HOUSTON (CW39) Houston has always been at the forefront of space education and exploration. That Mission continues this week, to continue to share that knowledge with educators. The 27th Annual Space Exploration Educators Conference takes place Feb. 4-6. Hosted by Space Center Houston and supported by Intel, this conference is all about empowering educators with extraordinary science learning experiences.

The immersive educators conference is 100 percent Virtual, connecting educators from around the world, to the future of space exploration. Educators will hear from astronauts, scientists and engineers working on exciting endeavors like the International Space Station, explorations of Mars and the planets beyond. The virtual conference provides educators flexible virtual learning experiences with sessions led by industry experts, virtual tours, new virtual networking lounges and access to yearlong on-demand content and tours.

It is now more important than ever to support our educators during this unique time, said Daniel Newmyer, Vice President of Education at Space Center Houston. Thanks to the generous support of our sponsor Intel, were empowering educators with exceptional access to science learning experiences. With support from the Albert and Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation, Intel, and Tranquility Foundation, hundreds of educators will receive scholarships to attend the conference, allowing the nonprofit to provide tools and resources to educators around the world. The nonprofit had continues to innovate during the pandemic, to bring access to science learning, and Intels support enables the nonprofit to offer educators the flexibility to access SEECs educational content for one year through this years enhanced digital platform.

Brian Gonzalez, senior director, Global Partnerships and Initiatives, Governments, Markets and Trade Group at Intel explains why Intel is involved.. Earlier this year, we pledged $50 million with our Pandemic Response Technology Initiative, to support high impact programs like this helping educators energize their students at this critical time. COVID-19 has exacerbated the technology and educational inequities in communities of need. It is critical that we come together to ensure that students have access to a meaningful virtual learning experience,.

There will be a number of virtual speakers and activities for participants to enjoy. You can here from Noble Prize-winning physicist and senior project scientist for the James Webb Telescope, Dr. John Mather, who will present a keynote address on the history of the universe. Teacher-turned-astronaut Joe Acaba, author Andy Weir, retired astronaut Cady Coleman and Intel Corporations Chief Data Scientist Melvin B. Greer will serve as keynote speakers at this years conference.

Educators will also hear from experts from the International Space Station National Laboratory, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and NASAs Artemis Program to learn about research aboard the Space Station, our solar system and future missions to the Moon and Mars. SEECs sessions will also provide educators access to resources on how to build 3D Rovers, explore how astronauts train underwater to prepare for spacewalks at the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory and how to build their own miniature neutral buoyancy chamber for the classroom.

The science and space exploration learning center offers educators of all disciplines from kindergarten through 12th grade will have a three-day virtual learning experience based in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The Space Exploration Educators Conference equips educators with innovative lesson ideas to take back to the classroom. Educators will participate in curated sessions from educators and NASA experts and interact with other global teachers to learn and grow together; network in new virtual lounges to make valuable connections; explore Space Center Houston iconic exhibits including the new SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket; Independence Plaza with the historic shuttle carrier aircraft; Apollo Mission Control Center and more.

Dedicated to empowering educators with a multitude of cross-curriculum ideas and ready-to-implement classroom activities, SEEC provides educators with the latest teaching tools and interprets what`s happening now in science and human space exploration. Attendees can earn up to 24 hours of continuing education credit, and one will be awarded the Cherri Brinley Outstanding Educator Award, named in honor of the 14-year SEEC veteran. A Houston-area educator, Brinley motivated fellow educators and students to pursue space exploration learning, even throughout her battle with terminal cancer.

Register today for the 27th Space Exploration Educators Conference by visiting the Space Center Houston Link .

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27th Annual Space Exploration Educators Conference Is Flying High Starting Thursday - CW39 Houston

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Plans for the worlds first all-civilian mission to space were announced today from SpaceXs headquarters in Hawthorne, CA. The mission is being targeted for the fourth quarter of this year and will be commanded by Jared Isaacman, the 37-year-old founder and chief executive officer of Shift4 Payments (NYSE:FOUR) and an accomplished pilot. Named Inspiration4 in recognition of the four-person crews mission to inspire support for St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital and send a humanitarian message of possibility, the journey represents a new era for human spaceflight and exploration. Isaacman is donating the three mission seats alongside him to crew members who will be selected to represent the mission pillars of leadership, hope, generosity and prosperity.

Said Isaacman, Inspiration4 is the realization of a lifelong dream and a step towards a future in which anyone can venture out and explore the stars. I appreciate the tremendous responsibility that comes with commanding this mission and I want to use this historic moment to inspire humanity while helping to tackle childhood cancer here on Earth.

Isaacman and the Inspiration4 crew will undergo commercial astronaut training by SpaceX on the Falcon 9 launch vehicle and Dragon spacecraft, including a specific focus on orbital mechanics, operating in microgravity, zero gravity, and other forms of stress testing. They will receive emergency preparedness training, spacesuit and spacecraft ingress and egress exercises, as well as partial- and full-mission simulations. The mission will launch from historic Launch Complex 39A at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida and will be carefully monitored at every step by SpaceX mission control as the spacecraft orbits the planet every 90 minutes along a customized flight path. Upon conclusion of the multi-day journey, Dragon will reenter Earths atmosphere for a soft water landing off the coast of Florida.

Isaacman has given St. Jude two seats on the Inspiration4 mission. The first seat is reserved for a St. Jude ambassador with direct ties to the mission who exemplifies the pillar of Hope as well as the courageous vision upon which St. Jude was founded - compassion, unity, equality and inclusion. The second seat will represent the mission pillar of Generosity. During the month of February, members of the public can enter for a chance to join the flight to space and support the lifesaving mission of St. Jude.

Isaacman has committed to give $100 million to St. Jude and is inviting everyone to join him in attempting to raise upwards of $200 million or more in support of St. Judes multi-billion dollar expansion aimed to accelerate research advancements and save more children worldwide. He will also offer additional support to the St. Jude fundraising effort in the form of other prizes, including flights in a military jet and flight gear. An accomplished pilot rated to fly commercial and military aircraft, Isaacman holds several world records including a Speed-Around-The-World flight to raise money and awareness for the Make-a-Wish Foundation. He has flown in over 100 airshows as part of the Black Diamond Jet Team, dedicating every performance to charitable causes. In 2011, Isaacman co-founded what would become the worlds largest private air force, Draken International, to train pilots for the United States Armed Forces.

The same year St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital broke boundaries by opening its doors, the first American orbited the Earth in 1962, said Richard C. Shadyac Jr., President and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude. From the beginning, St. Jude has been at the forefront of innovation and inclusion, leading in cancer research, care and treatment for some of the worlds sickest children regardless of race, ethnicity, beliefs or a family's ability to pay. This partnership brings two missions together to create one incredible moment in time that will make an impact for years to come on the global effort to cure childhood cancer.

Isaacman will collaborate with Shift4 Payments to offer the fourth and final crew seat representing the prosperity mission pillar to a deserving entrepreneur who utilizes the new Shift4Shop eCommerce platform, which empowers entrepreneurs to build and grow successful eCommerce businesses online. Current and new Shift4Shop customers will have a one-of-a-kind opportunity to enter an online competition showcasing them and their business. The competition will be conducted from February 1-28, 2021 and the winner will be selected by a panel of independent judges.

Shift4 Payments is providing marketing support for the mission and will leverage one of the biggest popular culture events of the year, Super Bowl LV this Sunday, to dramatically introduce the mission and its purpose to the public. A 30-second spot will air during the first quarter of the Big Game and invite all viewers to support and be part of this historic journey through the St. Jude and Shift4Shop programs.

Isaacman concluded: Todays announcement is the first step of a very exciting journey. In the lead-up to launch, well share new ways to support and follow our mission preparation and execution with a focus on inspiring and helping others.

To learn more about Inspiration4, how to support and potentially join this historic journey to space and the specific conditions of the promotions, visit http://www.Inspiration4.com and follow the mission on social media on Twitter (@inspiration4x), Facebook (@inspiration4mission), Instagram (@inspiration4) and YouTube (@Inspiration4) to receive the latest news on mission training and preparation. Individuals who are interested in learning how to enter for an opportunity to win one of the two seats being offered should visit inspiration4.com and review the Official Rules for the applicable promotion.

About St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Its purpose is clear: Finding cures. Saving children. It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to more than 80 percent since the hospital opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude won't stop until no child dies from cancer. St. Jude freely shares the discoveries it makes, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. Join the St. Jude mission by visiting stjude.org, liking St. Jude on Facebook, following St. Jude on Twitter, Instagram and subscribing to its YouTube channel.

