What will space exploration look like in 2069, a century after the first moon landing? In the fifth and final episode of podcast series, To the moon and beyond, we speak to space scientists about the missions they are dreaming about and planning for the future.

In episode four we heard about plans to establish a base on the moon, potentially mining the lunar surface for minerals and even water that could be turned into rocket fuel. Episode five finds out what happens when this is built. How could a base on the moon help us travel to other parts of the solar system? And where should we go? These are some of the questions we investigate.

We start by finding out why the moon is seen as such a great place from which to launch missions further into space. Ultimately its down to the fact that the hardest part of any space journey is getting a rocket out of Earths gravity.

Alex Ellery, an associate professor of Space Robotics and Space Technology at Carleton University in Canada, explains the different ways its possible to exploit the moons weak gravity. One way is to build a new space station that orbits the moon something that NASA and other international space stations are already planning.

Another way is to build a base on the moons surface using lunar resources. This would be much more ambitious but could ultimately be safer and more sustainable, according to Ellery:

In fact, there is a veritable host of useful stuff on the moon. Iron, aluminium, titanium, silicon, ceramics, reagents, regolith gases of various kinds, and so on, from which it is possible to build an entire infrastructure and to do this robotically. This is how we get the true value of using the moon as a stepping stone towards Mars and elsewhere.

While different people have different views about when well actually make it back to the moon and how, most academics weve spoken to are confident it will happen. Monica Grady, professor of planetary and space sciences at the Open University in the UK, told us where she would go, once a moon base is set up.

For her, its all about travelling to the places where life might be. This could be Mars, Jupiters moon, Europa, or Saturns moon, Enceladus. Europa and Enceladus are unusual in the sense that they have huge internal liquid oceans buried under a thick sheet of ice heated by the gravitational tug of the huge planets they orbit. Grady says:

If I had to really pick one place where I thought there was definitely going to be life a living life I would say Europa. Because Europa has had all those building blocks, its had all the ingredients, its had plenty of time. I imagine that the ocean floor, Europas ocean floor must be a relatively stable environment [for life to develop].

Grady also explains how scientists would go about finding life on another planet when that life is probably not going to be visible aliens walking around above ground. In cold places like Mars, Europa or Enceladus, its more likely to be some sort of microorganism thats not visible to the naked eye and is deep below the surface.

When it comes to finding life elsewhere in the solar system, a big concern is the extent that humans (and robots built by humans) may contaminate alien ecosystems in the process. At the same time, futurists warn that space exploration is a necessary part of human survival. Anders Sandberg, from the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford University, says the financial cost of space exploration is a worthwhile investment:

In terms of cost effectiveness, space is maybe not in the cheapest way of saving humanity. There are many other important things we can and should do down here. But its not a competition. Its not like the space budget is always eating into the budget of fixing the environment. In fact theyre quite complementary. One of the best ways of monitoring the environment is after all from space.

Sandberg predicts that humans could be living on Mars in 30 to 100 years time. Going beyond our solar system to exoplanets will be much trickier, but this is the next step. And there are scientists working on far flung missions to explore them. Frdric Marin, an astrophysicist at the University of Strasbourg in France, is one. He tells us about ideas for a giant, multi-generational spaceship that could go the distance:

You have to find a way to keep your crew alive for centuries-long missions and part of my work is to investigate if this is feasible in biological terms, in terms of physics, chemistry, food production and energy production, artificial gravity, and so on. So Im currently working on simulations of multi-generational space travels, in which a population will live inside a vessel and procreate, die and the new generation will continue this cycle until the population reaches an exoplanet.

While this kind of mission may get off the ground in the next 50 years, current technology would not see it arrive at the nearest exoplanet until well beyond 2069 into future centuries. So watch this space.

To the moon and beyond is produced by Gemma Ware and Annabel Bligh. Additional reporting by Nehal El-Hadi and Aline Richard. Sound editing by Siva Thangarajah. Thank you to City, University of Londons Department of Journalism for letting us use their studios.

Music: Even when we fall and Western Shores by Philipp Weigl; An Oddly Formal Dance by Blue Dot Sessions; Traverse Night Sky (Non Dreamers) by epitomeZero. All via Free Music Archive.

Take it all in via Zapslat.

Archive footage: Apollo 11 and 17 audio from NASA.

Miriam Frankel, Co-host, To the moon and beyond Podcast, The Conversation and Martin Archer, Space Plasma Physicist, Queen Mary University of London.

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To the moon and beyond 5: What space exploration will look like in 2069 - AlterNet

In one of the buildings of the University of the Philippines science complex, a team of young engineers and scientists is busy at work - studying and building what is supposed to be the countrys first locally made satellite.

Among them is electronics engineer Renzo Wee from Zamboanga, who is responsible for ensuring that the cube satellite can withstand the harsh environment of outer space.

He helped set up a monitor showing the movement of one of the Philippine satellites already deployed in space, Diwata-2, which was assembled by Filipino engineers in another country.

Wee pointed to a marker showing Diwata-2 in the area of the United States.

It wont pass over the Philippines until much later, the 24-year-old engineer said.

The marker inched up the map, which basically means Diwata-2 is moving - hurtling across space - 620 kilometers above ground.

The satellite that Wee and the other scholars are working on is much smaller than the 56-kilogram Diwata-2. At 10 cubic centimeters, a cube satellite can easily rest on the palm of your hand. Despite its small size, it is packed with instruments such as sensors and cameras, which will allow government to survey agricultural crops, protected forests and other areas of concern.

CHILDHOOD DREAM

As a child, Wee dreamt of becoming an astronaut and so he was immensely interested when he read on social media that the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) was offering scholarships for those willing to participate in their microsatellite program.

Its better to live a life full of Oh wells than live a life full of What ifs, he said, recalling how he decided to try out for the scholarship, which requires participants to let go of their jobs to become full-time students.

For the longest time, young Filipinos like Wee who wanted to become astronauts or be involved in space research had no way of pursuing it in the Philippines. Those who had the means to seriously pursue their passion often had to study and work abroad.

But in recent years, the Philippines has been investing in space research. Since 2015, UP and the DOSTs Advanced Science and Technology Institute (DOST-ASTI) have been sending engineers to Japan to participate in its microsatellite program, in a bid to further the nations technological capabilities and to save money spent on satellite imagery from other countries. The partnership with Japan has resulted in the assembly and launch of the following satellites in the last four years: microsatellite Diwata-1 (2016), cube satellite Maya-1 (2018) and microsatellite Diwata-2 (2018).

In August, the Philippines approved a law creating its own space agency.

With the future of space exploration looking bright, Wee is excited to see what will happen in the next few years.

IMPORTANT STEP

After a series of tests and screening, Wee and seven others from different science backgrounds and regions were accepted into UPs graduate program for electrical engineering and into the Space Technology and Applications Mastery, Innovation and Advancement (STAMINA4Space) program of the DOST.

For Dr. Joel Joseph Marciano, who heads the STAMINA4Space program and the DOST-ASTI, said making cube satellites locally is an important step for the Philippines.

Building satellites is one way you can be in space, he said. These smaller satellites are becoming more powerful, can take meaningful missions, experiments in space.

Marciano said it can be likened to cellphones that are small but are now able to take videos and other data.

We expect these platforms (satellites) to evolve, he says.

Marciano said they chose a university setting for their team because of practical reasons - an existing graduate program, among others - and the fact that all the creative ideas, all the young enthusiastic hardworking people are there.

You just need to guide and mentor them. Give them a lot of resources, he said.

UNIQUE LEARNING EXPERIENCE

Under the nanosatellite track of UPs Master of Science or Master of Engineering in Electrical Engineering program, the scholars are being personally trained by senior engineers who created the first batch of Filipino-made satellites.

Assistant professor Paul Jason Co, head of the STAMINA4Spaces Space Science and Technology Proliferation through University Partnerships (STeP-UP), says the students attend lectures and are subjected to hands-on training.

They learn about satellite communications, space environment, orbital mechanics, Co said. In directed studies thats where they actually learn how to build the cube satellite.

Co said they have a replica of Maya-1, which they use to teach the graduate students. Theyve been studying the different components of Maya-1Theyve been playing around with all aspects of Maya-1. And they do that hands-on not just by reading books. And thats the very unique part of this degree program.

As Wee and the others work on their computers, computer engineer Lorilyn Daquioag is hunched over a circuit board, cutting and connecting wires.

The 31-year-old engineer from Davao City is studying how to create an onboard computer.

(Its) the brain of the satellite, she said as she tested her work.

Like Daquioag, two scholars from the Philippine Navys Naval Research and Technology Department - electronics and communications engineer Marielle Gregorio, 32, and computer science graduate Christy Raterta, 30 - are working on their circuit boards.

Their ultimate mission? To help start the Navys own microsatellite program.

While our ships have radars for surveillance, the coverage is limited. If you have a satellite in space, your will have a broader coverage, said Gregorio, who hails from Bohol.

Gregorio is assigned to build the electronic power system, which gives life to the satellite, while Raterta is responsible for the satellites program. Both of them work together on the satellites radio.

Its fun, Raterta, who is from Iligan, told ABS-CBN. Each one of us have his or her own set of skills. So we are able to help each other on areas we are not familiar with.

Bryan Custodio, 22, who was an electronics engineering instructor at the FEU Institute of Technology, said their rigorous training is one-of-a-kind.

Every day is a chance to learn something new, says Custodio who is the designated team leader.

CHALLENGES

Since all of the scholars are required to be full-time students, relying mainly on their stipends, each of them has had to make their own sacrifices.

You have to leave your job. All of us have our own sacrifices, said Daquioag who not only had to leave her career in the software industry but also bring her child with her to live in Metro Manila.

Despite this, she said getting the scholarship is a great opportunity to learn skills that she can share with the younger generation of Filipinos who want to be involved in science and technology.

Meanwhile, Gregorio has to be away from her daughters who are staying with her parents in Bohol. Although this has been the case before as she and her husband, who is also with the Navy, are deployed elsewhere in the Philippines.

For the most part, these young engineers believe that challenges make the work more interesting.

Gladys Bajaro, who was a research staff of the Philippine microsatellite program before applying for a scholarship, said she is inspired to follow the footsteps of senior engineers who constructed the Philippines first microsatellites.

Its challenging but exciting work so far, said the 21-year-old electronics and communications engineer who is in charge of the ground station and the satellites mission payload, which will include cameras and other components.

