RULES

COMPETITION

Astronaut for a day - Austria

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. The “Astronaut for a Day – Austria” competition is organised by the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure (BMIMI) and the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) together with the Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA) and the Estonian Space Office (EIS). It aims to engage young people with the space sector by offering a unique connection through parabolic flights simulating a microgravity environment.

1.2. These rules outline the general and technical conditions participants must meet as part of the “Astronaut for a Day – Austria” competition, including the acceptance of all provisions governing application eligibility.

1.3. The finalists of the competition will have the chance to take part in a parabolic flight, funded by the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure (BMIMI) and the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG), which will take place on 15 October 2025. The parabolic flight is carried out by and under the responsibility of Novespace.

1.4. Throughout the 2025/26 school year, the finalists will act as ambassadors of this initiative within their school communities, sharing their experiences and fostering interest in space exploration.

2. ELIGIBILITY

2.1. All students attending schools in Austria and who meet the following conditions are eligible for the competition:

• Being 15 years old or more at the date of the parabolic flight.

and

• Being enrolled during the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 school years as a secondary education student (classical, general, or technical) at a public or private educational institution in Austria, or providing proof of secondary education through homeschooling. A school certificate may be required during the selection process.

2.2. The competition is open to students with disabilities, provided there is no medical condition that contraindicates participation in a parabolic flight. If interested, candidates must submit a favourable medical certificate issued by their doctor following a preliminary consultation between the candidate’s doctor and the “parabolic flights” medical commission established by Novespace, which will make the final decision.

2.3 Relatives of employees of the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure (BMIMI), the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG), and the Ars Electronica Center up to and including the fourth degree of kinship and persons living with them in the same household are excluded from participation.

3. SELECTION OF PARTICIPANTS

3.1. Participants will be subject to a selection process, with several eliminatory phases, inspired by the astronaut selection processes.

3.2. In the case of the participation of candidates with disabilities, with a prior favourable medical opinion, they will be subject to a selection process adapted to their particular case.

3.3. The stages of the general selection process are as follows:

• Stage 1 - Application and motivation;

• Stage 2 - Logic and comprehension tests;

• Stage 3 - Physical fitness;

• Stage 4 - Interview;

• Stage 5 - Final stage.

3.4. The jury selection is the sole responsibility of the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure (BMIMI) and the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG).

3.5. The final selection of candidates is the sole responsibility of the jury.

3.6. During the initial phase and the interview, candidates are selected on the basis of their motivation, their command of the English language and their proposals in the context of their mandate as ambassador of the “Astronaut for a Day – Austria” competition. In phases 2 and 3, the selection of candidates is based on the evaluation conducted by the partner entities of each phase.

3.7. The results of each phase of the selection process will be sent to the e-mail address provided at the time of registration for the initiative, indicating whether or not the applicant will be able to proceed to the next phase of the process. The final list of candidates selected to participate in the parabolic flight will be published on the initiative's website, in alphabetical order, indicating all those who have been selected and those who are on the reserve list.

3.8. The stages in the selection process will be as follows:

• Stage 1 – Application and motivation

  The registration and submission of applications take place exclusively on the www.astronautforaday.at website.

  
  

  In this phase, the following documents are required:

  • Application form:

    Complete a form with the following information:

    (a) First name

    (b) Last name

    (c) Date of birth

    (d) Gender

    (e) Nationality

    (f) Email address

    (g) Phone number

    (h) Address

    (i) English language level

    (j) T-shirt size

    (k) Spacesuit size

    (l) Name & grade of the school attended

    (n) Form of authorising participation in the event and information according to the model provided (Parental authorization);

  • Introduction video:

    The introduction video must have a maximum duration of 60 seconds.

    A link will be sent to all eligible applicants to record it via a dedicated platform. Upon receipt of the link, the candidate will have a period of 7 days to proceed with the recording. Three attempts will be possible and the candidates will be able to choose to submit the version of the video of their choice.

    The purpose of this video is to illustrate the candidate’s motivation in the context of their participation in this initiative. The video will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

    - motivation to participate in the initiative

    - creativity and originality

    - ease in front of the camera;

    - ability to answer the questions provided;

    The jury will evaluate the videos received and select up to 100 students for the second stage.

