Rizal Technological University (RTU) students’ physics experiment was successfully tested aboard the International Space Station (ISS), with a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronaut conducting the study in microgravity as part of the 2025 Asian Try Zero-G (ATZG 2025) competition.
The experiment, called Double Gyroscope, was performed by NASA Astronaut Christopher Williams inside the Kibo module on March 24, 2026. It was designed by third-year RTU astronomy students majoring in astrophysics: Christopher Tumamac, Ryan Andrew Doña, and Rose Ann Cezar.
Their proposal was selected among 89 submissions from across the Philippines before advancing as one of 11 finalist experiments from the Asia-Pacific region, including entries from Australia, Bangladesh, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates.
ATZG is organized through the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Kibo Utilization Center and allows students to design experiments that are later executed in space by astronauts aboard the ISS.
During the live session at the JAXA Tsukuba Space Center in Ibaraki, Japan, the experiment was streamed in real time as Williams conducted the tests inside the ISS. RTU team members Ryan Andrew Doña and Christopher Tumamac also presented their study before execution.
JAXA Kibo Utilization Center Director Dr. Masaki Shirakawa and JAXA Astronaut Norishige Kanai awarded certificates of recognition to all finalists during the event.
The Double Gyroscope experiment explored how spinning objects behave in space, focusing on two gyroscopes placed at the end of a rod. The students hypothesized that opposite spins could stabilize motion, while slight imbalances could gradually shift direction over time.
Results aligned with the students’ expectations, showing measurable movement patterns under zero-gravity conditions, which are key to understanding spacecraft orientation systems used in satellites and space navigation.
The Philippines has consistently joined ATZG through the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA), with student experiments selected for ISS testing since 2022.
The team said working in zero gravity highlighted how small forces behave differently in space and encouraged more Filipino students to pursue space science opportunities.