About Shift4 Payments

Shift4 Payments (NYSE: FOUR) is a leading provider of integrated payment processing and technology solutions, delivering a complete omnichannel ecosystem that extends beyond payments to include a wide range of commerce-enabling services. The companys technologies help power over 350 software providers in numerous industries, including hospitality, retail, F&B, ecommerce, lodging, gaming, and many more. The newly launched Shift4Shop platform offers a turnkey ecommerce experience includes a robust website builder, product and order management, customer marketing tools and more. With over 7,000 sales partners, the company securely processed more than $200 billion in payments volume for over 200,000 businesses in 2019. For more information, visit shift4.com.

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World's First All-Civilian Mission to Space Will Usher in New Era of Commercial Space Exploration - Business Wire

According toNASA, Command Module Pilot Stuart Roosa brought a canister of approximately 400-500 loblolly pine, sweetgum, redwood, Douglas fir, and sycamore tree seeds with him while he was on Apollo 14 Command and Service Module Kitty Hawk. Those seeds, when they returned to Earth, were then planted around the United States, and now we can go see these trees all grown up.

So why is that exciting? Because, technically, they went to the Moon. Cant believe trees went to space before I did. But more than that, it shows the brilliance of those who went to the moon throughout our time in space and the experiments they did and what they wanted to bring with them (and subsequently bring back to Earth, as well).

Acting NASA Chief Historian Brian Odom spoke about the importance of these trees and why the Moon Trees are significant to space exploration as a whole.

The historic voyages of the Apollo program were about bold exploration and incredible scientific discovery. Apollo 14 included the widest range of scientific experiments to that point in the program, but in the case of Roosas Moon Trees, it was what the astronauts took with them on their lunar journey that has left such an indelible mark on the landscape back on Earth.

The seeds were flown in 1971 to experiment to determine the effects of deep space on seeds but also raise awareness for Forest Service and everything that comes along with it. And now we, as citizens, get to reap the benefits! Personally, I think the idea of Moon Trees is fun because experimenting on what space can do to tree/plant life is one thing but to be able to bring said trees back home for us to plant and see? Thats exciting in the way only nerdy things can give us.

Ed Cliff, chief of the Forest Service, came up with the idea, and because Roosa had been a smokejumper, he approached him with the task. During the mission, the seeds were compromised and they believed them to be dead, and yet, when the Kitty Hawk team returned, the seeds were able to be planted and saplings were sent to schools, universities, parks, and government offices.

Then-President Gerald Ford said this about the Moon Trees in a telegram about the tree-planting ceremonies:

This tree which was carried by Astronauts Stuart Roosa, Alan Shepard, and Edgar Mitchell on their mission to the Moon, is a living symbol of our spectacular human and scientific achievements. It is a fitting tribute to our national space program which has brought out the best of American patriotism, dedication, and determination to succeed.

Sure, it isnt the mostexcitingspace activity in the world, but its beautiful to see these trees and know how far weve come in our space exploration and that we have these Moon Trees to look back on.

(via NASA, image: Pexels)

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This Week in Space: Moon Trees Remind Us of Our Moon Exploration - The Mary Sue

Circling the Earth 16 times a day 250 miles up, space stations are among humanitys most impressive achievements. The International Space Station (ISS) is a partnership between NASA and Russias Roscosmos, with contributions on the American side from Canada, Japan, Europe and other countries. Its future is far from clear, however, and dependent on decisions that will be made this year.

Around 75 percent of ISSs costs are borne by the U.S. at an annual cost of $3 billion to 4 billion. Russia launched ISSs first components in 1998, and by 2010, ISS became fully operational. The plan was for ISS to last 15 to 20 years, by which time it would be replaced. Such was not to be.

The ISS cost over $150 billion, five times the combined budgets of NASA and Roscosmos, so replacing it would be an enormous undertaking, probably choking funding for Earth observation, human visits to the Moon or Mars or deep space exploration. The Trump administrations Artemis response was to transfer Earth-orbiting space stations from government to the private sector and focus government spending instead on a lunar-orbiting space station and a human Moon landing. With several countries already agreeing to invest in Americas lunar space station, its difficult to see how these countries would also invest in a $100 billion replacement ISS. So, unless the Artemis program is delayed, the financial burden of a new ISS would fall on the U.S.

Extending ISSs life has been made easier by its component design, which facilitates removing worn parts, such as solar panels. Accordingly, NASA, Roscosmos and the international partners agreed to keep it operating until 2028 (8 to 10 years longer than its lifetime) and perhaps until 2030.

The ISS is already 20, and at this age we should be prepared for surprises: When a slow air leak was discovered, an astronaut initially plugged it with his finger, then patched it with tape. Its not the only time theyve kept air in the station with tape, and its unlikely this will be the last breakdown before 2030, to say nothing of the risk of debris collisions. If there is to be a comparable replacement for the ISS by 2030, then initial work should start by 2021. If work on a replacement does not begin by 2021, then the chances that a comparable station will be in service by 2028/30 shrink. But theres more.

The ISS is about to get an enormous publicity boost: This year parts of two major movies are planned to be filmed there. Universal Studios and NASA announced that a $200 million Tom Cruise thriller would be partly filmed inside the ISS, and Russias Channel One and Roscosmos announced that they would film one too. Millions may soon be awed by glamorized scenes aboard the ISS.

Although Roscosmos has agreed to continue the ISS through 2028/30, it indicated that if the U.S. were to shut down Americas ISS segments, then Russia would separate Russias segments and use them as a stand-alone or partnered Russian space station. No one in Russia has forgotten that the first space stations were Russian or that the Mir Space Station operated for 14 years before the ISS. The possibility of a Russian-partnered space station remains.

Strong opposition from U.S. defense interests have prevented space cooperation between the U.S. and China, leading to a 2011 law effectively prohibiting it. Not surprisingly, China has pursued a space program without involvement in the ISS. This includes satellites, lunar and planetary missions and, beginning in 2011, Chinas own space stations, Tiangong 1 and 2. In 2021, China will start construction of Tiangong 3, a multi-module station that begins to look like the ISS. It should be operational in 2022, include European and other astronauts, and remain operational well after the ISS.

Assuming the U.S. does not build an ISS replacement, then Americas main strategy will remain replacing the ISS with private space stations. Several American companies have already begun work, although most use the ISS as a foundation.

The leading American business building its own station is privately-owned Axiom Space, which subcontracts launches to companies like Space X and module construction to Thales Alenia Corp. Axiom Station will be a 3-module space station, initially connected to the ISS before separating in the late 2020s. Axioms plan is to use one module for operations, another for experiments/manufacturing and the third as a luxury resort. Last year, NASA awarded Axiom $140 million to help it build its first module. Axiom will host Universal Studios and Tom Cruise this year and send 3 space tourists, who paid $55 million each, for a week aboard the ISS in 2022.

Other companies are further behind, including Sierra Nevada Corp., Nano Racks and Bigelow.

Among the most important recent developments in U.S. space policy was the formation of the U.S. Space Force (USSF). One of its primary objectives is to protect American space assets, and its difficult to imagine that USSF leadership would not consider a military space station. While NASA has long cooperated with the military and while Americas military is among the largest owners of satellites, a manned U.S. military space station has not been proposed since the 1960s.

Last year, the Defense Innovation Unit awarded a contract to Sierra Nevada to construct an unmanned Orbital Outpost that could host a military crew. The company would use its planned cargo vehicle as a platform from which it would build a military outpost. The cargo vehicles initial flight to the ISS, attached to Sierra Nevadas spaceplane, is scheduled for 2021. This will obviously lay the groundwork for the vehicles conversion to a military space station.

So, this year construction will begin on a new Chinese space station and on an American business space station; the Pentagon will begin pursuit of its first space station, and perhaps well know more about any future Russian space station. More importantly, the Biden administration will have decided whether there will be a replacement for the ISS, particularly since given the long lead times no decision in 2021 is a decision.

Roger Cochettiprovides consulting and advisory services in Washington, D.C. He was a senior executive with Communications Satellite Corporation (COMSAT) from 1981 through 1994. He also directed internet public policy for IBM from 1994 through 2000 and later served as Senior Vice-President & Chief Policy Officer for VeriSign and Group Policy Director for CompTIA. He served on the State Departments Advisory Committee on International Communications and Information Policy during the Bush and Obama administrations, has testified on internet policy issues numerous times and served on advisory committees to the FTC and various UN agencies. He is the author of theMobile Satellite Communications Handbook.

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2021 Year of the space station? | TheHill - The Hill

It was a tough year here on Earth, but 2020 was a bright spot for space exploration. SpaceX sent its futuristic Starship to new heights, three countries launched Mars missions, and robots grabbed debris from the moon and an asteroid.

Next year promises more, including a planned launch of the Hubble Space Telescopes successor.

Perhaps its no surprise then that space themes are having a moment in home decor. When so many of us Earthlings are stuck at home because of the pandemic, space imagery can add a sense of adventure or whimsy to rooms, walls and ceilings.

Ive done outer space, and starry skies, says New York interior designer Patrice Hoban. My clients love using stars as a backdrop in nurseries. Ive also worked with glow-paint to add an extra pop to kids rooms and home theaters.

