 seconds of weightlessness. The students will also have the opportunity to conduct scientific experiments aboard the Boeing 727.
"In the future I want to be a quantum physicist, so this trip will really help me in the future when I start my career," Abdou, who is a Year 13 student at the Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS), told Khaleej Times.
Applicants were required to answer a few questions as part of the UAE Zero Gravity Competition by the MBRSC, as well as submit a proposal of what kind of experiment they would like to conduct while onboard.
Abdou said his experiment relates directly with what he would like to study in university. "My experiment is on testing different liquids in order to learn how viscosity is affected in zero gravity. The experiment will help us understand what kind of changes the liquids will go through on earth's gravity and in space," he said.
"I want to be able to look at quantum physics and discover the different mysteries of the universe," he said. "Entering and winning this Zero Gravity competition brings these dreams even closer. It really is an opportunity of a lifetime for me, and I am very grateful to my science teachers at JESS for inspiring me and helping me to reach for the stars.
The experience will take place on October 4.
sarwat@khaleejtimes.com