Not Wasting Your Chance This Is Life
Not Wasting Your Chance This Is Life: and There Won’t Be Another One
www.posiv.cz ǀ 103
STYLE
Not Wasng Your Chance
This Is Life – and There Won’t Be Another One
The moo of Adam Holenda, a student at the Příbor Grammar School and one of 26 young Czechs
selected for a unique experience in spring 2025, is simple: Not wasng your chance. He was one
of the lucky few to experience something most of us can only dream of – zero gravity aboard
a specially modied Airbus A310. The Zero-G mission oered not only a parabolic ight, but also an
extraordinary life experience preceded by months of tesng, challenges, and self-discipline. What
did the mission involve, how did he prepare for it, and how has it shaped the direcon of his life?
Adam, what motivated you to apply for the Zero-G
mission and what were your expectations before
the training started?
I’ve been interested in technical fields with a focus on
space – especially rockets – for quite some time. That
was my motivation, but to be honest, my expectations
weren’t very high. I knew the competition would be
tough. Which makes me all the more glad it eventually
worked out.
What was the selection process like, and which parts
did you find the most challenging?
A total of 861 students applied for the project, and
in each of the six selection rounds, the number of
candidates was cut roughly in half. In the end, only 20
participants were to be selected for the flight. In the
first round, we had to create a roughly three-minute
video on any topic – about ourselves, a physical
phenomenon, or space. The second round involved
English tests, particularly listening, since all in-flight
communication was conducted in English. The third
round focused on cognitive function tests – short-
term memory, reaction time, and so on. The fourth
stage consisted of demanding physical tests – strength,
speed, endurance, and stress tolerance.
Then came the personal interviews, and we all agreed
that these were probably the toughest part. The judges
really tried to call us out. I get it – otherwise, they
probably wouldn’t have found out much – but it really
wasn’t a pleasant experience.
And just three days before the actual flight, we went
through a three-day survival camp.
What specific skills or knowledge did you gain during
your preparation for the parabolic flight?
I think mainly the ability to speak in front of a group
without preparation, and not being afraid of interacting
personally – even with important figures. Then, of
course, I learned a lot during the survival camp,
whether in topography, first aid, or how to manage in
the wilderness. Most of all, I absolutely loved the flight
itself, which has become a huge source of motivation
for me going forward.
How did you prepare for the physical and mental
challenges associated with zero gravity?
In this, I fully trusted the selection process. I’m an
active athlete, so I was confident I wouldn’t have any
physical issues – and I didn’t. As for the mental aspect,
it definitely wasn’t easy at times. But once I’d passed
all the tests, I knew I was fully ready for the flight itself.
I’d really like to contribute to the
development of European space science.