She sticks tiny glow-in-the-dark stars to the ceiling; the light can last for hours. Its the closest thing Ive found to being in a planetarium, she says.

Rachel Magana, senior visual designer at the sustainable furniture-rental company Fernish, picked up some cosmological decorating ideas from a colleagues recent nursery project.

Base your color palette around deep blue tones, then splash in bits of color like yellow, white or red, she says.

Or create your own galaxy wall, she says. Paint a blue wall, then use some watered-down white paint to splatter it with fine droplets. You may just create some new constellations.

She suggests adding fun, space-agey lamps, and vintage NASA posters.

Outer space has inspired designers for decades. In the 1960s, the space race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, along with the development of space age-y, synthetic materials, led to a surge in futuristic furniture like molded plastic chairs and Sputnik-shaped lighting.

These days, you can download artwork directly from NASA: https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/, or find it at retailers like Red Bubble, Etsy and Zazzle.

Magana also suggests making a letter board with a space-themed quote like Neil Armstrongs famous One small step for man phrase.

Much of the astronomy-themed art in the marketplace would be striking in any room. There are lunar graphics on canvas at Target. Tempapers got constellation wallpapers, but if you cant do wallpaper, consider Kenna Sato Designs constellation decals for walls or ceilings.

Galaxy Lamps has a sphere that looks like a planetoid. Charge it up with the included USB and cycle through 16 colors with three lighting modes. Theres a moon version, too. And at Beautiful Halo, find a collection of rocket-ship ceiling fixtures.

German designer Jan Kath has created a rug collection called Spacecrafted inspired by imagery of gas clouds and asteroid nebulae from the Hubble telescope.

Studio Greytak, in Missoula, Montana, has designed a Jupiter lamp out of the mineral aragonite, depicting the whirling, turbulent gases of the planet. And theres the Impact table, where a chunk of desert rose crystals is embedded with cast glass, as though a piece of asteroid had plunged into a pool.

Zodiac wall decals and a Milky Way throw rug can be found at Project Nursery. There are hanging mobiles of the planets and of stars and clouds, at both Crate & Kids and Pottery Barn Kids.

A glow-in-the-dark duvet cover printed with the solar system is also at PBK, but if youre ready to really head to the stars, check out Snurk Livings duvet set. The studio, owned by Dutch designers Peggy van Neer and Erik van Loo, has designed the set photoprinted with a life-size astronaut suit.

Creating a night sky on the ceiling of a home theater seems to be popular; Houzz has hundreds of examples for inspiration.

Maydan Architects in Palo Alto, California, designed one for a recent project.

Our clients grandfather was the owner of multiple movie theaters, says Mary Maydan. One of them had a retractable ceiling that enabled guests to experience the starry sky at night. When our client decided to build their home theater, this installation was actually fulfilling a lifelong dream.

The ceiling isnt retractable, but has an eight-paneled fixture depicting the Milky Way and a shooting star.

It provides very soft light and was intended to be kept on during the screening of the movie and create a magical experience, says Maydan.

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Space-themed decor brings the heavens indoors | MAD Life | heraldbulletin.com - The Herald Bulletin

Inspiration4's mission is to support the lifesaving work of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital while achieving a milestone in commercial space exploration.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. Enter to win a seat on the first all-civilian space flight!

It's a once-in-a-lifetime adventure: a journey into outer space on the first all-civilian space flight. Representing the worlds of science, commerce and humanitarianism, Inspiration4's mission is to support the lifesaving work of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital while achieving a milestone in commercial space exploration.

Inspiration4 will have a four-person crew symbolizing the best of humanity. Skilled pilot and adventurer Jared Isaacman, representing Leadership, will be joined by three travelers personifying Hope, Prosperity and Generosity...which could be you. Your donation to St. Jude means you could be the representative for Generosity on this space flight.

The Inspiration4 mission will orbit the Earth, launching from historic Launch Complex 39A at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, FL, later this year. Winner will undergo commercial astronaut training by SpaceX, including partial- and full-mission simulations. Launch date is subject to change based on flight conditions. Passengers will travel on SpaceXs Falcon 9 launch vehicle and Dragon spacecraft.

To enter to win, donate $10 or more to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Your generosity will help fund groundbreaking research and treatment for children with cancer and other life-threatening diseases, and will enter you to win the Generosity seat on this first-of-its-kind space flight. Give more, and you'll get more chances plus the opportunity for other Inspiration4 commemorative items.

In 1962, the same year an American orbited the Earth for the first time, a hospital opened in Memphis, Tenn., committed to a different kind of uncharted territory: finding cures for kids with cancer and other life-threatening diseases, regardless of their race, ethnicity, beliefs or a family's ability to pay.

After nearly sixty years of scientific advancements, St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital is today leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Their purpose is clear: Finding cures. Saving children.

By freely sharing discoveries, every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.

Your donation will advance the lifesaving work of St. Jude. Join the St. Jude mission by visiting stjude.org, liking St. Jude on Facebook, following us on Twitter (@stjude) and Instagram (@stjude) and subscribing to our Youtube channel.

To donate or find out more information, click here.

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Did you know you can enter to win a seat on the first all-civilian space flight?! - WATN - Local 24

DUBLIN, Feb. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Small Launch Vehicle (SLV) Market: Focus on Payload Range, Platform, Propellant Type, and End User - Analysis and Forecast, 2020-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The Global Small Launch Vehicle (SLV) Market report projects the market to grow at a significant CAGR of 24.36% on the basis of value during the forecast period from 2020 to 2030.

Asia-Pacific is expected to dominate the global SLV market with a share of 46.51% in 2020. Asia Pacific, including the major countries such as China, India, and Japan, is the most prominent region for the SLV market. In Asia-Pacific, China is estimated to have acquired the major market share in 2019 due to the major deployment of SLV in different sectors in the country.

The global SLV market has gained widespread importance, owing to the increase in the number of satellite constellations for satellite applications, such as remote sensing, navigation, communication, and earth observation. However, issues related to the high cost of SLVs are some of the factors that are restraining the market growth.

Scope of the Global Small Launch Vehicle (SLV) Market

The purpose of the market analysis is to examine the SLV market outlook in terms of factors driving the market, trends, technological developments, and competitive benchmarking, among others.

The report further takes into consideration the market dynamics and the competitive landscape, along with the detailed financial and product contribution of the key players operating in the market.

Global Small Launch Vehicle (SLV) Market Segmentation

The SLV market is segmented on the basis of payload range, end-user, platform, propellant type, and region. The commercial segment is estimated to have dominated the global SLV market in 2019 and is anticipated to maintain its dominance throughout the forecast period (2020-2030).

While highlighting the key driving and restraining forces for this market, the report also provides a detailed study of the industry. The report also analyzes different end users that include defense, government, academic, and non-profit. In payload range segment, the market is segmented into &lessThan;20kg, 21kg-150kg, 151kg-500kg, 501kg-1,200kg, and 1,200kg-2,200kg. In the platform segment, the market is segmented into land, air, sea, and balloon. In the propellant segment, the market is segmented into solid, liquid, and hybrid.

Key Companies in the Global Small Launch Vehicle (SLV) Market

The key market players in the global SLV market include China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd., IHI Corporation, Lockheed Martin Corporation Ltd., Northrop Grumman Corporation, and The Boeing Company, Arianespace, Blue Origin, CubeCab, EUROCKOT Launch Services GmbH, Interorbital Systems, Rocket Lab USA, Space Exploration Technologies Corp, and Spacefleet Ltd.

Key Questions Answered in this Report:

Key Topics Covered:

1 Market Dynamics1.1 Drivers1.1.1 Increasing Usage of Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) Components1.1.2 Growth in Small Satellites for Planetary Space Exploration and Earth Observation1.1.3 Increasing Cooperation Among Space Agencies for Space Missions1.2 Market Restraints1.2.1 Absence of Efficient and Reliable Micro-Propulsion Systems1.2.2 High Cost Associated with Space Launch Vehicles1.3 Opportunities1.3.1 Increasing Developments in Low Cost Launching Sites1.3.2 Emerging Startups in SLV Manufacturing1.3.3 Advancements in 3D Printing Technology for Space Industry

2 Competitive Insights2.1 Key Strategies and Developments2.1.1 Partnerships, Collaborations, and Contracts2.1.2 Mergers and Acquisitions2.1.3 Product Launches2.1.4 Other Developments2.2 Small Launch Vehicle (SLV): Market Share Analysis and Competitive Benchmarking

3 Industry Analysis3.1 Industry Overview3.2 Evolution of Small Launch Vehicles3.3 Product and Pricing Analysis3.4 COVID-19 and the Space Industry3.4.1 COVID-19 Effect on Manufacturing Process3.4.2 Impact on Investments3.4.3 Impact on Small Launch Vehicle Market3.5 Planned Smallsat Constellations3.6 Initiatives by Commercial Space Ventures (Startups)3.7 Investment Scenario in Small Launch Vehicle Market3.8 Patent Analysis3.9 Supply Chain Analysis3.9.1 SLV Launch Provider

