2023.08.07

Announcements

The experiment themes for Asian Try Zero-G 2023 have been selected!

Kibo Utilization Office for Asia (KUOA)
Experiment at Kibo

Summary

We invited the nine Kibo-ABC* member countries/regions** to submit applications for the theme of a simple space experiment for young people (Asian Try Zero-G 2023) to be carried out by Astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, who will stay on the ISS/JEM Kibo from August 2023 onwards. This year, the call for proposal was divided into two new categories: Category A, for experiments that enable visual confirmation of physical phenomena, and Category B, for exercises that can be performed in space. As a result, a total of 245 applications were received from 570 applicants in Categories A and B.
After conducting a first selection process for each participating country/region, 11 projects in Category A and 5 projects in Category B were selected by the final selection committee that included all participating countries/regions. (Selected themes are listed in Tables 1 and 2, with details in the Final Selection section.)

* Kibo-ABC (Asia-Pacific Cooperation Initiative Using Kibo) is an initiative established by the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF) to promote the use of the Japanese Experiment Module ‘Kibo’ in the Asia-Pacific region and to share the value gained through Kibo's use. There are 19 member institutions from 14 countries/regions.

** Participating countries/regions (in alphabetical order): Australia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand

Table1 Category A (Simple Physical Experiments) Selected Themes (in alphabetical order of country/region name)

Country/Region	Theme
Australia	Twist Athlete Robot Experiment
Bangladesh	Finding the shape of Magnetic Field Lines
Indonesia	Lato-lato motion trials in zero gravity
Indonesia	Try a total elastic collision in space using the Lato-Lato game
Japan	Acceleration of liquid surface in capillary action in microgravity
Philippines	Oloid's Movement in Microgravity
Singapore	Magnus Glider Looping Phase in Microgravity
Singapore	Zero-G Siphon
Taiwan	Behaviors of the magnus effect in zero-gravity
Thailand	Water Spheres and Electrostatic Force
Thailand	Stranger things two ball on string

Table2 Category B (Exercises) Selected Themes (in alphabetical order of country/region name)

Country/Region	Theme
Japan	Rubber gymnastics on air chair
Japan	Flexibility exercises with rope
Philippines	The Effectivity of Elastic Resistance Band Exercise When Performed in Zero-Gravity
Taiwan	Let us blow
Thailand	Starfish exercise for Microgravity

About Preliminary Selection

The selection process was divided into two stages: the preliminary selection and the final selection. In the first selection, each participating country/region used a common evaluation sheet to evaluate the themes from the perspectives of scientific significance/novelty, safety, operability, and feasibility in Category A, and the effects of exercising in microgravity, safety, operability, and feasibility in Category B. As a result, 19 themes from 8 countries/regions were selected in Category A, and 13 themes from 6 countries/regions in Category B.

In Thailand, which received the largest number of applications this year, the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) managed the Asian Try Zero G 2023 program, which was reviewed by a committee including the NSTDA Space Education Program Manager and experts from the National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Metals and Materials Technology Center (MTEC), and National Electronics and Computer Technology Center (NECTEC).
(Image 1)

Image 1 First selection in Thailand (Image by NSTDA)

In the first selection in Taiwan, participants presented their proposals at a presentation competition hosted by the Taiwan Space Agency (TASA), and the top group was selected as the representative.
(Images 2 and 3)

Image 2 Presentations by participants (Taiwan) (Image by TASA)

Image 3 Group photo of participants (Taiwan) (Image by TASA)

About the Final Selection

During the final selection process, we received advice from experts in Kibo science experiments and astronaut health care, as well as from Astronaut Kanai, who conducted Asian Try Zero-G in 2018, on technical feasibility and other aspects of the project.

At the final selection meeting (Image 4) held by all participating institutions, the 32 themes that passed the first selection were evaluated using a common evaluation sheet with reference to the above advice, and 11 themes*** from Category A and 5 themes*** from Category B were selected.

The selected themes will be conducted by Astronaut Furukawa.

Image 4 Final selection meeting attended by all participating institutions

*** The selected themes are listed below along with the factors that led to their selection.

Themes for Asian Try Zero-G 2023 (Category A)

Twist Athlete Robot Experiment (Australia)

Proposer	Australian National University, 1 person
Experiment Description	Changes in the momentum of a rotating object lead to changes in its axis of rotation. Observe the change in the axis of rotation when bars that are crossed are tied together with rubber, make parallel and thrown in a microgravity environment.

＜Points of Selection＞
Although we have previously conducted experiments to observe changes in the axis of rotation under microgravity, this is a proposal that uses unique equipment. We will observe the difference of the motion in microgravity compared to the motion on the ground.

Finding the shape of Magnetic Field Lines (Bangladesh)

Proposer	Homeschooled, 1 person
Experiment Description	Three-dimensional visualization and observation of changes in magnetic field lines when a magnet is brought close to a transparent container containing iron chips, etc., in a microgravity environment.

＜Points of Selection＞
This is an interesting proposal, as there have been no simple experiments on magnetic field lines performed on the ISS.

Lato-lato motion trials in zero gravity (Indonesia)

Proposer	University of North Sumatera, 2 people
Experiment Description	To see if Lato-Lato (a popular game among Indonesian children, also known as American Clacker) can be performed in a microgravity environment.

＜Points of Selection＞
Although it is a simple question of whether movements that are difficult even on the ground can be performed in a microgravity environment, it is interesting to predict the movements of Lato-Lato (American Clacker), which has never been tested in Asian Try Zero G before.

Try a total elastic collision in space using the Lato-Lato game (Indonesia)

Proposer	The Republic of Indonesia Defense University, 2 people
Experiment Description	To test how the hand swing width and hand swing speed change when Lato-Lato is performed in a microgravity environment compared to on the ground.

