


BARCELONA ZEROG CHALLENGE 2020-21
Organized by UNIVERSITAT POLITÈCNICA DE CATALUNYA (UPC) BarcelonaTECH
with Aeroclub Barcelona-Sabadell and the Space Generation Advisory Council.
We are back again with another parabolic flight opportunity to experiment in microgravity !!!!
APPLY NOW! You can win a free Aerobatic ZeroG Flight for your Experiment, along with a 2.500 euros Grant for your microgravity research Team ( travel to Barcelona + stay expenses )
The competition challenges young students’ teams of 2-4 people (maximum) between the ages of 18-35 to submit proposals for experiments to be conducted in a zero-G environment. Undergraduate, Master and PhD students from any part of the world are encouraged to apply. The top team with the best proposal, endorsed by an academic professor will actually get their experiment flown in parabolic flight.
Flights with a certified aerobatic plane will be conducted at Sabadell Airport (30 minutes drive from Barcelona, Spain) and media will be present to cover the event. Diverse, international and intercultural teams are most welcome. The projects will be assessed by their: suitabilitiy, scientific merit, safety, mentor endorsement, international and diversity perspective; and your outreach planning.
DO YOU HAVE A ZEROG EXPERIMENT DESIGN READY TO FLY?
Phase 1: SUBMIT YOUR EXPERIMENT. ** DEADLINE** 30th JUNE 2021
Phase 2: Selection (by ESA Academy experts): June-September 2021
Phase 3: ZeroG Flight of the Experiment: Fall 2021
CONTACT INFORMATION
Submission and information: barcelona.zerog@gmail.com
Facebook group: Barcelona ZeroG Challenge
Twitter: @BarcelonaZeroG
ORGANIZING TEAM
Daniel Ventura González, Rosa Pasquets – Aeroclub Barcelona-Sabadell
Laura González-Llamazares – Space Generation Advisory Council
Gloria García-Cuadrado – Estudio Brainstorm SL
Maria Josep Martí – Sociedad Española de Medicina Aeroespacial
Jordi Torner, Miguel Brigos, Francesc Alpiste LAM-EEBE UPC BarcelonaTech
Coordinator: Antoni Perez-Poch LAM-EEBE UPC BarcelonaTech
EXPERIMENT REQUIREMENTS :
Maximum size of 80x 50x 50 cm. Maximum weight: 20kg. Batteries should be included in the experiment.
Free-fall time: Up to 20 parabolas of 8.5 ZERO-G seconds each.
Experiments will be checked and re-checked for safety before flight.
WHAT SHOULD YOU SUBMIT FIRST?
your EXPERIMENT MANIFESTO !! including… 1. A 2-3 pages proposal that includes:
2. A brief résumé of each member on the team; diverse, international, intercultural teams are highly encouraged 3. An endorsing letter from a professor or tutor from an academic institution. Submit it electronically in a zip file to the contest address barcelona.zerog@gmail.com A confirmation reply will be sent. PRE-SELECTED TEAMS THEN WILL BE THEN ASKED TO FILL IN A DETAILED EXPERIMENT FORM FOR A FINAL SELECTION. Frequently asked questions Q: Will I be reimbursed for the construction of my experiment? A: Participants are responsible for funding the construction and design of their experiments. Q: What is the allowed geometry/size of the experiment? A: Maximum size of the experiment is 80x50x50 cm. There should be no moving parts outside. The maximum weight is 20kg. There should be no hazardous materials, and if liquids are present, the equipment must be completely watertight. Q: What are the interfaces to attach it to the zero-g airplane? A: Experiments must be designed to be ATTACHED TO THE AIRCRAFT or WEARABLE, as part of the payload specialist’s clothing and will not be allowed to freely float into the cockpit. They should be electrically autonomous. Q: What is the exact duration? A: The duration of free-fall is up to 20 parabolas of up to 8,5 seconds each, for every experiment. Q: What is the g-profile during this duration? A: The maximum g load is 3.5 g on pull-in and pull-out manoeuvres. Real zero-g gravity between pull-in and pull-out. Q: What kind of power and data acquisition units are available on board? A: The experiment should not need any external components or electric plugs. Q: Will there be travel and lodging provided? A: Please note that lodging and travelling will be not sponsored. Participants are responsible for lodging and travel to Spain, and are encouraged to find sponsors for their experience. Q: Are there any restrictions for who may apply? A: Undergraduate, Master and PhD students from all over the world of any disciplines are welcome, between 18-35 years of age. Q: Who will be flying the aircraft? A: The flight will be operated by Aeroclub Barcelona-Sabadell, with an expert in zero-g parabolas aerobatic licensed pilot-in-command and a licensed pilot, payload specialist for the airplane. Due to current safety restrictions, students will stay on ground for pre-briefings and later analysis of the experiment. SELECTION PROCEDURE Selection of the winning experiment will be independently performed by leading experts from ESA (European Space Agency) Academy.
Winning students will be encouraged to submit their results to relevant symposiums and journals of the field. Results of this selection procedure will be final. Please note: In this edition students will NOT be flying inside the aircraft. Their expriment will be flown by certified pilot(s) from Aeroclub Barcelona-Sabadell.
Legal disclaimer and other legal issues UPC, Aeroclub Barcelona-Sabadell, SGAC and any person taking part in the organization of this competition are not legally responsible for the activities involved with the contest, nor are they responsible for damages to the experiments or persons on board or to third parties.
HOW CAN I FIND MORE INFORMATION? WHICH ARE THE EXPERIMENTS THAT WERE FLOWN BEFORE IN THIS CONTEST? Please find it in the following papers: https://futur.upc.edu/18816481 https://futur.upc.edu/14916823 and watch videos with media coverage of previous campaigns: (please note that currently students are no longer allowed to fly with the experiment in the aerobatic plane due to updated safety restrictions) BARCELONA ZEROG CHALLENGE 2014 (video: TV3, in catalan)
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