4 Global Small Launch Vehicle (SLV) Market, 2019-20304.1 Assumptions and Limitations4.2 Market Overview

5 Global Small Launch Vehicle (SLV) Market (by Payload Range), 2019-20305.1 Market Overview5.2 &lessThan;20 kg5.3 21-150 kg5.4 151-500 kg5.5 501-1200 kg5.6 1,201-2,200 kg

6 Global Small Launch Vehicle (SLV) Market (by End User), 2019-20306.1 Market Overview6.2 Defense6.3 Commercial6.4 Government6.5 Academic6.6 Non-Profit Organizations

7 Global Small Launch Vehicle (SLV) Market (by Platform Type), 2019-20307.1 Market Overview7.2 Land7.3 Air7.4 Sea7.5 Balloon

8 Global Small Launch Vehicle (SLV) Market (by Propellant Type), 2019-20308.1 Market Overview8.2 Solid8.3 Liquid8.4 Hybrid

9 Global Small Launch Vehicle (SLV) Market (by Region), 2019-20309.1 Market Overview9.2 North America9.2.1 U.S.9.3 Asia Pacific9.3.1 China9.3.2 Japan9.3.3 India9.3.4 Rest of Asia-Pacific9.4 Europe9.4.1 U.K.9.4.2 France9.4.3 Russia9.4.4 Rest-of-Europe9.5 Rest-of-the-World

10 Company Profiles

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/pxfvf0

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

Media Contact:

Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [emailprotected]

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Global Small Launch Vehicle (SLV) Market, 2020-2030 - Increasing Usage of Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) Components & Growth in Small Satellites...

Contrary to popular belief, Elon Muskdid not start Tesla.

He certainly made it his own over the years, investing early on and then overseeing its growth from niche luxury carmaker to mass production, adding on a solar business, and pushing self-driving technologies. However, the tech titan -- and now the world's richest man -- was actuallyTesla's 4th CEO when he took that role in October 2008.

The creators and founding executives ofTesla, Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning, sat down with CNBC to share memories of what it was like to build and deliver the first Tesla Roadster vehicles, what it took to convince the world electric cars could be as enticing as luxury sports cars, and how they brought Elon Muskon board.

Marc Tarpenning and Martin Eberhard during the early days at Tesla Motors.

Marc Tarpenning and Martin Eberhard

They first met with Musk at a gathering for Mars Society members, and bonded through their shared love of space exploration. (That was even before Musk had started his re-usable rocket company, SpaceX.)

Eberhard was eventually "voted off the island," he said, resulting in a contentious lawsuit and eventual settlement. But he is still rooting for Tesla, believes electric vehicles are key to protecting the planet, and remains a Tesla shareholder.

An electrical engineer and inventor at heart, Eberhard is working on technology to make electric vehicle batteries more affordable than they are today, without sacrificing safety, power or quality.

Tarpenning said he still speaks with Musk occasionally, and resigned from Tesla just as they were developing their flagship Model S sedan. Looking back, he said he has no regrets. "The whole thing was wonderful from the beginning to the end. It was, you know, the worst and the best. And it's worked out great."

Tarpenning is now mentoring the next generation of environment minded startups, and investing in them as a venture partner with Pierre Omidyar's Spero Ventures.

This interview originally took place in late 2019, and excerpts of it were included in the CNBC's "Tesla: Hell of a Ride."

Read more from the original source:

Tesla founders Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning talk about the early days and bringing on Elon Musk - CNBC

NASA has big plans for the coming decades. The agency's Artemis program has set its sights on returning to the Moon after an absence of nearly 50 years. Once there, the first woman and next man to walk the lunar surface will begin establishing a base camp, laying the foundation for the sustained exploration and economization of Earth's solar sibling. Then it's off to Mars.

But a journey to the ruddy planet, a distance of roughly 114 million miles, will require NASA to solve a myriad of logistical and engineering problems. Chief among them is the problem of food.

Although humans have maintained a continuous presence in space for 20 years aboard the International Space Station (ISS), food hasn't proven an issue as the station orbits a mere 220 miles above our terrestrial home. NASA and other space agencies can easily send astronauts care packages containing fresh fruit and veggies alongside shelf staples.

Mars-faring astronauts, however, will not have it so easy. The time and distance required for the expedition will make regular resupply infeasible. Astronauts will need to bring all their food with them, alongside the means of producing that food, and keep those supplies within the volume constraints of the spacecraft.

It's a problem with no obvious solution. That's why NASA is challenging entrepreneurs, college students, hobbyist investors, and you, if you're up for it, to help them devise one.

An image showing the different challenges a viable space-food system solution must overcome.

Credit: The Journal of Nutrition

In a paper written for The Journal of Nutrition, Grace Douglas, NASA's lead scientist for advanced food technology at Johnson Space Center in Houston, outlined the necessities for food technologies in long-term space exploration. The most critical being, of course, survival.

"In the history of humankind, explorers set off to see what was over the horizon, and literally millions did not return because of food and nutrition failures," Douglas and her co-authors wrote.

The difficulty is that the processes we rely on to cook meals on Earthsuch as boiling water, hot surfaces, and food preparationwork as they do because they are bound to an environment with gravity, atmosphere, atmospheric pressure, and even certain microbes. Spaceflight replaces that environment with one of microgravity, scarce resources, cabin pressure fluctuation, and unmitigated radiation, each adding their own variable to the cooking calculus.

To date, space food preparation has been limited to adding water or heating pre-packaged foods. When supplemented with fresh produce from Earth, the system works fine. But as mentioned, such a system would be infeasible for the more than two-year roundtrip to Mars and back.

Douglas and her coauthors conclude that any viable solution must provide safe, stable, palatable, and reliable food, while also overcoming environmental constraints, using minimal resources, and producing minimal waste. It would also need to provide all the micro- and macronutrients a spacefaring astronaut needs.

That alone is a tall order, but there is another wrinkle engineers must consider: the astronauts' mental wellbeing. Douglas and her co-authors note that it's a "common misperception" that astronauts will eat anything to complete the mission. While astronauts are high-performing individuals, they still require moments to revitalize their wellbeing against the stress, workload, and isolation inherent in such a mission.

Delicious, nutritious meals can provide such moments of mental reprieve, but they also must have variety. Even the tastiest meal in the finest of restaurants would become a mental chore if eaten day-in, day-out for two whole years. Substitute that with a tasteless, yet nutrient-dense food paste in the vacuum of space, and even the highest performers will develop a case of cosmic cabin fever.

To meet these challenges, NASA is crowdsourcing solutions through its Deep Space Food Challenge. In collaboration with the Canadian Space Agency, NASA is offering a $500,000 prize purse for solutions that add some flavor to extended spaceflight.

"NASA has knowledge and capabilities in this area, but we know that technologies and ideas exist outside of the agency," Douglas told UPI in an interview. "Raising awareness will help us reach people in a variety of disciplines that may hold the key to developing these new technologies."

The agency hopes the winning technologies will also bolster food production on Earth. If a system can offer tasty meals with minimal resources in space, the reasoning goes, then it may be modified for deployment to disaster areas and food-insecure regions, as well. The challenge is open to all U.S. citizens and closes on July 30, 2021. Information on the Canadian Space Agency's challenge is available on its website.

If food isn't your forte but you've got engineering chops, you can still help NASA solve the many other engineering and logistical problems facing the future of space exploration. Through the NASA Solve initiative, the agency is seeking ideas for breaking lunar ice, shrinking payload sizes, and developing new means of energy distribution.

And even if engineering isn't for you, you can still call your Congressional representative to request they support NASA and restore funding from budget cuts. We can all play a small, yet important, role in the future of space exploration and the advancing of scientific knowledge.

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NASA will pay $500,000 for your innovative ideas about food production in space - Big Think

NASA says the inside of the space station is as big as a five-bedroom house. It has two bathrooms and a gymnasium.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. The International Space Station is a large spacecraft that orbits Earth roughly 250 miles above the surface and is where astronauts live. According to NASA, the space station is used to learn about living and working in space, which in turn will help NASA explore space further.

The space station is made up of many pieces. According to NASA, the first piece was launched in 1998 by a Russian rocket. More pieces were later added. It took two years for the space station to be ready for people. The first crew arrived on Nov. 2, 2000. The space station was finished in 2011.

So, how big is the space station? Well, NASA says the inside of the space station is as big as a five-bedroom house. It has two bathrooms and a gymnasium. And it weighs almost 1 million pounds. It also contains science labs from the United States, Russia, Japan and Europe. These labs are used for research, which could not be done on Earth.

NASA says scientists study what happens to people when they live in space. These lessons will help further space exploration.