Meanwhile, electronics engineer Judiel Reyes, 25, and applied physics graduate Derick Canceran, 21, are both fascinated at the number of components they are trying to fit inside the cube satellite.

How do they fit everything into a single cube? Reyes said. That brings excitement to engineers - to be able to do something that seems impossible.

Its also a challenge to decide which components to choose, said Canceran, who is using his physics background to set up the satellites control system.

There are also challenges that are out of the engineers' hands, such as procurement through a government institution.

The program is still new so acquiring equipment is still a challenge, Canceran says.

Marciano says the program is really meant to reveal inherent problems in transplanting processes learned overseas.

We dont want our researchers worrying about those things, Marciano says of administrative and other logistical tasks.

LOCALIZATION

Besides testing how possible it is to assemble satellites in the Philippines, Co said among the main objectives of the program is to localize payload such as cameras.

They will do this by using locally-made and commercially-available components and testing them in space.

In the past, it was the other way around, with scientists and engineers creating space-grade equipment that are later used on Earth. With the advancement in technology, some consumer components might prove to be space-grade as well, according to Marciano.

We are engaging local industries, Co said. At the end of the day, the main goal of the program is to build the space industry (in the Philippines).

Co said this will ensure that locally-made satellites will remain sustainable. Its not sustainable to always rely on foreign partners for supply.

Marciano added that they want to encourage the local industry to go beyond their usual customer-supplier relationship.

We want to bring that to the next level, he says. We want to have partnerships with industry groups and companies wherein theyre also willing to make an investment to learning this technology and how they can expand their current portfolio.

FUTURE

In a year or so, the scholars will delivery two cube satellites, which will then be deployed in space to join other Philippine satellites.

During Diwata-2s anniversary this year, Marciano said the Philippines will have 13 satellites in five years, some of them in space and the others serving as engineering models for students.

Asked what their plans are after the launch, team leader Custodio said he might go back to the academe and share what he learned, adhering to the main objective of the program.

Like the others, he is also mulling the possibility of joining the government.

Once the Philippine Space Agency is fully established, maybe we can all be part of it, he said.

As for Wee, he is already thinking about the possibility of the Philippines launching its own rocket in the future.

Were near the equator. Its more efficient, he said. Thatll be our advantage against other launching sites. It would boost our economy.

While Marciano believes that it will probably take a long time before we can launch our own rocket or send a Filipino to space, he is optimistic about bringing the microsatellite program down to the undergraduate and even high school level.

He said people should not underestimate cube satellites, which provide society with important data.

Satellites are things that we utilize every day, Marciano said, explaining how they are used for weather monitoring, mapping land use, traffic apps and systems used to observe the earth from space. Without them we are less productive.

At the end of the day, its all about information being at hand when we need it. Satellites contribute to it, he said.

Last month, STAMINA4Space announced a new call for applications for its second batch of scholars. Visit their Facebook page (STAMINA4Space / PHL-Microsat) for more information.

satellite, cube satellite, DOST, space, space technology, Department of Science and Technology, University of the Philippines

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Meet the future of Philippine space exploration - ABS-CBN News

Read: Astronomers cant decide what the sun is made of

To ponder the unknowns feels like sitting with an inquisitive toddler. Why is the suns outer atmosphere, the corona, so hot? Where does the solar wind come from? Why does it shoot out of the corona like that? What makes the sun flare up sometimes, shooting even more excited particles out into space? These are some of the questions that scientists hope Parker can answer before its mission ends in 2025, with a fiery plunge right into the sun.

NASA released the first batch of results this week, published across four papers in Nature. The findings come from measurements of the corona, which is, remarkably, hotter than the surface itself. The corona extends millions of miles from the surface into space. The region is only visible to the naked eye during a solar eclipse, when the moon casts a shadow on the Earth and blocks out the sun, leaving only a golden ring hanging in a darkened sky.

The corona unleashes powerful streams of high-energy particles, known as the solar wind, which can be felt all across the solar system, and far beyond Pluto. The data from the Parker probe show that the solar wind is far more turbulent near the sun than in our own vicinity, tens of millions of miles away. The wind drags the suns magnetic field out into space, and even bends the field enough for magnetic forces to completely flip around for a few minutes at a time, pointing back at the sun itself instead of into space. The researchers werent expecting the strength of this effect, as well as how often it seems to occur.

Scientists also found that shifts in the suns magnetic field speed up the particles flowing away from the sun much faster than any of their models had predicted. Astronomers have spent decades probing the depths of countless distant stars in the cosmos, some of them billions of light-years away, but their own still keeps secrets from them.

Read: Where is our suns twin?

Scientists havent been able to make such close-up detections with instruments on Earth, or even with earlier missions to the sun, which never got as close. For studying the sun, proximity is everything. Imagine that we live halfway down a waterfall, and the water is always going past us, and we want to know, what is the source of the waterfall up at the top? says Stuart Bale, a scientist at the University of California at Berkeley, and the lead on a Parker instrument that examines the solar wind by measuring magnetic fields. Is there an iceberg melting up there? Is there a sprinkler system? Is there a lake, a hole in the ground? And its very hard to tell from halfway down. So what Parker has done is got us closer than ever to the sun.

At every close approach, the Parker probe will also get closer to pulling off one of the toughest feats of robotic space exploration. It sounds counterintuitive, but its actually harder to reach the sun than it is to leave the solar system altogether. The suns gravity is always tugging at everything around it, from giant planets to tiny moons, but those objects are also looping around the sun at great speeds, which keeps them from falling toward it. To get to Mars, you only need to increase slightly your orbital speed. If you need to get to the sun, you basically have to completely slow down your current momentum, Yanping Guo, the mission-design and navigation manager for the Parker Solar Probe, explained to me.

Go here to read the rest:

The Mystery at the Center of the Solar System - The Atlantic

Jennifer Vaughn November30,2019

A Look Back at The Planetary Society's Founding Documents

The --------- Society. During the months leading up to the founding of The Planetary Society, that was the organization's place-holder name. 40 years ago, Planetary Society founders Carl Sagan, Bruce Murray, and Louis Friedman took an idea and turned it into the public movement that continues to advance space science and exploration today.

The beginning of our beginning goes back to a need and a potential solution. It was 1979 and, after the initial exploration of our solar system in the 1960s and 70s, the U.S. was dramatically scaling back planetary exploration efforts. Society co-founders Carl Sagan a well-known and well-respected planetary scientist and Bruce Murray the Director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) were actively advocating for more missions and more exploration. As they did so, they learned that decision-makers were using perceived public apathy to justify defunding U.S. planetary exploration.

Having worked with the Mariner, Pioneer, Viking, and Voyager missions, Carl and Bruce had ample anecdotal evidence of significant public support for planetary exploration, but they were unable to prove the breadth and depth of this public support. This challenge led Carl and Bruce to wonder whether a grassroots public organization such as the Sierra Club, Audubon Society, or Cousteau Society could be created to prove and harness public support for planetary exploration.

Carl and Bruce identified Louis D. Friedman a JPL engineer who was finishing a year in Washington D.C. as a Congressional Science Fellow on the Senate space subcommittee staff as a potential organizer of such an organization. In May 1979, Lou met with Bruce, his boss at JPL, and learned about their idea for the organization.

Lou's personal diary gives a glimpse of this first meeting:

The Planetary Society

Lou had independently been thinking that a group focused on exploration could be a powerful tool to support future NASA missions. Lou was intrigued by the possibility of taking on the lead organizing role, even jotting in his diary, "Neat opportunity; can't pass up."

The proposed timeline was aggressive Carl and Bruce envisioned incorporating the organization in about six months. Over those months, Lou was tasked with learning as much as possible about starting and running a successful non-profit.

The founders identified key tenets to form the foundation of the organization. Most importantly, the organization needed to be broad and open to the public. In an August 1979 draft description for the still-unnamed organization, Lou Friedman wrote, "As space exploration has no single rationale, neither does it serve a single constituency. Those who care about its conduct come from many walks of life and hold many outlooks on why and how space exploration should be conducted." Lou went on to write that the goal of this nascent organization would be to "bring together the various constituencies and to provide a public opportunity for participation in and support of the continuing exploration of space."

In the same memo, Lou drafted goals and objectives for the nascent organization:

The Planetary Society

By the end of November, just 6 months after the three co-founders began discussing the idea, the organization which they named The Planetary Society was ready to incorporate. The following memo memorializes the founders thinking about the purpose, status, and plans of The Planetary Society.

The Planetary Society

Finally, on November 30, 1979, the founders filed the organization's Articles of Incorporation.

The Planetary Society

Today, The Planetary Society is still pursuing the goals that Carl, Bruce, and Lou set decades ago. For four decades, our visionary members have been taking action for space, proving public support for planetary exploration and the search for life beyond Earth. And to us, this is still only the beginning.

Throughout 2020, The Planetary Society will be celebrating our 40th anniversary. As we celebrate we will continue to share archival documents, photos, and videos we've compiled over the decades. Thanks to a partnership with Californias Huntington Library, we know these archives will be maintained for generations to come.

Become a member of The Planetary Society and together we will create the future of space exploration.

Join Today

LightSail 2 launched aboard the SpaceX Falcon Heavy. Be part of this epic point in space exploration history!

Donate

Continued here:

Creating A Movement for Space - The Planetary Society

They are not for everyone, but theres no doubt that alcoholic beverages have been part of human culture for as long as there has been human culture. And theres no reason to think booze wont follow us across the solar system. Host Mat Kaplan talks with Chris Carberry about his comprehensive and eye-opening book, Alcohol in Space: Past, Present and Future. The December Solstice edition of The Planetary Report has just been published online. Editor-in-chief Emily Lakdawalla provides an enticing overview of its contents. Weve also got headlines from The Downlink, and a glance at the crowded night sky in Whats Up.

What are the names of the first two modules joined to form the core of the International Space Station?

What is the largest known object in our solar system that, as of now, has NOT been visited by a spacecraft? Flybys count. The Sun does not.

The winner will be revealed next week.

What is the new or relatively new name for the most distant object visited by a spacecraft?

Arrokoth is the new name for the most distant object visited by a spacecraft. It had been informally called Ultima Thule by the New Horizons team.

