Compass International UAE are bringing simulators of training equipment that astronauts use.
Published: Sat 12 Oct 2019, 12:00 AM
Updated: Sun 13 Oct 2019, 8:30 AM
The UAE youth will soon be able to experience a simulation of the training astronaut Hazzaa AlMansoori underwent for his historic mission to space.
Compass International UAE, a firm that organises space camps and educational activities for youngsters, are bringing simulators of training equipment that astronauts use.
"There will be capsule simulators that spin and tumble around and give you the sense of coming back to Earth just like Hazzaa did in his space capsule. Students will feel what it's like to do a tumble spin inside of a space capsule," Michael Flachbart, space camp leader at UAE's Compass International, said.
"We're going to have some equipment that simulate what it's like to walk on the moon and mars. The moon is one-sixth gravity of earth, so this simulator removes five-sixth of your weight. So, if you're 60kg, you feel like you weigh only 10.
"We'll have a mars one, which is one-third gravity that of earth's. We'll have a space suit that simulates doing spacewalks and that's what some astronauts onboard the ISS are doing now to change some batteries. "Later on, we'll bring the simulators of the full modules of the ISS, a mars base that they can go up to and work and simulate the mission to mars. This is complete with a ground control team. They go through the full briefs and science so that they learn about it. Instead of just reading about it in a text book, they're actually living it out over the course of a few days or a full week."
Flachbart added that they are working with space partners to bring this experience in the UAE by early to mid-2020.
sarwat@khaleejtimes.com