If you would like to view the International Space Station, click the linkhere and then click on your city.

If you're in the Charlotte-area, you can view the International Space Station Wednesday night.

Excerpt from:

What is the International Space Station? - WCNC.com

When NASA's Mars Perseverance rover touches down on the red planet later this month, it will arrive with a lot of precious cargo. Among the brand new technology is a drone that is set to be the first ever to fly on another planet: the Ingenuity helicopter.

Ingenuity is essentially a test flight it's experimenting with flight on another planet for the first time, and has limited capabilities. It weighs only about 4 pounds, but its success will no doubt pave the way for more ambitious exploration of the red planet.

"The Wright Brothers showed that powered flight in Earth's atmosphere was possible, using an experimental aircraft," Hvard Grip, Ingenuity's chief pilot at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) said in a statement. "With Ingenuity, we're trying to do the same for Mars."

The rover doesn't carry any science instruments to support Perseverance, and is considered an entirely separate mission from the rover. It currently sits in Perseverance's belly, only to emerge after the duo touches down on Mars on February 18.

Mars' thin atmosphere, which is 99% less dense than Earth's, will make it difficult for Ingenuity to achieve enough lift to properly fly. Because of this, it has been designed to be extremely lightweight. It stands just 19 inches tall.

Thehelicopter has four large carbon-fiber blades, fashioned into two rotors that span about 4 feet and spin in opposite directions at about 2,400 rpm significantly faster than typical helicopters on Earth.

Additionally, the Jezero Crater, Perseverance's landing spot, is extremely cold temperatures at night drop to minus-130 degrees Fahrenheit. A lot of Ingenuity's power will go directly towards keeping warm rather than flight itself.

Flight controllers at JPL won't be able to control Ingenuity while it's actually flying. Due to significant communication delays, commands will be sent in advance of flights, and the team won't know how the flight went until its over. Ingenuity will be able to make its own decisions about how to fly and keep itself warm.

"This is a technology that's really going to open up a new exploration modality for us, very much like the rovers did 20 years ago when we flew Sojourner on the first mission to Mars," Matt Wallace, Mars 2020 deputy project manager at JPL, said during a news conference last week.

Perseverance is carrying more than two dozen cameras and Ingenuity has two of its own. Here on Earth, we will have a front-row view of Ingenuity's test flights from the rover's perspective, as well as aerial shots from the helicopter itself.

The name Ingenuity was originally submitted by Alabama high school student Vaneeza Rupani for the Mars 2020 rover, which was ultimately namedPerseverance. But the NASA team figured it would be the perfect name for a helicopter that took so much creative thinking to get off the ground.

"The ingenuity and brilliance of people working hard to overcome the challenges of interplanetary travel are what allow us all to experience the wonders of space exploration," Rupani wrote. "Ingenuity is what allows people to accomplish amazing things."

Twenty-eight thousand students across the U.S. submitted essays and proposed names for NASA'snewest Mars rover. Virginia seventh-grader Alexander Mather's suggestion, Perseverance, was ultimately chosen.

The team at NASA has a list of milestones for the helicopter to survive before it ever takes off on Mars:

After all of this, Ingenuity will take off for the first time, hovering just a few feet from the ground for about 20 to 30 seconds before landing. If it makes a successful first flight, the team will attempt up to four other tests within a month's time frame, each gradually pushing the limits of distance and altitude, like a baby bird learning to fly.

"The helicopter Ingenuity is a high risk, high reward endeavor," Wallace said. "It's something we have not tried and there's always going to be some probability of an issue. But that's why we're doing it we'll learn from the issue if it occurs."

Adding a component of aerial exploration could prove crucial tofuture planetary exploration.

"The Ingenuity team has done everything to test the helicopter on Earth, and we are looking forward to flying our experiment in the real environment at Mars," said MiMi Aung, Ingenuity's project manager at JPL. "We'll be learning all along the way, and it will be the ultimate reward for our team to be able to add another dimension to the way we explore other worlds in the future."

Helicopters on future Mars missions could act as robotic scouts, viewing terrain from above that rovers cannot access, or as spacecrafts carrying scientific instruments. They may even be able to help future astronauts someday explore the red planet.

But before any of this can happen, Perseverance needs to survive the "seven minutes of terror" that comprise its entry, descent and landing on Mars.NASAwill be live streaming the historic event on its website on February 18, beginning at 2:15 p.m. ET.

Follow this link:

Everything to know about NASA's Mars Ingenuity helicopter the first to fly on another planet - CBS News

"The team is thrilled to be the supplier of these TPS materials to NASA and to support these exciting missions," stated Steve Violette, Spirit/FMI Senior Scientist, Application Engineering. "Not only will this result in the first samples ever returned from Mars, but it will also feature a game-changing technology that will enable more challenging missions for years to come."

Dragonfly is a planned mission in the New Frontiers Program scheduled to launch in 2027.Dragonfly will send a robotic rotorcraft to the surface of Titan, the largest moon of Saturn, to study chemistry and habitability.FMI manufactures a material called PICA for the Dragonfly spacecraft's heat shield that will enable it to enter Titan's atmosphere.PICA is a proven (TPS) material which has supported several NASA missions including Stardust, Mars Science Lab and the Curiosity Rover, OSIRIS REx, and Mars 2020, which is currently on the way to Mars and scheduled to land in February 2021.

Mars Sample Return (MSR) is a multi-spacecraft mission designed to return samples from Mars. The Mars 2020 spacecraft, protected by its PICA heatshield, will land the Perseverance rover on Mars surface. The Perseverance rover will accomplish several scientific missions, including the collection of samples for MSR.The MSR mission will require two vehicles to return with samples. Under the NASA contract, FMI will supply the TPS materials for both spacecraft which includes PICA and a new innovation called 3MDCP (formerly HEEET) that FMI helped NASA develop.

"Our team has spent a year and a half establishing the capabilities to support TPS production for NASA's exploration missions. As TPS Project Manager, I see the contract award is the culmination of all that hard work," says Taylor Franklin, Spirit/FMI Project Engineer. "It is acknowledgment of the trust NASA has placed in us to deliver the highest quality products required for these missions."

For more information on these missions visit: https://www.nasa.gov/

About Spirit AeroSystems:Spirit AeroSystems is one of the world's largest manufacturers of aerostructures for commercial airplanes, defense platforms, and business/regional jets. With expertise in aluminum and advanced composite manufacturing solutions, the company's core products include fuselages, integrated wings and wing components, pylons, thrust reversers and nacelles. Also, Spirit serves the aftermarket for commercial and business/regional jets. Headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, Spirit has facilities in the U.S., U.K., France, Malaysia and Morocco. More information is available atwww.spiritaero.com.

SOURCE Spirit AeroSystems

http://www.spiritaero.com

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NASA Awards Contract to FMI, a Subsidiary of Spirit AeroSystems, to Contribute to the Future of Deep Space Exploration - PRNewswire

Elon Musks SpaceX dominated the commercial space industry in 2020 and is still growing at unprecedented speed, with multiple groundbreaking projects underway. And yet, SpaceXs vast rocket-building capability and seemingly infinite capital pool are hard to match, the truth is that you dont always need a 200-tall Falcon 9 booster to send satellites into orbit. That gives other startups some hope, a resource has fueled tech company for the last four decades.

A crop of smaller space companies, founded by billionaires and industry veterans alike, are exploring cheaper, more efficient ways to launch small and nano satellites into Earth orbit to meet the booming demand. They are a creative bunch: some have ditched the industry standard vertical-launch system; some are launching rockets from snow-covered mountainous areas; and one company is preparing itself to be the first rocket maker to be traded on NASDAQ.

Richard Bransons Virgin-branded space startups having long used unconventional methods to send humans and payloads into space. Last month, Virgin Orbit, the satellite unit of Virgin Group, successfully sent 10 small satellites to Earth orbit through an air-launch system, where a modified Boeing 747 plane took off from a runway with a 70-feet-tall LauncherOne rocket bundled under one of its wings and released the rocket at an altitude of 35,000 feet (10,700 meters). The rocket then fired up its own engine and further ascended to the orbital plane.

Virgin Orbit says this approach provides more flexibility than the vertical-launch system. The air-launch system can carry up to 1,100 pounds (500 kilograms) of payloads.

As an industry insider recently told Observer, most space startups dont care much about raising money from the public market because, with their founders being multi-billionaires, they dont have to. But thats about to change in 2021 as more entrepreneurs enter the booming commercial space industry and SPAC (special-purpose acquisition company) deals, or reverse mergers, make it easier than ever for small companies to go public.

Earlier this week, San Francisco-based Astra Space, a manufacturer of small (well, 40-foot tall) satellite-delivering rockets, announced that it has agreed to merge with the special-purpose acquisition firm Holicity to go public in a deal worth $2.1 billion.

