20 UAE students to learn how to build, launch a rocket at camp

The free camp, called 'Go for Orbit! Mars', is organised by Dubai-based Compass International, the US Space and Rocket Centre and the Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Centre for Giftedness and Creativity.

A group of 'gifted' students will take part in an exclusive 10-day long space camp in Dubai, where they will learn how to build and launch a rocket.

The free camp, called 'Go for Orbit! Mars', is organised by Dubai-based Compass International, the US Space and Rocket Centre and the Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Centre for Giftedness and Creativity, and has been designed for students who have a passion for science, technology and engineering.

Dr Mariam Alghawi, director of gifted welfare department at Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Educational Award, told Khaleej Times that the 20 students were selected after they passed the mandatory 'Gifted Identification Kit' exam, which is one of the conditions to join the centre for gifted individuals.

The exam measures and examines many characteristics of gifted children, including their IQ, creativity and academic performance.

"For this space camp, specifically, the gifted students who were chosen, were the students who showed excellent performance in the previous camps related to aerospace, aerodynamics and other related specialisations. Furthermore, those students showed a great interest, which led them to go beyond our camps in their love for education and learn more on space," Dr Alghawi said.

The students will work directly with Nasa scientist, engineer and astronaut Dr Donald Thomas for two days, where they will learn about space travel, future missions to Mars and how they can prepare themselves for a future career in related fields. Dr Thomas has the experience of spending 44 days in space.

The participants will also take part in two challenging design projects during the 10-day programme, including building a Mars design project and a fabrication launch of a flight rocket that will travel more than 500 metres high from the edge of the desert just outside of Dubai.

Speaking on the overall objective of the space camp, Dr Alghawi said that by educating talented students on the latest scientific discoveries in space, it will help increase their interest and technical knowledge - ultimately building a strong UAE space team for the future.

"Currently, we are steps ahead from hoping that one of the centre's gifted kids will be part of the space team. We are working continuously to make sure that they will be part of the future generation that will take UAE's flag to the outer space," she added.

"The Mars design project will challenge the students, in small groups of five, to plan their own mission to Mars. As part of the project, they will have to design a launch system, Earth to Mars transit vehicle, Mars lander and their Mars base. Groups will do the design work on a computer and on the final day present their small group design project to the other students and intentional instructors for evaluation," Lissy Donald, the managing director of 3D Education by Compass International, told Khaleej Times.

"Each student will design and build their own rocket through a rocket design software that will 'test' their design prior to launch. Each rocket that the student builds will feature a parachute recovery system, on-board electronics to record all aspects of the flight including altitude and an on-board video camera to record the entire flight from launch through recovery and landing."

Donald said the students will also "gain valuable 21st century learning skills", such as collaboration, communication, critical thinking, teamwork and problem solving - all through hands-on challenges presented during the two-week experience.

Read more: https://www.khaleejtimes.com/nation/dubai/20-uae-students-to-learn-how-to-build-launch-a-rocket-at-camp