A 10-minute experiment is set to last a lifetime for two Australian middle-school students as their idea will make it to space.
Hayley Yousef and Kaila Elias will see their microgravity hypothesis tested aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
Their experiment, titled Water Spring, will be conducted by a Japanese astronaut as part of the latest edition of the Asian Try Zero-G competition.
This biennial competition was created by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to promote crewed space experiment activities aboard Kibo, JAXA's science experiment-based module on the ISS. The activities are proposed by young scientists and engineers from 14 Asia-Pacific countries.
The competition is locally organised by One Giant Leap Australia and supported by the Australian Space Agency.
An out-of-this-world feeling
Water Springs was the only Australian submission that made it to the final 11 experiments, which will be performed in the orbital laboratory. It was selected from over 500 submissions made by 1,176 students.
The Aussie experiment aims to explore how water responds to contraction and expansion mechanical forces in a space environment. Using a slinky, a precompressed helical spring, the activity will test how water's fluid dynamics responds in microgravity.
“Knowing that an experiment we have designed will be carried out in space by an astronaut is both surreal and deeply inspiring. This experience has shown me the incredible potential of a single idea and how far it can go. Sometimes, even all the way to space," shared 13-year-old Kaila, who is a student at Danebank Anglican School for Girls.
Meanwhile, 14-year-old Hayley, expressed her excitement to part of this unique opportunity.
“I'm super excited to share our experiment and hypothesis with the world and get to be a part of this journey to further explore science opportunities. I'm astonished that I have been selected in a competition with so many other intelligent and inspiring young people that I can both learn from and share my knowledge with,” said the teenager, who is a student at Quakers Hill High School.
The two Sydney-based students will receive expert guidance in preparing for their experiments, which will be broadcast live from the ISS to JAXA’s ground station at Tsukuba Space Center in Japan. Their experiment will be conducted by an astronaut either later this year or early next year.
Jenna McCarthy, Education and Outreach Manager for One Giant Leap Australia said that the organisation "was incredibly proud to see two alumni from One Giant Leap Australia recognised in this remarkable initiative."
In 2023, as part of the Asian Try Zero-G competition, Australian student Shingo Nishimoto's proposed experiment was successfully conducted on the ISS.
Space careers booklet
This resource covers all the space careers we talk about online, and can be downloaded by students, teachers or parents to read, share or use in the classroom.
Which space career is right for you?
Navigate a day on the Moon in our short interactive quiz to find out which role best suits your strengths.
Main image caption (L-R): Hayley Yousef and Kaila Elias.
The images used in the story were supplied by One Giant Leap Australia.