Mat K.: [00:00:00] What? More beer in space? How about cognac? This week on Planetary Radio. Welcome. I'm Mat Kaplan of The Planetary Society with more of the human adventure across our solar system and beyond. We humans have brought along our spirits, the liquid kind, wherever we have roamed. Chris Carberry says they will follow us across the final frontier. We'll talk with him about his new book called, what else, Alcohol in Space. It's about much more, including the embryonic attempts at space agriculture. You'll be glad to hear Emily Lakdawalla's back with a brand new edition of The Planetary Report, and we'll have some fun later with the chief scientist. Bruce Betts has another space trivia quiz in store, along with a meteor shower. We'll open with these sample headlines from The Downlink, presented by Planetary Society Editorial Director, Jason Davis.

There's no bigger news in [00:01:00] this week's Downlink than the decisions made last week about funding for the European Space Agency. ESA will move forward with the Hera mission, a spacecraft that will visit asteroid Didymos in 2026 after it has been smacked by NASA's dark probe. The resulting data will provide invaluable guidance as we work toward the ability to deflect near Earth objects. That same budget will pay for a Mars rover designed to retrieve the surface samples collected years earlier by NASA's 2020 rover, and then boost them toward a European orbiter that will return them to anxious scientists on Earth.

And then there's the moon. ESA will build two components of the lunar gateway, a refueling and communications module and, in collaboration with Japan, a habitat for visiting humans. The agency is also working on a large lunar lander. There's more waiting for you every Friday at [00:02:00] planetary.org/downlink. Here is the Planetary Society Senior Editor and Editor-in-Chief of its magazine, Emily Lakdawalla. Emily, I have had a- a preview exposure to the December solstice edition of The Planetary Report. It is outstanding once again, no less than I expected. And I'm glad that you're, uh, here to give us a little overview. Tell us about some of the highlights.

Emily L.: Well, the main highlights for this issue are the- the feature articles we have contributed by Abigail Fraeman and Javier Gomez-Elvira on, uh, what we learned looking back at the Mars exploration rover missions, and then looking forward at what we're going to do with the coming rover missions to further the search for life on Mars.

Mat K.: Of course, Abigail is an old favorite of ours, uh, particularly talking about spirit and opportunity. But now she's part of the curiosity mission, right?

Emily L.: Absolutely. Yeah. Abigail, I first met when she was in high school. She was one of my red rover goes to Mars student astronauts. She was lovely then and is lovely today, and I couldn't be prouder of the fact that she [00:03:00] is now deputy project scientist for the Mars exploration rover missions, and like you say, very involved with the curiosity mission.

Mat K.: What a success story she has been. Uh, can you tell us something about, uh, Javier? Uh, it is he who looks to the future of exploration on Mars.

Emily L.: That's right. He, for some time, headed the Centro de Astrobiologa in Spain, so the center for astrobiology. And astrobiology is obviously the main topic if you're looking for life on Mars. So I asked him in particular to look forward because ExoMars is a mission that's really hoping to, um, advance the search for life on Mars today with its deep drill. So it has a drill that can get down about two meters beneath the surface. In Javier's article, he explains the different kinds of signs of- of life, mostly evidence of past life, that we're looking for in the rocks that, uh, ExoMars will be able to drill.

Mat K.: You got all the other, uh, usual features in the magazine. There's lots more to look forward to.

Emily L.: Absolutely. There's a whole lot going on across the solar system. You get that in the, uh, Where We Are feature that I put in. And we [00:04:00] also kind of come back to Earth a little bit, with Frank [inaudible 00:04:03], for instance, about why we explore the solar system, and with a neat little, uh, image feature on the way that we simulate Pluto in the laboratory here on Earth with [inaudible 00:04:11].

Mat K.: This, uh, edition of The Planetary Report also is sort of a right of passage, I suppose. I'm not too sad to say that you're gonna be moving on. I'm not sad because of what you'll be- what you'll be returning to.

Emily L.: I've, uh, helmed The Planetary Report for slightly less than two years. In that time, I've transformed it from, um, the publication it was before. I've- I've added a bunch of cool things, I think, including infographics and some new features featuring the kinds of people involved in space missions. I've, uh, changed the way we report The Planetary Society's activities and I'm really proud of what I did with the magazine, but I found out, being an editor wasn't really my bag. I wanna write.

Mat K.: [laughs].

Emily L.: I desperately wanna write and I have not had time. So, um, I am stepping aside from the editorship in order [00:05:00] that I can get back to doing what I think I do best, which is to explain science and engineering to the public. And I'll be doing a lot more of that in The Planetary Report and on our website going forward. I'm not actually completely stepping aside. I'll still be involved in helping to find great authors for the feature articles. I'll still be writing the, uh, snapshots from space and working on a couple of the other more educational content features there, but I'll have a lot more time to write from now on.

Mat K.: In that case, we'll get the best of both worlds or, considering who we are, the best of all worlds.

Emily L.: [laughs].

Mat K.: Thank you, Emily.

Emily L.: You're welcome, Mat.

Mat K.: That's Emily Lakdawalla, Senior Editor at The Planetary Society, and, at least still for the moment, Editor-in-Chief of The Planetary Report, uh, where she has done outstanding work. And you can read that, uh, edition, that December solstice edition of The Planetary Report at planetary.org. Of course, our members will be getting the printed copy.

It's the holiday season here in the U.S. and across much of the world. That means our thoughts turn to loved [00:06:00] ones, cherished memories and hope for a better future. That future is likely defined some of us in Earth orbit and beyond, even after nearly 60 years of human space travel, there are huge questions that must be answered if we are to become a space faring species. Making or drinking alcoholic beverages in space might not be at the top of many list but there is history here and there are efforts underway that might result in far more than the ability to enjoy a cold one on Mars.

These topics and much more are in the new book by Chris Carberry. Chris is the Co-Founder and CEO of Explore Mars, Inc. and has written extensively about space topics, but this is his first book. Chris, thanks so much for joining me on Planetary Radio, actually, rejoining me because this is far from the first time we've talked, there are all those, uh, times we've spoken at the Humans to Mars Summit that, uh, you run on behalf of Explore Mars where you are the CEO, and, uh, [00:07:00] maybe we'll be able to talk about what's coming up for the 2020, uh, summit in Washington DC toward the end of today's conversation. Of course, the major topic is this book that I've enjoyed reading, Alcohol in Space, Past, Present and Future. Uh, it's out now from McFarland & Company. I enjoyed it enormously. Thanks for this, Chris.

Chris C.: Well, thank you, Mat. It was a lot of fun writing it. And an unusual topic but a very real topic as you saw and is based on a lot of research and a lot of interesting stories and a fascinating number of organizations actually trying to figure out if alcohol- alcohol can be manufactured in space.

Mat K.: And you cover a lot of ground here. Now if somebody was just to look at the- the fairly fanciful cover, which has this, um, astronaut in full EVA regalia holding a- a frosty glass of something, with another one in the background sidling up to a, uh, uh, it looks like a bar maybe [inaudible 00:07:57]. Between these and Andy Weir, author Andy [00:08:00] Weir's very entertaining forward, people might think that this is just for laughs, but you clearly did a lot of research putting this together.

Chris C.: Absolutely. As you mentioned, yeah, the cover is a bit, you know, [laughs] comical, but the topic-

Mat K.: It's fine.

Chris C.: ... while I- while I do try to keep it lighthearted, is very real and it's based on a lot of research. As you may know, actually, I come from a research background. I... before my career in space exploration, I actually was a research historian, an archivist, and I did a lot of research helping authors writing biographies and histories. So I put that same sort of discipline into writing this book and trying to get as much firsthand information as possible. And I interviewed probably 50 or 60, um, experts in various fields, former astronauts, people from the alcohol industry, from science fiction community, historians, technologists and people, experts in agriculture as well, trying to b... put together a- [00:09:00] a large picture to show not only why this is inevitable that there'll be alcohol in space, and frankly, already has been, but why it's played such a prominent role in history and why it's likely to move forward.

Mat K.: And among those, uh, people that you talked to, my boss, uh, the CEO of The Planetary Society, Bill Nye, who I suspect would not, uh, refuse a nice glass of Bordeaux or- or some other libation in space.

Chris C.: Yeah, I suspect you're correct there. And I should note, it's very timely with the release in this book because 12 bottles of Bordeaux were launched to ISS just last month for an aging experiment.

Mat K.: [laughs].

Chris C.: So even since the book has come out, they have an additional alcohol related experiment sent into space, so I'm glad you mentioned Bordeaux [laughs].

Mat K.: Well, long before humans brought alcohol into space, uh, alcohol was no stranger, was it, to the space between the stars?

Chris C.: Uh, yeah, very correct there. We've- we've discovered large, enormous clouds of [00:10:00] ethanol and methanol in space, too far away for us to go, not likely we could go and [inaudible 00:10:05] and have a drink but nonetheless, it's already been there, um, naturally occurring, well, obviously, for billions and billions of years.

Mat K.: Maybe someday, somebody will invent a- a bizarre ramjet to collect alcohol and bottle it in, uh, in the deep reaches of space.

Chris C.: Maybe. It will be an interesting marketing. People were looking for some sort of market in space, you can find a way of collecting that.

Mat K.: [laughs]. I'm not gonna hold my breath, uh, or my glass. Um, uh, you- you start with much more recently, but, uh, a history, uh, humanities history with alcohol that goes back really far. I mean, it's a brief history, you don't intend it to be exhaustive, but it does show that, uh, booze has accompanied us wherever we've gone and- and, uh, it seems that you expect that it will follow us across the solar system.

Chris C.: Well, absolutely. And I thought [00:11:00] that chapter was extremely important. Without context, I think what could be far less effective to show that alcohol has played an integral role in human culture from the very beginning. We have evidence of intentional fermentation way back over 10,000 years. It's been part of human culture. And many... there are many experts who believe that the desire for an alcoholic beverage actually may have played more of a role in the development of early agriculture than the actual desire for food [laughs]. And of course, agriculture was one of the enabling, uh, technologies for civilization.

But throughout society, it's played a critical role, not always a good one. There's no question that alcohol is a dark... there's a dark side to alcohol but sometimes, we ignore the very positive things, roles that alcohol played throughout human civilization, whether it be in diplomacy, to social gatherings, religion, as I mentioned before, agriculture. It's been [00:12:00] constantly a part of human culture all through history, and I don't expect that's gonna stop once we start exploring space, particularly if we can finally get private sectors, space exploration or astronauts going into space, private tourists, or if there were settlers going off to new worlds, like the moon or Mars, in almost certainty that they will actually want to drink [laughs], probably smuggle it along with them, but eventually start manufacturing their own alcohol in space.