• Stage 2 – Logic and comprehension test

  A test consisting of various multiple-choice questions needs to be completed online in a given time. There is a certain number of points that can be gained for each question. The total number of points decides who passes this phase.

  Up to 50 students will be selected for the third stage of the selection procedure.

• Stage 3 – Physical fitness

  Different exercises need to be performed to assess various aspects of the fitness level. Those tests will take place at a facility in Linz on two different dates. Candidates will be invited to one date only.

  At each exercise, there is a certain number of points that can be gained. The total number of points decides who passes this phase.

  Up to 35 students will be selected for the fourth stage of the selection procedure.

• Stage 4 – Interview

  The participants will be invited to an interview that will last 15 minutes and will be organized by video-conference (online) in the presence of the jury.

  Following the interview, the jury will draw up a list of ranked candidates, of which the first 13 will be selected for the final phase. Candidates 14 to 18, not selected for the final round, will be placed on the reserve list.

• Stage 5 – Final phase

  The final phase corresponds to the participation of the candidates in the parabolic flight, provided that all the necessary conditions are met. The remaining candidates will have the opportunity to be placed on the reserve list, in order to participate in the flight in case of absence of one of the 13 finalists.

  The selected students must pass the necessary medical examinations required by Novespace, in charge of the flight, in order to be considered fit to fly. The medical examinations are carried out by Austrian flight physicians at the place indicated by the organizers.

  The final authorization and the authorization to board are the responsibility of Novespace.

To participate in the parabolic flight as part of the “Astronaut for a Day – Austria” competition, the selected students must also attend the activities prepared by the organizers in the days preceding the flight.

4. FINAL PROVISIONS

4.1.1. Underage students must submit written authorization from the holder(s) of parental/legal authority to enter the competition, in accordance with the model provided via email.

Underage students selected for the 2nd stage will have to present the written authorization, according to the model provided in Annex IV, along with the signature of the respective holders of parental/legal authority and a copy of their ID. The authorization with the required documents must be submitted up to 2 days prior to the date of the logic and comprehension tests, or risk exclusion from the evaluation process.

4.1.2. In the event of false statements, exclusion will be immediate, regardless of the stage of the assessment process at which the candidate is when these are discovered. Non-participation in any of the phases leads to direct exclusion.

4.1.3. Competitors must ensure that they can be released from school on the days of the trip to Luxembourg.

4.1.4. All costs resulting from any travel to the places where the physical tests are held are funded by the organizers. The organizers are also in charge of the costs of the food (lunch/ snacks), the hiring of coaches and renting of rooms. During the flight, the organizers will provide competitors with round-trip transportation between a specific point of departure, to be communicated later, and the place of flight, as well as food and accommodation. Parental/legal guardians may accompany the competitors during all travels related to this initiative at their own expense.

5. AVIATION RISK

The Air Zero G flight is classified in the category « Sensation flight » as defined on chapter 1 of the Order of July 24, 1991, on conditions of use of civil aircraft in General Aviation. It does not represent a public air transportation activity as defined by French law (Transport Code).

The aircraft has a temporary permit to fly delivered by the French Directorate-General of Civil Aviation, differing from the standard Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) issued for public transportation aircraft. The flight complies with the specific requirements of the « Sensation Flight » regulation and does not comply with safety standards defined for public air transportation. Novespace has performed safety studies with Airbus support and has entrusted the maintenance of the aircraft to a recognized organization (Sabena technics). However, the qualification process of the A310 ZERO-G has not been as in-depth as the certification of public transportation aircraft, and that there are additional risks related to the difficulty in controlling movements when under microgravity and to the absence of automatic oxygen system in the experimentation area.

It is recommended to check potential insurance policies (property, death/disability, etc.) do not include any exclusion clauses in the event of participation in a flight aboard an aircraft that does not have a Certificate of Airworthiness.

6. SCHEDULE

The schedule presents estimated dates that may be changed without notice; the exact dates of each phase will be those communicated to the applicants and published on the www.astronautforaday.at website.