Founded in 2016, Astra raised only $100 million before the SPAC deal. Whats exciting about this transaction is the speed with which were able to bring the company, Astra CEO Chris Kemp said on CNBCs Squawk Box on Monday. This was the fastest way for us to not only raise over half a billion dollars of capital but also reach public markets.

At no point in the United States 50-year history of space exploration has there ever been a rocket launched from Maine. Nor does NASA has an office there to explore space projects of any kind. The northernmost continental state got in the game last Sunday, though, when Maine startup bluShift Aerospace launched a small prototype rocket from a snow-covered runway at the Loring Commerce Center in Limestone (despite freezing temperatures and two false starts.)

The prototype, named Stardust 1.0, is the worlds first commercial rocket to be powered a bio-derived solid fuel. The single-stage booster stands just 20 feet tall (6 meters) and can carry 17 pounds (8 kilograms) of payload.

During Sundays test, Stardust 1.0 flew to an altitude of just over 4,000 feet (1,220 meters) and returned to the ground with a parachute. The test was intentionally under-fueled to comply with the FAAs time and height restrictions for amateur rocketry. Ultimately, bluShift aims to reach Earth orbit and commercialize Stardust rockets as carriers of nanosatellites.

Rocket Lab, a pioneer of small satellites and delivery rockets, aims for the same reusability future as SpaceX but wants to do so at a fraction of SpaceXs price. The New Zealand-based company has made great progress with Electron, a two-stage booster thats four times smaller than a SpaceX Falcon 9 and costs up to 90 percent less to fly an orbital mission.

Last November, Rocket Lab successfully recovered the first stage of an Electron rocket in a milestone test. The company has planned four test flights in 2021 so far. Founder and CEO Peter Beck said the company is 30 percent done from where we ultimately want to be.

View post:

4 Key Rocket Companies (That Arent Space-X) That Could Upend Space Industry in 2021 - Observer

Boeing, too, hopes to launch a second attempt on March 29 this year after addressing the software issues that prevented Starliner from reaching its destination the first time.

In 2021, the first Indian will be carried by our own rocket to space. The Chandrayaan-3 demonstrator mission will attempt a lunar landing again after the Vikram lander of the Chandrayaan-2 mission crashed in July 2019. The new mission is slated to launch in March this year and would consist of a lunar rover and a stationary lander approved by the Indian government.

K Sivan, the chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), revealed the estimated cost for Chandrayaan-3 to be Rs 6.15 billion (about $91.2 million), a much lower figure in comparison with Chandrayaan-2, which cost Rs 9.7 billion, as per news reports.

Chandrayaan-1, launched in 2008, was one of the first major missions in the Indian space programme. Comprising an orbiter and a surface penetrator probe, it was one of the first missions to confirm evidence of lunar water. Chandrayaan-3 will touch down in the lunar south poles Aitken basin, a vital component for future sustainable lunar habitation.

The agency has also identified four astronauts for Gaganyaan, the countrys first human space flight set for launch in 2021. In 1984, Rakesh Sharma flew in a Russian module, but this time, the Indian astronauts will fly in an Indian module. Sharma, the first Indian to travel to space, was part of the Soviet Unions Soyuz T-11 expedition, launched in April 1984 as part of the Intercosmos programme.

Clearly, 2021 promises to be an exciting one for space missions, and not just because of Indias space plans. There are other major countries as well planning their space missions in the near future. Russia, for one, has reinvigorated its Luna programme to launch the moon mission in 2021 with nine instruments onboard, according to news and space discovery website Space.com. The country is setting the stage to put cosmonauts on the moon under its Russian lander Luna-25, the first Russian craft to reach the moons surface since it was part of the Soviet Union.

Chinas ambitious Tianwen-1 mission will be the first Mars mission with an orbiter, lander and rover to explore the red planet. Tianwen-1, which blasted into space in July 2020, is now more than 15 million km from earth en route the red planet.

South Korea and Japan are also building lunar landers. South Korea, with its first launch of a lunar orbiter slated for the second half of 2022, has been working on a lunar orbiter programme since 2016, Yonhap news agency reported. The spacecraft is expected to reach the moon by December 2022 and conduct a year-long mission that could even be extended, according to the state-run Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI).

Japans first moon rover called Yaoki will take flight aboard the rookie mission for United Launch Alliances new Vulcan Centaur rocket in 2021. The US Artemis project, which includes the goal of sending the first woman and next man to the moon in 2024, is the most ambitious mission. Subsequent missions will explore more of the moon and test the technologies and procedures needed for human exploration of Mars. In this regard, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is seeking new partners to help the agency tell the story of human exploration of the moon with the Artemis programme in ways that engage, excite and inspire audiences.

Boeing, too, hopes to launch a second attempt on March 29 this year after addressing the software issues that prevented Starliner from reaching its destination the first time.

Washington-based company Blue Origin will send its first orbital rocket aloft in 2021. Named New Glenn after the NASA Mercury astronaut John Glenn, the rocket can send up to 14 tons to geostationary orbit and 50 tons to low earth orbit.

An ambitious new NASA mission called Lucy is expected to launch in November this year to study eight space rocks over nearly a decade. With boosts from earths gravity, it will complete a 12-year journey to eight different asteroidsa Main Belt asteroid and seven Trojan asteroids. The swarms of Trojan asteroids associated with Jupiter are thought to be remnants of the primordial material that formed the outer planets. The Trojans orbit the sun in two loose groups, with one group leading ahead of Jupiter in its path, the other trailing behind. The Jupiter trojans, commonly called Trojan asteroids or simply Trojans, are a large group of asteroids that share the planet Jupiters orbit around the sun. These primitive bodies hold vital clues to deciphering the history of the solar system, and perhaps even the origins of organic material on earth.

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A space odyssey: 2021 promises to be an exciting one for space exploration - The Financial Express

By Robert Ross

Im sure all of you have heard of ARK Invest founder, CEO, and CIO Catherine Wood.

She is a crowd favorite at Mauldin Economics annual Strategic Investment Conference. (Mark your calendar for May 514, 2021, and stay tuned to your email for details about this years virtual event.)

Catherine is also one of the worlds greatest investors. Her flagship fund, theARK Innovation ETF (ARKK), was the best-performing actively managed ETF in the world last year.

Two things make this fund unique

First, you wont find many actively run ETFs like this in the market, especially one with a triple-digit gain like the 148% ARKK returned in 2020.

Second, youre not going to find the same kind of staid, safe stocks that anchor traditional investorsand a lot of fund managersportfolios.

Catherine focuses her research on companies that are disruptive. This includes companies that are making a name for themselves with electric vehicles, digital payments, and genetic sequencing.

With such strong performance, its no surprise her assets under management grew tenfold to become the largest active ETF in the worldjust six years after she launched it.

ARKK is already up 18% in 2021. And withtechnology set to be 2021s top-performing sector, theres likely a lot more upside in store.

But if you want real moonshot potential, well, theres about to be an ETF for that, too.

This month, ARK Invest filed paperwork for a new space exploration fund.

TheARK Space Exploration ETF (Pending: ARKX)will hold companies at the forefront of one of the fastest-growing industries on the planet.

A lot has changed in the half-century since Neil Armstrong first stepped on the moon.

The government is still in the game, but the private sector is breaking into the space race in a big way.

A massive $415 billion was spent on the space industry just in 2019. Thats up 79% since 2009:

Some 80% of this spending came from private industry. That is, the companies that build everything from satellite systems to deep-space rocket technology to specialty suits designed for astronauts in flight.

This growth has been explosive, and it shows no signs of slowing down.

Morgan Stanley expects the global space industry to generate over $1 trillion in revenues by 2040.

Thats up from $350 billion today.

A large chunk of this growth will come from US military spending.

Military spending is expected to reach $738 billion next year. Thats 20% of theentirefederal budget.

Not even the current coronavirus recession should cause the US government to scale back on defense spending. It has actuallygrownduring the last six recessions:

And while broader defense spending looks to be rising steadily

The Trump administration was one of the most pro-space administrations in modern history.

It established a new, uniformed branch of the military known as Space Force. And it earmarked $23 billion for space-related projects in the current budget.

That was up 63% from the previous year:

And because 100% of this money will be spent on US companies, owning space-related stocks and ETFs is the ultimate way to buy American.

One segment of the space market that benefits heavily from US government spending is the satellite industry.

According to the Satellite Industry Association, satellite manufacturing is a $20 billion marketplace on its own. Its dominated by large aerospace conglomerates likeBoeing (BA):

Boeing is an obvious beneficiary. Yet it only generates a small part of its sales from space technology.

There are better ways to profit from the new space race

In addition to satellite manufacturers, you also have companies that operate and service these satellites once theyve gone into space.

One such company isIridium Communications (IRDM).

Iridium is responsible for 66 satellites used for worldwide voice and data communication. It provides critical services for pagers, satellite phones, and air traffic control systems.

These are mission-critical systems that need real-time access 24/7. The US government is a reliable client; so are other governments, businesses, and individuals around the globe.