Mat K.: Yeah. And Andy Weir, who we've already mentioned, wrote the forward for the book. He says he fully agrees with you and in fact, his most recent novel, Artemis, uh, there is alcohol in that base on the moon, oh, it's really a vacation community. Um, alcohol plays a pretty important part there. I guess I shouldn't be surp... shouldn't have been surprised that, uh, alcohol has been along for the ride almost from the beginning of space travel.

Chris C.: Yeah, absolutely. At the beginning, at the early part of the space ex... yeah, [00:13:00] space program, um, alcohol, we sent up a number of times these gags, like for instance, in Apollo 8, uh, three bottles of brandy were sent up. Um, they didn't drink them but, you know, they were sent up more as a gag for their holiday meals. You recall, it was there around the Christm- Christmas time, holiday season, when Apollo 8 was up there. Uh, and of course, in my book, I note Jim Lovell's bottle, obviously unconsumed, was auctioned off for a large amount. I can't remember off the top of my head what it was auctioned off for. But there were also other occurrences, like this has been a well-documented one, [inaudible 00:13:34] performed a, uh, communion ceremony on the surface of the moon and consumed, um, wine as part of it.

To my knowledge, this is the only time in human history, somebody has consumed wine or any other alcoholic beverage on another planetary body. But even more recently, I think we've seen tales of, we've heard about, heard the rumor about alcohol on for... the former Mir space [00:14:00] station and on the International Space Station. Well, it has occurred. Well, people say there must be a lot of vodka up on Mir in the past or the Russian section of ISS. Uh, that's actually not entirely correct, not vodka. The preferred drink in space has actually been cognac. And so cognac has been smuggled up over time, not in huge amounts, and this is where I think a lot of the misperceptions have taken place.

It has taken place, people do cons- consume alcohol in space, but usually, in small amounts, you know, small, little shots hanging in the air, these little orbs of cognac, you know, in the air in microgravity.

Mat K.: [laughs].

Chris C.: I think it served an interesting role. It's not just the Russians. They have, um, from the reports I've seen, they occasionally have these little receptions where you get the international crew together for s... you know, special events and they all come together and bond. And I actually think it's played an interesting and important [00:15:00] diplomatic role to, um, be able to bond the crews, his international crews and sometimes, a challenging situation. I have not encountered one report, that doesn't mean there... it hasn't happened, but haven't, uh, encountered one report of over-consumption, inebriation in space. It sounds like it's all been quite, um, responsible and in such small amounts, it would not cause inebriation.

Mat K.: More from Chris Carberry about alcohol in space is just ahead. I am very happy to once again welcome back The Great Courses Plus. It's the educational streaming surface that makes learning very easy and accessible, and there are thousands of lectures on practically any topic that you can think of, with the best, and I'm really serious here, I have never taken one of these courses or- or completed one of these courses, that wasn't delivered by an absolutely fantastic professor. And the one that I wanna recommend this [00:16:00] week, I'd mentioned it before, it's Apollo 11, Lessons for All Time. Not one, four different professors, each of them exploring a different aspect of Apollo 11. It is an absolutely terrific course and you can listen, you know, whenever it's convenient, your lunch break, at the gym, in the kitchen.

Uh, they make it so easy to do this because it's all streamed directly to you. You can hear this course for free. Go to thegreatcoursesplus.com/planetary for access to the full Great Courses Plus library for one month. That's thegreatcoursesplus.com/planetary. Happy learning.

We all know how alcohol can sometimes, uh, and maybe frequently lubricates social relationships. I was also... it was very interesting, uh, how you revealed how good Russian and other astronauts have gotten at, uh, [00:17:00] hiding, uh, secreting, uh, little packets of, uh, alcohol, uh, that they can, you know, they're not officially allowed to bring up into space, but apparently, the Russian officials kind of looked the other way. I mean, some of them actually think it's, uh, it maybe, uh, healthy, uh, for personally, not just for social, uh, social lubrication.

Chris C.: No, absolutely. It... well, it is formally, officially prohibited within the sp... Russian space program as well, it's not as strictly adhered to [laughs] as it is with NASA. And so, yeah, you... there are a lot of quotes and various Russian officials and cosmonauts think it's healthy for them to drink it, primarily just something to help them, um, relax after a har- hard day's work. Uh, I- I don't disagree with that. But as you mentioned, now I don't disagree with the official prohibition, but I think- I think it has played an interesting important role and frankly, a healthy role in some regards.

But as for the smuggling, yeah, they've come up [00:18:00] with, from what I read, some, um, astronauts and cosmonauts are allowed to bring up a certain amount of weight, their weight, carry some things along with them.

Mat K.: Sure.

Chris C.: There were some reports of cosmonauts intentionally losing weight before their lunch so they could bring up that amount of weight worth of cognac-

Mat K.: [laughs].

Chris C.: ... you know, or hiding it, you know, in places like [inaudible 00:18:21] books or other places like that. One of the places where they al- also would do this by sticking it in their suits, ideal with this and the book as well, kind of some of the interesting, um, traditions, preflight traditions. The Russians have some, um, extremely rigid preflight tra- traditions based on what Yuri Gagarin did before his flight. And there's this famous story of Gagarin having to, well, uh, urinate [laughs] before going, getting to the rocket, getting out of the bus and, you know, urinating on the back of a tire of the transport vehicle.

So now, everybody going up through the Russian space program, they go through [00:19:00] this regimented process, get out of the bus and either urinate on the back of the tire or pretend they're urinating on the back of the tire [laughs]. That's al- also a place where a lot of people, well, I've heard, occasionally find that opportunity to stick something in their space suits [laughs].

Mat K.: [laughs]. And- and I will point out that, uh, uh, this is not, uh, too sexist. Uh, the women who, uh, are going up on the [inaudible 00:19:26], uh, have been known to bring a small container of something that may or may not be, uh, urine, uh, and splash it against the... that tire.

Chris C.: Well, yeah. I- I should've mentioned that. Yeah. This is not just for men. Yeah, the women go through this, uh, tradition as well but obviously have to do it in a different way.

Mat K.: Well, maybe we'll leave that topic alone for now. But [laughs]...

Chris C.: [laughs].

Mat K.: And not pursue that, but you do have an entire chapter as well, uh, about, uh, the role of alcohol in science fiction. Uh, I just finished rereading a collection of Arthur C. Clarke's short stories, and as you know, there are [00:20:00] some very fun ones that are set in this fictitious pub, The White Hart pub-

Chris C.: Yeah, yeah.

Mat K.: ... and, uh, you give them honorable mention in y- in your... in this chapter.

Chris C.: Yeah, I do. And I'd certainly, I probably missed a lot of... well, I know I missed a lot 'cause I intentionally, [inaudible 00:20:14] mentioned all of them so people, I probably missed a lot of people's favorite alcohol stories and science fiction, but once again, it's been, not... maybe not critical, but a really key part of a lot of different science fiction, from practically the beginning, not even practically, the beginning of science fiction, yeah, Jules Verne had it and H.G. Wells talked about it, moving forward in literature, you know, with, uh, Ray Bradbury, uh, Martian Chronicles, it was wine, you know, available and they would make, you know, be able to make it.

In television and movies, we certainly see a lot of it, you know. In Star Trek, we all know about, um, Ten Forward on the Enterprise or [crosstalk 00:20:55].

Mat K.: I've had a rum, mule and ale or two.

Chris C.: Hey, rum, mule and ale. And there's even a, [00:21:00] um, a science fiction bar which I mentioned on Hollywood Boulevard, in Hollywood, called the Scum and Villainy Cantina-

Mat K.: [laughs].

Chris C.: ... obviously based on modeled on the Star Wars bar, and they serve all these different science fiction themed drinks. Long [laughs]- long story still long, [laughs] um, you know.

Mat K.: [laughs].

Chris C.: I just go over this, looking at the different television and movies and how all the different science fiction authors are... have incorporated. They just generally assume it's gonna be part of life in the future in space because it's- it's so natural. It's such a part, key part of human civilization is not likely to go away.

Mat K.: Sure seems that way. Uh, let's turn back to, uh, the factual side of alcohol in space. Just last week, we featured the work of, uh, this small company in Kentucky called Space Tango, and as you know, because you mentioned them in the book, they are working on many projects, but one of them is with, uh, Anheuser-Busch, uh, [00:22:00] which, uh, so many of us know as the- the creator of the, uh, quote, King of Beers, unquote. Research that is exploring if not the creation of beer in space, at least how conditions in space, and especially microgravity might change the nature of beer's ingredients, and this is happening on the International Space Station. But they're not alone, are they?

Chris C.: Uh, no, they're not. As you mentioned, with Anheuser-Busch, Budweiser, they wanna be the king of beers on Mars.

Mat K.: [laughs].

Chris C.: Uh, they actually announced this south by southwest in, um, 2017 that they wanted to be the first beer manufacturer on Mars, they backed this up with actual real research, as you mentioned, with Space Tango, um, they've sent up, um, barley experiments to ISS. But they're not the only ones. Right now, there is still whiskey aging onboard ISS through Suntory, the, uh, Japanese, uh, whiskey maker. They sent a couple of batches up several years ago. One batch came back already, the others still [00:23:00] aging up there. They have been pretty closed lipped. They haven't been actually expressed too much in result, so we haven't heard much from Suntory.

But one company we have heard from was the first company to do an aging experiment for whiskey in space, that was Ardbeg, a Scottish whiskey maker. They sent up a, um, sample in 20... when was it? 2011, came back 2015, I believe. And it was a quickly put together experiment, so, uh, they- they conceived that. But the difference between the space flown one and the example that was left on the ground was remarkable. It was a lot different. They report that it had kind of an antiseptic taste to it. It was definitely a lot different than the ground sample. And so they're not sure if that was a result of the actual aging in microgravity or if it had to do with the not so gentle handling, you know. There's a lot of shaking on launching and landing.

Mat K.: Yeah.

Chris C.: And so it may have had more, may have been more result of that than the actual aging in space. But [00:24:00] last I heard, they were planning another experiment, taking all this into account and trying to do a more authentic aging experiment. There were a lot of other companies looking at other aspects as well. As I mentioned, the 12 bottles of Bordeaux that were launched up to ISS last month, an aging experiment for wine. There've also been companies, not- not- not necessarily launching their stuff into space right now, but looking at, can you create beverages that you can consume pleasurably in space? And I mean pleasurably 'cause I'm talking about specifically alcoholic beverages that are carbonated.

