The Guatemalan Geraldinn Andrea Cortez Barahona,He shared in his social networks a video where he is observed in a place without gravity while moving holding a Guatemala flag in the cabin of a airplane modified inside with soft surface to avoid accidents or blows.
Cortez is a graduated agronomist at the University of San Carlos, a scientific researcher and disseminator who has dedicated her career to the study of space and agriculture of the future. Cortez currently studies his mastery in sciences of crops, soils and environment, with specialization in digital mapping of soils at the University of Arkansas and also serves as a research assistant.
It was part of a zero gravity research flight with the Zero-G company, after being selected as Space for Humanity space ambassador, An organization that promotes access to space as a tool for global change.
In telephone interview with Free pressGeraldinn expressed how excited he still feels: “Nothing was as I imagined, being there it really was a feeling of surprise, something that one has not experienced before … impressive,” Cortez describes.
The simulated flight was made in a Boeing 727 that is also known as G-Force One, which makes a parabolic trajectories-a “u” shok that describes the movement of an object released into the air under the influence of gravity.
An important step for Guatemala
Edgar Castro, director of the Basic Astronomy and Astrophysics Diploma career of the Galileo University explains in a social networks publication that Cortez’s participation in these demanding evidence has allowed him to share the experience with other commercial astronauts, “not only demonstrates his exceptional capacity and dedication, but also full of immense pride to Guatemala, inspiring new generations to reach the stars,” he describes.
The engineer participated with commercial astronauts, that is, with people traveling to space in missions that are financed, developed and/or operated by private companies, instead of governmental spatial agencies such as NASA, that or roscosm.
Commercial astronauts are mission specialists, researchers or even space tourists, and their training and selection are managed by these commercial entities, thus opening new borders and opportunities in the exploration and use of space for scientific, technological or personal experience purposes, Castro said.
To participate in this group that did this test, Cortez participated in a contest. He described what he would do for the planet if he were to space and his response was that as an agronomist, he is passionate to use microgravity research to develop sustainable agricultural solutions that fight hunger and climate change.
Next to her they gained the opportunity to prepare for this experience other young people from Mexico, Paraguay, Nicaragua and Canada. Space for Humanity seeks that space be an accessible issue for all.
Cortez says that as a child he wanted to be an astronaut. “In Guatemala there was no astronomy career and I decided to go to Agronomy to later dedicate myself to the space area … now I know that courses and diploma options begin in the country,” he says, while sharing that he has been involved in another series of space projects.
Successful projects
Cortez was selected to participate in the International Air and Space Program (IASP), an international scientific training program in spatial technologies, in which he obtained first place with his Lumminys team, so he sent a prototype of his project to the International Space Station to be tested in the MISSE module.
In addition, during the program he received specialized training in the US Space & Rocket Center, in Alabama, where he began his training as future astronaut.
Geraldinn also participated in the Analog Mission Valquiria as a science officer, a project led by Latin American scientific women who simulate living conditions on Mars to form similar astronauts.