Thread: Nasa scholarship gives Thai students opportunity to attend US space camp

By WICHIT CHAITRONG
THE NATION

The US space agency Nasa is offering two Thai students a chance to win an astronauts scholarship – and the dream of a flight to Mars in the future.For the second year, the US Embassy in Bangkok, King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL) and partners yesterday announced the Discover Thailand’s Astronauts Scholar-ship Program 2017.

Two Thai students, a boy and girl, will get an introduction to space during a six-day advance space academy programme at the US Space & Rocket Centre, the official visitor centre for Nasa Marshall Space Flight Centre in Alabama.

US Ambassador to Thailand Glyn T Davies said the scholarship would strengthen US and Thailand relations in science and technology.

Eligible applicants include Thai students aged between 14 and 18 years old on the day of registration. The applicants will have to pass the space camp aptitude test, which is composed of 100 English-language, multiple-choice questions related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Basic knowledge of physics, dynamics, logic and general knowledge on space exploration will also be tested.

Only 21 applicants with the highest scores will be selected for the final round at the STEM Camp for three days at KMITL. One boy and one girl with the highest votes from their peers and referees will be selected to receive the US scholarship and KMITL scholarship.

Application can biled between yesterday and October 15 at Space Camp Thailand. The application fee is Bt500 and tests will take place at KMITL on October 22. Est Cola is also providing an additional 10-day scholarship to study at the US Space & Rocket Centre for students of any nationality aged between 12 and 30.

Chayanis Opassereepadung, 17, from Wattanapong Wittaya Academy, who won the scholarship last year, said she attended training courses on how to live in a spaceship with zero gravity.

Krit Kunplin, a representative of the US Space & Rocket Centre, said the scholarship winners might have a chance to fly on a spaceship to Mars as Nasa plans to colonise Mars in the near future.

However, on its website, Nasa says it is planning a journey to Mars in the 2030s.

Nasa scholarship gives Thai students opportunity to attend US space camp