Mat K.: Yes.

Chris C.: Carbonated beverages are a challenge in microgravity. Um, as you all know, when you're drinking a carbonated beverage in one- 1g on the surface [inaudible 00:24:46], the gas rises up and disperses into the atmosphere, well, it doesn't do that in space. It all goes to the center, congeals to the center and it does that on your stomach as well. So astronauts who have consumed [00:25:00] carbonated beverages, they've reported stomach cramps and wet burps, which is not a pleasurable drinking experience. There have beer company- companies and, actually, a champagne company looking at this problem. Uh, recently, the champagne company [inaudible 00:25:15] has been creating a, um, champagne or utilizing one of their champagnes but also created a bottle and a glass to try to dispense the champagne effectively but also a glass where they could actually drink out of a little champagne glass in microgravity.

They said they wanna do, enhance the conviviality of drinking champagne in space and then finding the right balance in their champagne so the carbonation didn't create problems. And they've tested this on the European version of the vomit comet. Another company on the beer side that created the, um, uh, beer, uh, Vostok, which was a collaborative between an aerospace company in a brewery in Australia trying to create a beer [00:26:00] that would actually have the right balance of carbonation but also the right taste. 'Cause another problem that the astronauts reported in space is their taste- taste buds are im- impacted. It kinda feel... a lot of astronauts feel as though, slight, you have a head cold or something, so it really diminishes your taste sensation. That's why a lot of astronauts like having hot spicy food, bringing up hot sauce, so Vostok created a beer utili- utilizing a, using a stout beer with a strong taste, but finding the right balance of carbonation.

And they have also tested that on, uh, uh, zero-G flight here in the U.S. trying to find and see if, first off, if you can drink it without feeling sick, but they're also trying to see how human bodies metabolize alcohol in space. But there are also companies working on different sort of glasses. There's a company, there are group trying to create a, um, scotch glass where you can sip scotch like you do on Earth [00:27:00] without it floating out of the glass, and also one for a cocktail glass [laughs].

Mat K.: Who wants to drink a cocktail or scotch out of a plastic bag?

Chris C.: I wouldn't, you know. Really, these- these- these little things do make a lot of difference. And this is another area where this technology going into it goes well beyond the need and desire to have a drink and drink it authentically. These companies are looking at all sorts of fluid dynamics and so these- these will have uses well beyond, whether we can have our scotch our our cocktails in a more authentic container in space.

Mat K.: You know, this touches on, uh, I- I think it was... may have been the last, uh, comment by Bill Nye that you quoted in the book, because he says, it- it's so hard to tell where R&D is going to take us. Could be that research into space booze could pay off an entirely unexpected and- and seemingly unrelated ways. I mean, this is pretty much what we've seen not just across, uh, space science, [00:28:00] uh, but across science.

Chris C.: Yeah, that's absolutely correct. As I've mentioned earlier, this is actually probably the most interesting thing I found in the book, and the most fascinating. Just in the potential for secondary benefits. Yeah, I certainly wanna be able to have a drink if I'm space. No question. I like a drink [laughs], but it's just fascinating, all the innovation, the technologies, the capabilities that are, well, what these companies are looking at, different organizations, whether it be creating these glasses or figuring out. Like for instance, there are lots of groups around the world looking whether you can grow crops in lunar soil or Martian soil, simulated, of course, some of which... some of whom have actually done it with the very purpose to see if you could grow or manufacture beer on Mars, et cetera.

So the more that we invest, you know, groups like this are investing in these technologies or looking at questions in a different way that the space program might not look at it, we might answer a lot of questions that might not have been [00:29:00] answered or at least answered in the same way if we had just looked the same problem in the usual manner. I think this is a great thing and it's not just alcohol. When more industries can start looking at different problems in space, I think that's only gonna help us advance space exploration, space settlement and create markets that were not there before.

Mat K.: And I'm so glad that you went in this direction, particularly mentioning these experiments with, uh, space agriculture, uh, uh, because you devote a chapter toward the end of the book to this topic. And the efforts that you described, some of them are much farther along than I thought. Are there a couple of these projects that- that you're most impressed by?

Chris C.: I was impressed by a lot of them. I thought this was another essential thing, kinda like the history of alcohol, basically give, once again, a- an overview of what's going on, what's happened in space agriculture, what's currently going on in some speculation moving forward. And there are literally dozens, if not more, experiments going on around the world. There's some up on the [00:30:00] International Space Station.

Mat K.: Uh, there's a European experiment, a sa, uh, uh, a, uh, a satellite.

Chris C.: Yeah. Eu:CROPIS' mission's really fascinating. It was launched, uh, I believe in December of last year. That's a satellite which is simulating both lunar and Martian gravity by spinning. And so there's a greenhouse inside, I believe, with tomato seeds, and there are also some synthetic biology experiments onboard the, um, that came from the United States. So they are experimenting on growing food, growing crops in various, uh, gravities. First, I believe the first one is just in microgravity as without it spinning. That will go to, um, spin up to one-sixth gravity, lunar gravity, then it'll start spinning a little bit more and go to one-third gravity simulating, uh, Martian gravity. So this will be the first time really in this sort of sustainable way that we've been able to grow crops in these simulated gravities. Very important. Has a lot of ramifications [00:31:00] also for other kinds of biology, like our own [laughs].

Mat K.: In many ways, this chapter about agriculture in space, perhaps because it's almost certain that some form of farming is going to be essential if we're going to, uh, both explore Mars and perhaps someday, a few people settle there or at least open up a research station there. We still know so little about how it might work.

Chris C.: Yeah. It's one of these critical technologies we don't talk about as much. Everybody always loves talking about, you know, which launch vehicle we're gonna use, which crew vehicle, land or et cetera, but if we wanna create sustainability anywhere off Earth, we need to learn how to grow crops in space. Small scale experiments have done one... have been done on ISS and earlier space stations. There are a couple, uh, greenhouses up there right now, the veggie greenhouse, but also, uh, Lada one, L-A-D-A, um, that grown crops, like [00:32:00] lettuce and similar things like that in small quantities, but there are also been a lot of experiments here on the surface experimenting with growing crops in, um, simulated lunar soil and simulated, even more so, simulated Martian soil.

But as I said, this is simulation. We can- we can create simulations and approximate what the lunar or this Martian soil [inaudible 00:32:23] is like. For instance, on Mars, we know there are perchlorates in the soil. And so perchlorates are known to be toxic to humans. Will that be a problem? Uh, if you- if you're able to grow a crop inside that, will the actual vegetables, will the plants absorb the toxin, so even if they grow, they're not gonna be consumable by the crew? It's a good question. And/or can we actually get rid of the perchlorates before growing crops in it?

In the book, I mentioned a number of people say in the book that you can get rid of perchlorate by burning it off or washing it off or there are certain [00:33:00] microbes you can bring that'll eat it away. So there are a lot of different questions but many of these questions, we're not going to know for sure until we actually get to Mars or the surface of the moon to see if we can actually grow things, grow crops in the soil.

Mat K.: So we have a lot to learn. In your final thoughts in the book, you mentioned several apparent opportunities, including your suggestion that the time may have come for professional association of some sort. What do you have in mind?

Chris C.: [laughs]. Funny. That's gonna be announced fairly soon. I guess...

View post:

A Toast to Alcohol in Space - The Planetary Society

Leverage a suite of new robotic parts with the KAL-1000! Breaking Ground is the second DLC available on PS4 for the award-winning multi-genre space exploration game, Kerbal Space Program Enhanced Edition.

One core aspect of Kerbal Space Program is how it blends engineering and creativity, allowing players to see their ideas realized before their eyes in-game. In the new DLC, we are equipping our players with a new suite of robotic parts and a programmable controller, the KAL-1000, that will allow you to sequence the actions of these parts by binding them to action groups. This article serves as a guide to the KAL-1000 and how to program robotic parts in Kerbal Space Program Enhanced Edition: Breaking Ground.

The KAL-1000 is an intelligent programmable controller. While it isnt sentient, it can sequence the actions of all the robotics parts as well as many others. It gives access to a powerful track editor tool to set up how parts will behave over time.

So, how do we use it? First, youll need to build a contraption. In this example, we created a robot-ant, but anything can be built. The skys the limit!

Next, we will add a KAL-1000 to the craft. Open up the Action Group editor.

With the KAL selected in the Action Group Editor, we select the parts we want to control and choose an action in this example, a hinge and its target angle.

Open up the Track Editor of the KAL-1000.

Then we edit how the part behaves over time by adjusting the curve that represents each variable in the track editor. For example, were adjusting the target angle of this hinge, which will allow it to move back and forth smoothly.

Do the same steps with other parts you want to control and play the track to see how it operates. Test it out in the world, with real physics operating, to make sure itll work. Once your Robot-Ant is operational, its time to raid a picnic! Thats it!

By using the KAL-1000 Controller, we can set up complex robotic mechanisms in tandem with action groups. The possibilities are endless. Happy Launchings!

Kerbal Space Program Enhanced Edition: Breaking Ground Expansion is available tomorrow at PlayStation Store.

Read more:

Kerbal Space Program Enhanced Edition: Breaking Ground Expansion Out Tomorrow - PlayStation.Blog

The UAE wants a new homegrown astronaut for its second space mission.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, announced the second round of open applications on Friday.

Taking to Twitter, Sheikh Mohammed said men and women with ambition, energy, and determination should apply for the job.

On Saturday, Salem Al Marri, director of the UAE Astronaut Programme said they had received nearly 1,000 applications in the four hours since registration opened.

Once again we are witnessing the determination of Emiratis to apply for the programme, he said.

Hazza Al Mansouri in September became the first Emirati astronaut to be sent into space and was the first Arab to work on the International Space Station.

He was picked from 4,022 applicants for the first UAE Astronaut Programme after a series of advanced medical and psychological tests.

The UAE has now launched its search for its next astronaut, with applications invited from degree-educated, adult Emiratis who can speak Arabic and English.

"People of all professions are invited to register," a statement from the Government of Dubai Media Office said.

The new search marks a "new phase of the UAEs space exploration journey", the statement added.

