Youth Space Forum blasts off for Martian mission
Fifty high school students will simulate a mission to Mars at the Queensland Youth Space Forum at The University of Queensland next month.
This year's free forum for students in years 10 and 11 from July 3 to 6 is fully booked. Organised by the Australian Students' Space Association (ASSA), it is inspired by a renewed interest in the colonisation of Mars.
Association Queensland public relations officer and UQ mechanical and space engineering student Stephen Brammer said students would have the chance to undertake some activities experienced by astronauts in preparation for a Mars mission.
'Obviously ours will be more cost effective,' he said.
'However, students will undertake such astronaut training activities as SCUBA diving to simulate the space environments of micro-gravity. We're trying to perform the same activities as NASA where astronauts complete construction tasks underwater, similar to the environment they might experience in space.'
'Students will also tour the Boeing Systems Analysis Laboratory (SAL) in Brisbane. This is a multi-million dollar centre for simulating flights on Boeing aircraft, and environments such as Mars.'
Mr Brammer said the Queensland Youth Space Camp aimed to expose students to interactive, challenging and in-depth sessions on space and its global implications.
'We hope this will create awareness about the mysteries within the vastness of space, and help people understand that the possibility of discovery is available to those willing to reach for it.'
Activities will also include a visit from a NASA astronaut, and video conferences with Robert Zubrin (president of the Mars Society) and Bryan Gainsler (1999 Young Australian of the Year and Hubble Fellow).
This is the third Queensland Youth Space Forum organised by ASSA. Past guests have included astronauts Andy Thomas and Paul Scully Power.
Sponsors for this year's forum include UQ, QUT, Boeing Australia, the Queensland Government, and Queensland Rail.
The Australian Students' Space Association was founded in 1998 by a number of QUT students. In 1999, the second chapter was established in Melbourne. In July last year, five ASSA delegates were chosen to represent Australia at the United Nations Space Generation Forum. ASSA's objectives for 2000 are to hold youth space forums in Queensland and Victoria and the SpaceFutures 2000 conference in Canberra.
SpaceFutures 2000 will be held in early October 2000 to coincide with the UN International Space Week.
Media: Further information, Josh Gallety, QYSF chair telephone 0411 746 777 or Stephen Brammer 0417 293 740 or email us at: communications@mailbox.uq.edu.au Internet: Australian Students' Space Association
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