IRDM doesnt pay a dividend. But there are plenty of companies in this stock universe that do

Most pure-play space stocks are small, fast-growing companies. That means they just dont have extra cash left over each quarter to reward their investors.

However, Ive found a duo of dividend payers that benefit directly from space technology

The first is the worlds largest telecom company,AT&T (T).

AT&T is ingrained in the space industry. It is even working with NASA to improve the Deep Space Network, which supports communications during interplanetary space missions.

When it comes to dividend payers, its hard to top AT&T. The company is a Dividend Aristocrat, meaning it has increased its dividend for more than 25 years in a row. In AT&Ts case, it has raised its payout for 35 years in a row.

Then theresGarmin (GRMN), which you might remember for its bulky GPS consoles.

That was lightyears ago. Since then, the company has picked up significant exposure to the space industry. Last year, 20% of its sales were from aerospace.

And with a 2.7% dividend yield, the company is a solid dividend option for income investors.

But its not my top option. MyYield Sharksubscribers know theres one aerospace and defense company that rises above the rest. With a dividend yield thats twice that of the 10-year Treasury bill, its a great option for any income investors portfolio.Click here to unlock this stocktoday.

Originally published by Mauldin Economics, 1/27/21

Link:

These Space Stocks Are Going to the Moon - ETF Trends

Last week, NASA appointed Indian-American Bhavya Lal as its acting chief of staff. Previously, as the senior White House appointee at NASA, Lal served as a member of the Biden Presidential Transition Agency Review Team for the agency and oversaw the agencys transition under the administration of President Joe Biden.

Who is Bhavya Lal?

NASA said in a statement that Lal serves as a member of the research staff at the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) Science and Technology Policy Institute (STPI) from 2005 to 2020 where she led the analysis of space technology, strategy, and policy for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and National Space Council, as well as federal space-oriented organizations, including NASA, the Department of Defense, and the intelligence community.

She earned a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in nuclear engineering, as well as a second MS degree in technology and policy, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Lal also holds a doctorate in public policy and public administration from George Washington University and is a member of the nuclear engineering and public policy honor societies.

She has written extensively on the progress made by ambitious private companies such as SpaceX, Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin in making space tourism a reality. In the summer 2016 issue of the journal Issues in Science and Technology, she noted that in the next 10-15 years, the US government may not be the principal hub of the space community and that Given the pace of innovation and its geographic diversity, government may not always be the owner of the most innovative technology, approach, or architecture. In the same article, Lal said that space ambitions were no longer restricted to major space-faring nations, but included countries such as India, Israel. South Korea, the UK and Singapore that have started showing growing expertise in space exploration and in technology development.

About Space Xs Demo-2 test flight of May 2020, she wrote in June last year, The SpaceX launch provided continuing evidence that solutions-based contracts can add value not only for the government but also for the broader space enterprise. But determining which activities would benefit from having the private sector play a greater role should be a matter of data and analysisnot dogma.

The Demo-2 mission was part of NASAs Commercial Crew Program, which has been working with several American aerospace industry companies to facilitate the development of US human spaceflight systems since 2010, with the aim of developing reliable and cost-effective access to and from the International Space Station (ISS). Such partnerships with private companies meant to find alternatives to crew transportation services other than NASA allow the space agency to focus on building spacecraft and rockets meant for deep space exploration missions.

In a report published by IDA in March 2020 titled, Measuring the Space Economy: Estimating the Value of Economic Activities in and for Space, Lal and the co-authors estimated the size of the space economy to be at $170 billion, which they noted was half of what some other organisations have estimated to be. In their report, they considered space economy to have four sections: government expenditures on space (human space explorations and science and military space programs), space services (expenditures by households and businesses on services generated in space for use on Earth or in space, such as broadband internet provided by satellites), space supplier industry (sales of goods and services such as satellites or space launches, which make possible the achievement of government space missions or the production of goods and services in space for sale on Earth) and space service user support industry (sales of productssuch as consumer satellite TV dishes, global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) hardwarethat are needed to utilize space services).

As the acting chief of staff, Lal will be responsible for the day-to-day operations at NASAs headquarters and will work towards shaping the strategic direction of the space agency.

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Explained: Who is Bhavya Lal, the Indian-American appointed as NASAs acting chief of staff? - The Indian Express

The term hacker has its origins in computer programming subcultures from the 60s, and was used to describe people who wanted to take on hard problems in a spirit of playful exploration and a resistance to unearned authority. Although the methods, means and intentions of hackers varied widely, all seemed to share a unique ethos that mixed a deep commitment to individual autonomy and agency with an equally deep commitment to collaboration and co-creation.

Over time, the concept of hacking has traveled far from its origins, finding its way into a number of domains like Biohacking, Consciousness Hacking, Flow Hacking and Life Hacking. Each is a kind of hacking because each shares this hackers ethos and a commitment to using it to find the most effective ways to optimize the human experience.

We call the common thread that links these hacking communities together, empowered responsibility. This notion expresses the dual recognition that we are no longer able to rely on external authorities to take care of us (in any domain) but through a combination of ubiquitous information, individual experimentation and open collaboration, we are increasingly empowered to take responsibility for ourselves.

In the Biohacking community, the spirit of empowered responsibility drives the process of optimizing ones biological health and performance. Biohackers learn from each other how they can modify their nutrition, exercise, sleep, movement, and mindset to achieve the specific kind of well-being that they individually desire.

The Consciousness Hacking community takes empowered responsibility in using technology as a catalyst for psychological, emotional and spiritual flourishing. They utilize mindfulness techniques and biofeedback tools for self-exploration, taking personal responsibility for their conscious experience in this most individual of journeys.

Emerging from within and alongside these movements, we are observing the coalescence of a new and important domain: Neurohacking.

Whereas biohacking concentrates on the body, and consciousness hacking explores the inner experience, neurohacking is somewhere in the middle, focusing on the mind-brain interface - the intersection of neurology and consciousness. Specifically, neurohacking involves applying science and technology to influence the brain and body in order to optimize subjective experience.

The desired outcomes of neurohacking cover everything from focused productivity, to expanded creativity, more restful sleep, reduced anxiety, enhanced empathy, and anything else that contributes to the psychological well-being and emotional health of whole, thriving human beings.

The technologies of neurohacking run the gamut from chemical technologies like nootropics and entheogens, probiotics to support the gut-brain connection, bioelectrical technologies like neurofeedback and transcranial stimulation, photic therapies like low level laser therapy and all the way to embodied practices like somatics and meditation. So long as there is a scientifically accessible biological mechanism for effecting subjective experience, it belongs in the domain of neurohacking.

Of course, like all emergent phenomena, neurohacking didnt just come from nowhere. For years there have been many movements and communities out there, playing in and pioneering some aspect of the neurohacking space.

Some of these domains include:

We propose that it is now timely and useful to perceive the commonality among these different movements and communities as shared aspects of Neurohacking. And in an effort to make these commonalities more visible and legible to each other, in the upcoming weeks we will take a deeper dive into each, highlight some notable people and projects in each space and explore the frontiers of the community from the point of view of Neurohacking.

In our next post, we will begin this exploration with the domain of Nootropics.

Originally posted here:

What is Neurohacking? - Neurohacker Collective

By NASA // September 7, 2020

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA Many exploration destinations in our solar system are frigid and require hardware that can withstand the extreme cold.

During NASAs Artemis missions, temperatures at the Moons South Pole will drop drastically during the lunar night.

Farther into the solar system, on Jupiters moon Europa, temperatures never rise above -260 degrees Fahrenheit (-162 degrees Celsius) at the equator.

One NASA project is developing special gears that can withstand the extreme temperatures experienced during missions to the Moon and beyond. Typically, in extremely low temperatures, gears and the housing in which theyre encased, called a gearbox are heated.

After heating, a lubricant helps the gears function correctly and prevents the steel alloys from becoming brittle and, eventually, breaking.

NASAs Bulk Metallic Glass Gears (BMGG) project team is creating material made of metallic glass for gearboxes that can function in and survive extreme cold environments without heating, which requires energy.

Operations in cold and dim or dark environments are currently limited due to the amount of available power on a rover or lander.

The BMGG unheated gearboxes will reduce the overall power needed for a rover or landers operations, such as pointing antennas and cameras, moving robotic arms, handling and analyzing samples, and mobility (for a rover).

The power saved with the BMGG gearbox could extend a mission or allow for more instruments.

The team recently tested the gears at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.

At JPLs Environmental Test Laboratory, engineers mounted the motor and gearbox on a tunable beam designed to measure the response an item has to a shock, or forceful impact.

Team members then used liquid nitrogen to cool the gears down to roughly to -279 degrees Fahrenheit (-173 degrees Celsius). Next, they fired a cylindrical steel projectile at the beam to simulate a shock event.