The new programme would benefit from the experience of Maj Al Mansouri, a former fighter pilot, and back-up Sultan Al Neyadi, who was also selected from the first programme.

The number of applications is expected to be high, with the exploits of Maj Al Mansouri capturing imaginations across the country.

When he successfully returned to Earth in early October, he spoke of the start of a new "golden era" of Arab space exploration.

We are not done yet, and we will never be, he said, as he set off on his journey home. We just began, and we will be back soon.

The UAE is also planning to send an unmanned probe to Mars in 2021, the year of the UAE's 50th anniversary.

During a call with Maj Al Mansouri during his mission, Sheikh Mohammed told him: You're a source of pride for all Emiratis. You're the first (Emirati to travel to space) and the first is always remembered. However, I can proudly assure you that a generation of young Emiratis will follow in your footsteps and become space scientists and technology pioneers.

The search for the next UAE astronaut, who will be trained to carry out scientific missions, has launched exactly two years after the first search got under way.

Updated: December 7, 2019 05:51 PM

Continued here:

Wanted: A new UAE astronaut - The National

Before man simultaneously took one small step and one giant leap, more than 30 astronauts travelled to Iceland to train for the unique challenges they might face on a lunar walk. It was this unique and oft-forgotten piece of history that inspired Bristol-based photographer Matthew Broadhead to cross the Atlantic for his new exhibition, Space for Humans: The Moon on Earth at the Reykjavk Museum of Photography.

One Google search term

I had specific criterium that I wanted in a new project. I was interested in astronomy and geology and I wanted something fresh, Matthew relays. He talks in a point-by-point manner, stoically, almost like hes giving a presentation. I thought maybe I should be a bit ambitious so I literally did a search term on Googleastronomy geology Icelandand one of the first things that came up was the Exploration Museum in Hsavk.

Run by astronaut enthusiast rlygur Hnefill rlygsson, the Exploration Museum is one of Icelands most peculiar treasuresa gallery devoted to photographs and artefacts from the 1965 Apollo geology field trip in Iceland. The site instantly fascinated Matthew, who subsequently teamed up with rlygur to plan a trek following the trail of the cosmonauts.

Mother Earth

Upon arrival, Icelands otherworldly exterior and its history in the space race instantly captivated the photographer, and also made him reflect on his own relationship with the pale blue dot. There was this particular emphasis that our own planet isnt fascinating enough and space exploration maybe was setting a precedent for forgetting about our own planet a little, he explains. Like, oh we found some other habitable planet so were forgetting our own. I felt really strongly about Earth being Mother Earth.

To relay these emotions, Matthew endeavoured to capture each component of the landscape individually. By isolating certain aspects of a landscape, you can imagine it as the moon or as an analogue to a planet like Mars, he explains. So theres a romantic, literary aspect as well.

1960s to today

The exhibit is small, with but a few photos peppering the walls, contrasting sharply with each other. For example, on one wall, a portrait of rlygurs famous Apollo 11 spacesuit hangs sandwiched between the desolate Grjtagj lava cave and bustling Krafla Geothermal Power Plant.

Every single photo has a story to me, Matthew says, pointing to the spacesuit portrait. rlygurs spacesuit is emblematic, he adds softly. He then gestures to the lava cave. You wouldnt be able to tell because there arent any astronauts in this picture, but I saw a snapshot from the 1960s, a photograph of astronauts just sitting on this ridge. The first time I came to Iceland I couldnt find it, but I did the second.

He pauses, turning to the third in this trio. This geothermal power station is a slight sidestep from the core concept, but I think I was just in awe of the technology in Iceland and that felt quite relevant to the endeavour to get people into space, he explains. So in a way, it fits into the same sequence. He stops and smiles. It also looks quite futuristic, right?

Space for Humans: The Moon on Earth is open until February 3rd at the Reykjavk Museum Of Photography.

Related

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The Trail Of The Cosmonauts - Reykjavk Grapevine

Im fascinated by factions. Various causes in which Ive had a stake over the years readily broke into competing groups that may have shared some sweeping dream but had different visions of exactly what it constituted or how to go about achieving it.

Among enthusiasts of space exploration, for instance, there are factions that want to: adopt a crash program of sending humans to Mars; return humans to the moon and treat Mars as a long-term goal; emphasize robotic exploration over human; build up an industry of orbital tourism; orbit giant solar panels as an energy solution; emphasize free-market principles in whatever gets done in space; expand government space activities for national prestige and security; foster international cooperation through multilateral space projects; and more.

Some of those ideas are diametrically opposed, while others have differences of priority or emphasis. But the proponents of all of them share what Ill call the space dream, a belief that humanity can benefit greatly from expanded involvement in space. I share the space dream, though Ive tended to migrate among the factions, once seeing more plausibility for near-termMars colonization and asteroid miningthan I do today, and more recently being frustrated that free-market space activity, such as Elon Musks Starlink satellites, isundermining astronomy.

A couple of decades ago, when I worked atLou Dobbs Space.com, I thought the space frontier was going to move outward faster than it has. Perhaps the space movement has been hindered by its factionalism, though Im more inclined to think its wide range of visions is a sign of health; that sooner or later, some of those visions will edge into reality, even as others fall by the wayside. Still, I wouldnt recommend that anyone alive today plan on aretirement in space.

The skepticism movement is another that has produced various factions. You may wonder what the skepticism movement is, as it hasnt gripped the public imagination to the degree that others and I have hoped. Beginning in the 1970s, some groups and publications arose in reaction against a profusion of public and media credulity regarding claims of the paranormal: psychic powers, Bigfoot, Atlantis, visits from aliens and from beyond the grave, and much more.

The skepticism dream was to make society more rational, more prone to demand and evaluate evidence when confronted with dubious or extraordinary claims. Its worked in bolstering a subculture of people who think that way, though a quick look at the offerings of cable TV, with its profusion of ancient aliens and paranormal encounters, indicates theres plenty of room for improvement in bringing skepticism to a wide public.

The factionalism in skepticism has been partly about how broad a mandate to pursue: notably, whether probing the truth claims of religion should be a focus of the movement. Some skeptics have embraced an atheistic mission, while others see religion as outside their scope or limit their investigations to tangible matters, such as the authenticity of the Shroud of Turin. Im a practicing Episcopalian, and one step in my becoming so was reading anessayby the secular humanist philosopher Paul Kurtz, who saw religion as having a proper domain thats evocative, expressive, emotive. Though Kurtz didnt believe in God, he ended up being pushed out of the skeptical organization hed founded by others more aggressively atheistic.

The intersection of skepticism and politics is an area of longtime interest to me. The question sometimes arises as to whether right-wingers or left-wingers are more prone to beliefs contrary to mainstream science. Broadly speaking, the data Ive found suggests theresplenty of credulityabout bizarre things on left and right, though hostility to mainstream science on policy-related matters, such as global warming, is more evident on the right than on the left. Id like the skepticism movement to become more involved in addressing politically charged issues. Trumps corruption is more important to me than Bigfoot or Atlantis.

The role of factionalism in politicsand its desirabilityis the topic of a recent paper by Steven Teles and Robert Saldin at the moderate Niskanen Center. Titled The Future Is Faction, the paper argues that moderates should work to become significant factions within the two major parties, rather than trying to form a third party or emphasizing institutional reforms (like changing how redistricting is done) that might empower the middle against the extremes.

Its a message I didnt particularly want to hear. Ive written about myhopes for a third party, myanimus against my former party, the GOP, and how afterdecades as a right-winger, I moved to the center as the right abandoned intellectual integrity and empirical reality. Still, I see Teles and Saldins point, as theres not even a hint of an incipient third party in the current scene, and revamping the political system is likely to be a long, incremental, uncertain process.

As I write this, though, Im watching congressional Republicans do their best to obscure the facts uncovered in the impeachment inquiry. If people who take science and evidence seriously want to join or stay in the Republican Party, Im open to the possibility they might do some good. But I dont expect to be part of any such faction. I no longer share the right-wing dream.

Kenneth Silber is author ofIn DeWitts Footsteps: Seeing History on the Erie Canaland is on Twitter:@kennethsilber

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Dreams of Space, Skepticism and the Right - Splice Today

Kerbal Space Programs newest expansion, Breaking Ground, is out now on PC. Key feature of Breaking Ground is the addition of all new robotic parts, including hinges, rotors, pistons and more in a variety of sizes. Along with new parts, Breaking Ground is also bringing Deployed science to Kerbal Space Program.

Deployed science enhances experiments and data-collection objectives, going hand-in-hand with space exploration. Players can use a storage container in their craft to keep science equipment, which can then be deployed to monitor and collect data through assorted methods and relay it back to the Kerbals home planet of Kerbin. Keeping with the generally wacky tone of the game, one instrument, the active seismometer, even has players crashing various contraptions into celestial body to gather seismic data.

Breaking Ground will also bring minor, but still important changes to Kerbal Space Programs space exploration. Celestial bodies will now have new features scattered across the planets in the solar system. These features can be scanned using a robotic arm attached to rovers.

Kerbal Space Program is available on Steam, and is priced at Rs. 849, while the Breaking Ground expansion is priced at Rs. 459.

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Kerbal Space Program's Breaking Ground Expansion Now Live on PC - IGN India

Engineers are preparing to push a test article identical to the world's largest rocket fuel tank beyond its design limits and find its breaking point during upcoming tests at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

Earlier this year, a NASA and Boeing test team subjected a test version of the Space Launch System (SLS) liquid hydrogen tank to a series of 37 tests that simulate liftoff and flight stresses by using large hydraulic pistons to push and pull on the test tank with millions of pounds of force. The test article aced these tests and showed no signs of cracks, buckling or breaking and qualified the design for flight. Now, the team wants to see just how much the tank can take.

"Space exploration involves risk," said Julie Bassler, manager of the Space Launch System Stages Office. ""This is a different kind of exploration that happens before we launch. A test to failure of the largest liquid hydrogen tank ever produced will expand our knowledge to ensure we can safely get the most performance out of the rocket that will send astronauts and large cargo to the Moon and then to Mars."

The hydrogen tank is part of the SLS core stage. Measuring more than 130 feet tall and 27.6 feet in diameter, it stores 537,000 gallons of super cooled liquid hydrogen to help power the four SLS core stage RS-25 engines for the 8-minute climb to orbit at more than 17,000 miles per hour. The test article's structure is identical to that of the flight hardware.