＜Points of Selection＞
While the hand swing will be constant regardless of the performer when trying to move the Lato-Lato (American Clacker) on the ground, one would expect the hand swing to be different in microgravity space than on the ground.

Acceleration of liquid surface in capillary action in microgravity (Japan)

Proposer	Tokyo Gakugei University Senior High School, 13 people
Experiment Description	Conduct experiments on capillary action in a microgravity environment. Observe how differences in capillary diameter and fluid viscosity affect the rate of rise of the liquid surface.

＜Points of Selection＞
When the proposer conducted an experiment using a drop tower, differences were observed in the rate of rise of the liquid level depending on the diameter of the capillary. The result that the larger the diameter, the higher the rise velocity is very interesting and should be verified on the ISS.

Oloid's Movement in Microgravity (Philippines)

Proposer	Rizal Technological University, 1 person
Experiment Description	An oloid is geometrically expandable and can roll smoothly and straight like a ball despite its pointed shape. In addition, when rolling on a flat surface, the center of gravity of an oloid moves smoothly, alternating between a certain distance to the left and right. We will verify the movement of the oloid when it is thrown and rolled in a microgravity environment.

＜Points of Selection＞
Observing the behavior of oloid-shaped objects, which have unique movements even on the ground, in a microgravity environment is both simple and interesting.

Magnus Glider Looping Phase in Microgravity (Singapore)

Proposer	NUS High School of Math & Science, 1 person
Experiment Description	On the ground, magnus gliders typically fly in loop and arch trajectories. This experiment will examine the trajectory of a magnus glider in a microgravity environment.

＜Points of Selection＞
This is a proposal to effectively observe the magnus effect using a simple system of paper cups and rubber bands in orbits where resources are limited.

Zero-G Siphon (Singapore)

Proposer	Catholic High School, 2 people
Experiment Description	In a microgravity environment, insert a straw into water, then use another straw near the opposite side of the water to verify the movement of the water when exhaled.

＜Points of Selection＞
It is the proposer's speculation that the water surface may continue to rise in a microgravity environment, while only a fixed rise in the water surface is observed on the ground. It is a very interesting experiment proposal.

Behaviors of the magnus effect in zero-gravity (Taiwan)

Proposer	National Taiwan Normal University, 1 person Emory University & Georgia Tech, 1 person PU TAI Senior High School, 1 person
Experiment Description	On the ground, magnus gliders typically fly in loop and arch trajectories, however, this experiment will examine the trajectory of a magnus glider in microgravity conditions.

＜Points of Selection＞
This is a proposal to effectively observe the magnus effect using a simple system of paper cups and rubber bands in orbits where resources are limited.

Water Spheres and Electrostatic Force (Thailand)

Proposer	Suankularb Wittayalai School, 1 person
Experiment Description	Water is attracted by static electricity. We will test whether it is possible to move water balls of different sizes in a microgravity environment and whether the shape of the water balls changes when electrostatically charged objects are brought close to the water balls.

＜Points of Selection＞
This proposal effectively observes the relationship between water and static electricity.

Stranger things two ball on string (Thailand)

Proposer	Yupparaj Wittayalai School, 4 people
Experiment Description	Verify the motion of two spheres connected by a string and rotated in a microgravity environment.

＜Points of Selection＞
It is a simple proposal to spin a string with two weights attached, but it is a unique proposal to observe the difference in behavior in a microgravity environment.

Themes for Asian Try Zero-G 2023 (Category B)

Rubber gymnastics on air chair (Japan)

Proposer	Niihama National College of Technology, 1 person
Exercise Description	Exercises with rubber bands made for the elderly will be performed in a microgravity environment. On the ground, the exercises will be performed while sitting in a chair, but in orbit, the exercises will be performed in an air chair. The use of a rubber band enables upper and lower body exercises by utilizing the contraction force of the rubber.

＜Points of Selection＞
It allows astronauts to exercise alone, is simple to prepare, and appears to be suitable for space.

Flexibility exercises with rope (Japan)

Proposer	Nonoike Junior High School, 4 people
Exercise Description	Prepare strings of different lengths and test whether it is possible to use them to circle around the body (under the legs, around the back, and back to the front) in a microgravity environment.

＜Points of Selection＞
In microgravity, the load on the joints is reduced, and the joints are known to become less mobile; this proposal is expected to be a space-appropriate exercise because the movements are performed while moving the joints.

The Effectivity of Elastic Resistance Band Exercise When Performed in Zero-Gravity (Philippines)

Proposer	Bataan National High School Senior High School, 8 people
Exercise Description	Perform squats and stretches with rubber bands in a microgravity environment.

＜Points of Selection＞
This exercise can be performed by astronauts alone using a rubber band. It is simple to prepare and may be suitable as an exercise in space.

Let us blow (Taiwan)

Proposer	Taichung Municipal Taichung Girls' Senior High School, 2 people
Exercise Description	Demonstrate whether you can move and rotate your body by blowing out Astronaut’s breath through pipes of different diameters.

＜Points of Selection＞
The straw-like object is held in the mouth and the body is rotated by recoil by exhaling as much as possible. This is a unique proposal because there is little movement to keep exhaling in the orbit, coupled with the rotation of the body. Also interesting is the idea of changing the diameter of the straw-like object in a physical experiment.

Starfish exercise for Microgravity (Thailand)

Proposer	Rayongwittayakom school, 2 people
Exercise Description	Perform training with one elastic band attached to each foot and one to each hand (both hands and both feet) and with hands and feet spread apart.

＜Points of Selection＞
This exercise can be performed by astronauts alone using a rubber band. It is simple to prepare and is considered suitable as an exercise in space.

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