Shock testing is used to ensure spacecraft hardware will not break during events that cause a sudden jolt, such as the release of an antenna or what a spacecraft experiences during entry, descent, and landing.

The test simulated how the bulk metallic glass gears might behave when collecting a regolith sample during the lunar night which spans roughly 14 days on Earth or deploying a science instrument on an ocean world in our solar system.

Before NASA sends hardware like gearboxes, particularly those made with new materials, to extremely cold environments, we want to make sure they will not be damaged by the stressful events that occur during the life of a mission, said Peter Dillon, BMGG project manager at JPL. This shock testing simulates the stresses of entry, descent, and landing, and potential surface operations.

Before each shock test, a team member poured liquid nitrogen over the motor and gearbox contained in a bucket. Liquid nitrogen, which boils at -320 degrees Fahrenheit (-196 degrees Celsius), brought the gearboxs temperature below -279 degrees Fahrenheit (-173 degrees Celsius).

The liquid nitrogen drained and, within a few seconds, a steel impactor fired at a steel beam on which the motor and gearbox were mounted.

The team then ran the motor to drive the gearbox to determine whether or not the shock event had damaged the gearbox and its motor.

The team monitored the electrical current required to run the motor and listened for any irregular sounds that indicated damage. The motor and gearbox were shock tested twice in three different orientations.

Each test demonstrated that the gears could withstand a shock event at a temperature as low as -279 degrees Fahrenheit (-173 degrees Celsius).

This is an exciting event as it demonstrates both the mechanical resilience of the bulk metallic glass alloy and the design of the gearbox, Dillon said.

These gears could help enable potential operations during the lunar night, in permanently shadowed lunar craters, in polar regions on the Moon, and on ocean worlds.

The BMGG team will perform additional cold temperature testing next year to qualify the gears for use in future NASA missions.

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NASA's New Space Exploration Gear Can Withstand Impact, Freezing Temperatures For Lunar Mission - SpaceCoastDaily.com

A member of the Boulder community was among esteemed explorers from around the globe honored at the sixth annual Leif Erikson Exploration awards. Jeff Blumenfeld was named winner of the 2020 Leif Erikson Exploration History Award. Another Coloradan, Broomfield resident Dr. Ulyana Horodyskyj took home the Leif Erikson Young Explorer Award.

The awards were established by the Exploration Museum in 2015 and are awarded for outstanding achievements in exploration and for documentation of exploration history. Located in Hsavk, Iceland, a mere 30 miles from the Arctic Circle, the Exploration Museum dedicated the history of human exploration from early explorers all the way through space exploration. The awardees received their awards in August in a Zoom ceremony, the main event of the Hsavk Explorers Festival.

Blumenfeld, who calls himself a groupie for adventures and explorers, was recognized for his efforts to promote and preserve exploration history. He is the editor and publisher of Expedition News, a website where he has chronicled 26 years of exploration research. In addition to documenting adventures, Blumenfeld has dedicated his career to helping new explorers gain funding.

The explorer historian said he is thrilled to win this award. Recognition from my peers and others in the exploration community is something thats quite rewarding, Blumenfeld says. He feels fortunate to work with explorers and thankful his path has allowed him to work alongside many of his heroes.

This acknowledgment has only strengthened the passion he has for his work. It makes me want to lean in and do even more of what Im doing. Lean in and do even more to support exploration.

Blumenfeld has been a longtime member and leader in the Explorers Club. He has written several books including, Get Sponsored: A Funding Guide for Explorers, Adventurers and Would-Be World Travelers and Travel With Purpose: A Field Guide to Voluntourism, hoping to promote the benefits of exploration and travel.

Exploration is critically important in this world. Its through exploration that we answer many of the questions, many of the mysteries of this planet. Its through exploration that well understand this planet, he says.

Blumenfeld says he is among impressive company for this years award.

COURTESY Ulyana Horodyskyj

The Leif Erikson Young Explorer Award was bestowed upon Dr. Ulyana Horodyskyj for her exceptional achievements in exploration under the age of 35. Horodyskyj fell in love with the outdoors at a young age, which inspired her to pursue a career in geology and glaciology.

She is the founder of Science in the Wild, further distinguishing her in her field as a science communicator. The program is aimed to bring citizen-scientists into the field, by getting people outdoors, thinking like scientists, and collecting data in the field. She says, Science in the Wild is getting people to experience what its like to be a scientist; they contribute to science, and they learn a lot more.

Horodyskyj explains, Im not trying to turn people into scientists, but rather expose them to the kind of work that they do.

Although the pandemic has forced her to reinvent the Science in the Wild experience, the message is still resounding. The big picture is the importance, now more than ever, of science communication and demystifying a lot of things about what it means to be a scientist.

Above all, she wants people to understand that science can be an adventure.

LikeHorodyskyj,Blumenfeld believes the work done by scientists and researchers will make the world a better place.

If I can foster their efforts, Im totally rewarded by that. Thats all the reward I need, he says.

Excerpt from:

Two Coloradans win international exploration awards - The Daily Camera

Scientific American recently reported that Russia is making progress on its long-planned-for Luna-25 moon lander. The slight is set to take place in October 2021.

Luna-25 will be the first Russian lunar lander since the mid-1970s. The lander is a joint project with the European space agency. The mission is planned as the beginning of a Russian attempt to jumpstart its space program by joining the rush to the moon.

The fact that Luna-25 is scheduled to launch in about a year proves that Russian leader Vladimir PutinVladimir Vladimirovich PutinDon't expect Europe to hold Putin accountable in Navalny poisoning Dealing with Russia: Bringing the outlaw state to justice Pelosi: Trump 'engaged in fright and fear' in efforts to 'discredit' voters MORE recognizes one essential truth of the 21st century. The world is divided into countries that explore space and countries that dont matter. Putin, whose reason for living is to restore Russia as a superpower, means for the country that he rules over with the power of a Czar to matter.

Russia has a couple of problems to overcome if it means to use a return to the moon as part of its bid to claw its way back to power and respect.

First, many other countries are shooting for the moon. China has already landed two Change landers on the lunar surface and is planning a sample return mission for later in 2020. China intends to land humans on the moon and establish a base.

Israel and India have attempted moon landings and, even though they have failed, are going to mount second attempts. Israels second attempt is a private venture in partnership with a German company.

A private company in Japan called ispace is planning a moon landing with a probe called Hakuto-R in 2022. Hakuto-R will weigh 750 pounds and will have a payload capacity of 66 pounds.

Russias main rival remains, as it was during the cold war space race, the United States. President Donald TrumpDonald John TrumpSchumer calls for investigation into reports of campaign finance improprieties by DeJoy's former company McCarthy told Trump trashing mail-in voting will hurt Republicans: report Iran broadcasts wrestler's confession following Trump tweet MORE has started the Artemis Project, a plan to expand American power and influence into deep space, starting with a return to the moon with human astronauts in 2024. NASA is sponsoring private moon landings starting next year under the Commercial Lunar Payload Systems program. Probes built by Intuitive Machines and Astrobotic are scheduled to launch in 2021. Masten Space Systems will launch a probe in 2022. All of the landers will carry NASA and commercial payloads and instruments.

The second problem Russia has is a lack of money and a lack of competent, honest management. The budget for Roscosmos has already been cut substantially. Its current budget is the equivalent of $2.4 billion. Russia is losing a revenue stream created by charging for flights on the Soyuz spacecraft to and from the International Space Station (ISS) with the start of commercial American space flights.

Corruption is also a major problem with the Russian space program. Tass reports that the former CEO of the Energia Rocket and Space Corporation Vladimir Solntsev, along with a number of other suspects, have been charged with the misappropriation of $13 million in electronic parts for the ISS. Such instances have become increasingly common in the Russian space program.

Russia thus has an intractable problem. One way to deal with it is to make alliances with other countries. It should come as no surprise that Luna-25 is a joint project with the European Space Agency, something that would have been unthinkable during the glory days of the Soviet Union.

Indeed, considering Russias problems with money and management, the smart policy would be to forge alliances with other countries to further space exploration goals. The United States would be a logical partner. The space station partnership has worked for all concerned. NASA is eagerly establishing international alliances for the Artemis return-to-the-moon program.

However, thus far, Russia has spurned Americas outstretched hand, preferring perhaps China as a space partner. Vladimir Putin does not just want to make Russia great again through space, to coin a phrase. Putin wants to show up the Americans and prove once and for all who is the real space power on the planet.

The success of Artemis and support for that program would demonstrate to Russia the folly of this attitude, something those who regard Putin as an enemy should think about.

Mark Whittington, who writes frequently about space and politics, has published a political study of space exploration entitled Why is It So Hard to Go Back to the Moon? as well as The Moon, Mars and Beyond. He blogs at Curmudgeons Corner. He is published in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, The Hill, USA Today, the LA Times, and the Washington Post, among other venues.

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Russia makes bid to become a space power with Luna-25 mission to the moon - The Hill