Having certified the tank for both the current version of SLS, called Block 1, as well as the more powerful Block 1B version in development, engineers are preparing their 215-foot-tall test stand for one final test to see exactly how much stress the hydrogen tank can take before it fails structurally.

Built by Boeing at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans and barged to Marshall last December, the hydrogen tank test article has been fitted with thousands of sensors measuring, stress, pressure, and temperature, while high-speed cameras and microphones capture every inch for the expected telltale buckling or cracking in the cylindrical tank wall.

"The core stage hardware structures are brand new, first-time developments, so this testing is crucial to ensuring mission success," said Luke Denney, qualification test manager for Boeing's Test and Evaluation Group. "The tests were designed to prove that each component of the stage will be able to survive its own unique set of extreme environmental conditions during liftoff, ascent and flight."

In fact, this will be the largest-ever controlled test-to-failure of a NASA rocket stage fuel tank, said Mike Nichols, Marshall's lead test engineer for the tank.

"The failure mechanism of a slender multi-segment rocket stage is not very well understood," he said. "By taking this test article to failure, we can better understand the phenomenon. This test will benefit all rocket engineers, providing valuable data for their propellant tank designs for future rocket stages."

Engineers have computer calculations that predict when and where and how the tanks should fail. But without a carefully planned test they won't know exactly. That difference is important for NASA's plans to return human explorers to the Moon.

"In spaceflight, especially human spaceflight, we always walk the line between performance and safety, said Neil Otte, the chief engineer for the SLS Stages Office. "Pushing systems to the point of failure gives us additional data to walk that line intelligently. We will be flying the Space Launch System for decades to come, and we have to take all the opportunities we have to maximize our understanding of the system so we may safely and efficiently evolve it as our desired missions evolve.

This is not the first SLS test article to be tested to structural failure. Test versions of the engine section and intertank were also tested until they broke above 140% of anticipated flight stresses.

While engineers predict the test will not create a sizable hole in the tank, should that happen, areas of the community close to Redstone Arsenal hear a low-level sound as the nitrogen gas used to pressurize the tank is vented.

The 212-foot-tall core stage is the largest, most complex rocket stage NASA has built since the Saturn V stages that powered the Apollo missions to the Moon. SLS and Orion, along with the Gateway in orbit around the Moon, are NASA's backbone for deep space exploration and the Artemis program, which will send the first woman and next man to the lunar surface by 2024. SLS is the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts, and supplies to the Moon on a single mission.

Related LinksNASA's Artemis programRocket Science News at Space-Travel.Com

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NASA will push exploration rocket test hardware beyond its limits - Space Daily

2014. I was in grad school at that time and will never forget seeing a demeaning cartoon in the New York Times making fun of Indias Mangalyaan robotic probe into orbit around Mars. The illustration portrayed that India was nowhere close to the elite space club.

Sardonic Much?

Fast forward to 2019. I ask my nieces and a few other high school students about the Vikram Lander and the moon. These kids are quite well-informed and were aware of Chandrayaan 2. But when I asked them why they thought this was significant, I was baffled at the unclarity and weak responses I got. It was quite evident that the importance of space exploration was not at all a thing for them.

Since its inception in 1969, ISRO has significantly evolved and has come into the elite space club. Yet, it is not as popular as the USAs NASA or Russias space agency Roscosmos. Why? Well, ISRO was first established after India gained independence. In terms of funding, the government had to justify why spending would be allotted to ISRO versus those in poverty. And for these reasons, ISRO focused on missions that were developmental in nature.

Things like weather forecasting and communication satellites. By doing this on lower budgets, ISRO is one of the most cost-effective space industries on the planet. But now that India has entered the elite space club, it is high time that the people of India- especially the youth- understand the significance and importance of space exploration. To do this, ISRO must focus on the following things.

Marketing

When NASA was founded, the US space program was determined to differentiate itself from the USSR. It would instead be an open program in which facts and data would flow freely between the agency and the public. For that, an aggressive public relations team was built. The aim? Not just releasing information but also explaining astronomy, rockets and complicated physics to the lay person clearly and accurately. NASAs PR created items that addressed reporters needs along with background material. They also produced broadcasts and held media symposiums. Every mission was explained before the launch and reported with text and visuals. An example? Before Apollo 11s launch, NASAs public affairs office gave journalists an entire binder with detailed diagrams of the spacesuit, the command module and even oxygen tanks. By doing this in a consistent manner, NASA not only helped the USA enter the elite space club but also sold space education to the masses.

In the same manner, ISRO should consider doing this. Chandrayaan2 has put Indian space exploration on the global radar. ISRO not only launched satellites but also has several cool unique initiatives that engage the youth of the country. The latest student satellite was launched in 2019 itself. ISRO should take up NASAs approach and aggressively push for more information, statistics and details to get out to the public. It is not just enough to put it on their website. Press releases can be held along with symposiums explaining launches to the masses. In these public relations events and materials, ISRO should also actively engage with the youth. Scientists and engineers should visit schools more often to try and engage youth with space exploration and how they can get involved.

Private Partnerships

Earlier this year, the Central Government approved a commercial enterprise- NewSpace India Limited (NSIL)- under Indias Department of Space as an effort to build ISRO-private sector relationships and to expand ISRO commercialisation as well. NSIL helps with technology transfer between ISRP and private players along with promoting space-based products and spin-off technologies. While ISRO currently is and should remain government-funded and managed, getting the private sector to take some of the burdens of space exploration will not diminish ISROs reputation. In contrast, it will bolster it with more funding, more ideas and people and more cutting edge technology. With the increased partnership with private players, ISRO can focus on things that will help it grow as an organisation itself and also grow mainstream with the Indian masses. This includes human space flight, space exploration and developing larger and more cutting edge rockets.

Diplomacy

Another thing that ISRO must focus on at the earliest is making deals with foreign markets. This can both be a tool for diplomacy, as well as, bringing in revenue for further missions. With that being said, India needs to increase its number of missions annually if ISRO wants to remain in the same league as the elite space players. Working on space exploration with other countries would not just be great for diplomacy. A great move happened just last week with India launching the CARTOSAT along with American satellites in the same mission. Collaborating more with the global commercial space market will also help keep competitors like China at bay.

ISRO should be proud of itself and citizens should be proud of how ISRO has propelled India's global respect. But think about this. Despite not maximising its potential [yet] in marketing, outreach, private partnerships and foreign collaboration, ISRO STILL ranks in the top five global space players. Now, how can India go from within the top five to number 1'? Marketing will educate the masses to the importance of every mission. Youth, in particular, need to be engaged. Private partnerships will not only bring in more innovation and revenue, but will also help ISRO focus on more advanced missions like human space exploration. Finally, collaborating with foreign space players will both increase ISRO productivity and work as a great diplomacy tool. This is the need of the hour for ISRO. This is because there are more space actors than ever before; both government and commercial players. If ISRO does not act quickly, Indias elite status can slide away as quickly as it has risen.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

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How ISRO can be the number one player in the game - WION

Do you like space stations? Would you like to see more of them in orbit -- maybe even spend a few nights on an orbiting space hotel?

So here's the problem with building space stations: They're really big.

The International Space Station, for example, stretches 357 feet end-to-end (about as long as a football field, including the end zones), masses nearly 420 tons, and encompasses 932 cubic meters of pressurized volume.

Image source: Getty Images.

And here's the other problem with building space stations: The rockets that carry them up to orbit are (relatively) small, so you can't do it all in one go. Getting all the components needed to put the ISS into orbit required no fewer than 42 separate space missions, spread over 10 years' time.

Granted, things are a bit easier today. SpaceX's new Falcon Heavy rocket, for example -- currently the biggest rocket in operation anywhere on the planet -- can lift about 64 tons at a time. But SpaceX's Crew Dragon space capsule, which Falcon Heavy can carry, still only has a total payload volume of about 46 cubic meters. Using Falcon Heavy and Crew Dragon together to build another space station would therefore take at least 20 separate launches.

But what if there's another way to build space stations -- a better way?

What if, for example, one could leverage Falcon Heavy's unmatched ability to lift very heavy (but not especially bulky) equipment payloads into orbit, and then install this equipment into hollow, spent fuel tanks from other rockets already in orbit?

This, in a nutshell, is the concept that SpaceX and its partners, Nanoracks and Maxar Technologies(NYSE:MAXR), intend to explore late next year.

In a mission being called "In-Space Outpost Demonstration," Nanoracks, the self-proclaimed "world's leading commercial space station company," will send a payload massing close to 200 kilograms but occupying just over half a cubic meter of volume into orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. (This experiment is part of, and funded by, NASA's NextSTEP-2 program to experiment with technologies for building deep-space habitats.

Once in orbit, Nanoracks' device will utilize "a new articulating robotic arm" built by Maxar Technologiesto "friction mill" (i.e. grind and melt) pieces of metal, similar to the casings of empty upper-stage rocket fuel tanks. Over the course of 30 to 60 minutes, Nanoracks hopes to demonstrate its ability to transform such spent rocket parts into building material that can be used to construct a new space station -- in orbit.

Successful completion of this demonstration will be first-of-its-kind. As Nanoracks observes, "never before has structural metal cutting been done in-space."

And this won't be the only first accomplished on this mission. Remember how we told you back in August that SpaceX was planning to offer dedicated rocket rides for companies wanting to launch small satellites into orbit, and guaranteeing the launch dates?

Well as it turns out, Nanoracks' In-Space Outpost Demonstration will go up on the very first ever such "SmallSat Rideshare" launch. As SpaceX has confirmed, in addition to institutionalizing the offering of ad-hoc rideshares aboard rockets carrying the company's system of Starlink internet broadband satellites, SpaceX has also scheduled a series of four missions completely dedicated to (i.e. all passengers will be) smallsats.

Initially, SpaceX advised that the first of these dedicated rideshare missions -- call it the "SmallSat Express" -- would take place somewhere between November 2020 and December 2021. Now, with Nanoracks' announcement, we know that the first SmallSat Express mission will happen in Q4 2020.

And so this mission takes on an extra layer of importance. On the one hand, Nanoracks' In-Space Outpost Demonstration holds the potential to open the door for an entirely new industry for investors to invest in: in-orbit construction of space stations, and probably of space ships as well.

Success here also has the potential to dramatically lower the cost of space exploration by, for example, transforming second-stage rocket boosters (which everyone -- SpaceX included -- currently throws away after launch) from an expensive consumable into a valuable resource useful for orbital construction companies. It could advance the technology of building large objects in space. And in so doing, it could turbocharge Nanoracks' business, and transform Nanoracks from a little-known space start-up into a viable candidate for IPO.

The fact that this mission could also prove the concept of SpaceX's new business line -- launching small satellites in batches on dedicated rockets -- is almost just icing on the cake. Success there could potentially permit SpaceX to dominate the smallsat launch business, much as it's already moving to dominate the large satellite launch business.

All I can say on that score is that, right now, I wouldn't want to be a SpaceX competitor.

See the rest here:

SpaceX, Maxar, and Nanoracks to Demo Orbital Space Station Construction in 2020 - The Motley Fool

When you think of testbed locations for artificial intelligence (AI), you might think of the US, Japan or China, but the UK also deserves a spot on that list.

A briefing note by McKinsey Global Institute highlights that AI could add an incremental 16 per cent in economic gains to global output by 2030. The gains could be as high as 22 per cent in the UK, as it is regarded as more AI-ready compared to the global average. Indeed, the 2019 Government AI Readiness Index compiled by Oxford Insights and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) saw the UK come second only to Singapore.

Highlighting a drive for AI and space exploration, the UKs pavilion for Expo 2020 Dubai will showcase innovations in culture, education, tourism and business.

Every time the UK takes part in a World Expo, we try to be different, says Laura Faulkner, UK commissioner general and project director for the UK pavilion. We have a strong creative and cultural sector within the UK, so we start with an open mind when we put out the design brief and end up with never-before-seen, thought-provoking ideas.

The UKs Department for International Trade (DIT) has chosen branding agency Avantgarde and British designer Es Devlins design for a Poem Pavilion to represent innovation at the expo. The UKs theme for Expo 2020 is Innovating for a Shared Future.

Devlins design for the UK pavilion, which will be located in the Opportunity District, features a 20-metre-high structure consisting of rows of slats protruding outwards to form a conical shape. The facade of the structure will feature an LED display of poetry created through AI, with words contributed both by visitors to the expo and by a machine-learning system.

The design concept is inspired by one of the final projects of late English physicist Stephen Hawking, Breakthrough Message. The project saw Hawking and his colleagues launch a global competition in 2015, inviting people worldwide to consider what message the human race should communicate to alien civilisations in space.

The pavilion is just one aspect of our participation, says Faulkner. We plan to pose a series of questions, framing our participation around these. We will be asking, in the future, what will we wear? What will we eat? How will we create? How will we travel? How will we learn? Through these questions and conversations with the youth, government and thought-leaders, we want to look at what the future looks like for the planet.

Construction of the pavilion is being overseen by marketing firm Pico Group, with UK construction firm McLaren building the 3,417 square-metre, two-storey structure. Foundation works for the structure have been started, and Faulkner says that the UK pavilion is on track for delivery in May or June 2020. The news agency MEED estimates the cost of construction to be $18m.

The building will feature cross-laminated timber on a concrete structure. Much of the pavilion will be manufactured and assembled off-site.

The UK pavilion will not remain standing at the expo site following the conclusion of the event. Faulkner explains that a decommissioning strategy for the physical structure is being planned.

DIT has tasked UK-based independent environmental consultancy Resource Futures to lead a team to explore decommissioning possibilities.

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In accordance with expos target for the site to be restored following the event and for each country pavilion to redeploy, recycle or return 75 per cent of its construction materials to the manufacturer, Resource Futures and collaborators will focus on ensuring that much of materials are diverted from landfill.

Promoting higher education is a key part of the dialogue at the UK pavilion, and pavilion founding partner De Montfort University (DMU) Leicester sees Expo 2020 as an opportunity to advance the global discussion about innovation.

Simon Bradbury, pro vice-chancellor dean of the faculty of arts, design and humanities at DMU, says: We see [this] involvement as an opportunity to offer our students an unparalleled experience, whether that is going to Dubai to experience the festival, having their work in the spotlight [in front of] an audience of millions, or getting a behind-the-scenes look at how such an event is run.

Speaking to the networking potential, he notes: The expo will allow us to make connections across the world, to be at the forefront of innovation and enterprise.

London-headquartered HSBC is the other founding partner of the pavilion. We will be promoting the power of international connectivity at Expo 2020, says Abdulfattah Sharaf, group general manager, chief executive officer UAE and head of international for HSBC Bank Middle East.

The UK ultimately hopes to provoke insightful and forward-looking conversations at the expo.

We are not coming to the expo with a bilateral intention to broadcast something about the UK. We are coming to the expo because the whole world is in one place. We want to engage in multilateral conversation and build lifelong partnerships, says Faulkner.

MEEDThis article is sourced from Verdict Technology sister publication http://www.meed.com, a leading source of high-value business intelligence and economic analysis about the Middle East and North Africa. To access more MEED content register for the 30-day Free Guest User Programme.

GlobalData is this websites parent business intelligence company.

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Expo 2020 Dubai: UK pavillion to champion AI and space exploration - Verdict

(Photo : Snoopygrams) Astronaut Snoopy's balloon float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade is a part of NASA's celebration of the first moon landing.

Astronaut Snoopy is no longer just a comic book character and mascot. Last Nov. 28, the "world-famous astronaut" took flight and went aboard the International Space Station -- just in time for Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, which features a Snoopy plush doll donning an orange astronaut suit complete with the NASA logo floating aboard the orbiting laboratory.

Who is Astronaut Snoopy?

For those who are not familiar with comic book characters, Snoopy is the famous beagle from the comic strip Peanuts created by Charles Schulz in the 1950s. Snoopy, throughout the entirety of Peanuts has had a number of personas, including Astronaut Snoopy, which first appeared in the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade back in 1969 following the launch of Apollo 10 command and lunar modules which were named Charlie Brown and Snoopy.

Astronaut Snoopy has been NASA's mascot since 1968, a product of a51-year partnershipbetween the Space Agency and Peanut, first to promote safety in human spaceflight and in recent years, to use the famous cartoon beagle to promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and encourage children to be interested in those fields.

Why is Astronaut Snoopy's Appearance in the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade a Big Deal?

Astronaut Snoopy went on board the International Space Station as a part of NBC's television coverage of the celebration and was welcomed by NASA crew members Jessica Meir and Christina Koch -- the first female astronauts to do the spacewalk (READ: Christina Koch and Jessica Meir Execute First All-Woman Spacewalk). In thebroadcast, Meir narrates, "Snoopy has been along for space rides since the Apollo era. Today, he's floating in the Macy's parade and here in space."

Back on Earth, Astronaut Snoopy's 49-foot-tall helium balloon for the parade dons the bright orange spacesuits complete with NASA's logo and red-soled boots. This is patterned after the Orion Crew Survival System which will be worn by astronauts who will be included in the Artemis missions to the moon and. Eventually, Mars.

The 8-inch Astronaut, Snoopy plushie on the ISS which wore the same bright orange suit, was launched to the space station aboard the Northrop Grunman Cygnus cargo spacecraft last month along with a handful of stuff for the astronauts in the space station (READ:Space Oven is Ready for a Test Cook-Off).

However, the announcement of Astronaut Snoopy's inclusion in the launch was not announced until Nov. 2 byPeanuts Worldwide, the company which handles the comic strip.

Astronaut Snoopy's presence in the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade is a part of the celebration of the first moon landing's 50th anniversary. Of course, if Snoopy is present, his best buddy Woodstock will surely be attending. The Macy's Thanksgiving Parade also featured a balloon float of Woodstock using a telescope, probably looking at Snoopy's adventures in the ISS.

The partnership between NASA and Peanuts continues not only during the Thanksgiving parade but also through the launching of a new line of toys via McDonald's Happy Meal and a new cartoon and a new cartoon series called "Snoopy in Space" which will be available on Apple TV+. The animated series aims to engage children in space exploration and activities.

Lastly, Astronaut Snoopy's presence in the ISS reminds people of the upcoming anniversary of the first-ever crew to reside on board in November of the year 2000. Astronaut Snoopy plush doll wascreated by Hallmark.

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Astronaut Snoopy Rides Aboard the International Space Station - Science Times

Original Mercury 7 astronaut Gordon Cooper was supposed to be looking for nuclear launch sites on his record-breaking Faith 7 flight in 1963. He did his duty over the course of those 22 revolutions around the earth, clicking away on a camera that kept getting loose in zero gravity, barely able to move for 34 hours.

But he also kept getting anomalous readings from his equipment, pinging him for objects that were definitely not nuclear sites. The keen-eyed astronaut couldnt help but put two and two together: metallic hulks beneath the sea, along the same routes used by Spanish traders? It had to be sunken treasure.

Cooper splashed down into the Pacific after that record-breaking flight, but he never told anyone not NASA, not the Department of Defense about what hed seen. But he did take notes, scribbled down in the cramped capsule only a bit bigger than himself.

Cooper kept his secret for 40 years. Just before his death in 2004, he shared it with professional treasure hunter Darrell Miklos. The two had struck up a friendship years before hunting for treasure-laden wrecks in various seas. Miklos has a long history in the field he and his sisters would hunt for debris from the space shuttles solid rocket boosters. We were both explorers, Miklos says.

So Miklos hooked up with independent reality TV production studio Ample, which, along with Steven Spielbergs Amblin Television, has chronicled Miklos journey for the aforementioned TV series for Discovery, Coopers Treasure, premiering April 18.

The aim of the show is to connect several different generations of explorers, from colonial times through the present day. The producers dont have any affiliation with NASA, but the show serves as a reminder of what can be done with space exploration, and the Herculean efforts expended to get there in the first place.

Before Miklos set out, he had to do some fact-checking. Thats where former McDonnell Aircraft engineer Jerry Roberts comes in. Roberts and fellow engineers Bob Schepp and Earl Robb created the systems that ran the Mercury and Gemini spacecraft. We were basically taking the nuclear warhead off a missile and putting a space capsule on it, Roberts explains. They gave us the outside shape, and then we had to launch a man and bring him back.

Space inside the capsule was so limited that none of the astronauts could be taller than 511, and they couldnt move their feet. Roberts worked very closely with Cooper throughout the mission. For me, Gordo was the yes on the other end when I asked him to throw a switch, he said. He also confirmed that Coopers eyesight was preternatural said to rival that of legendary pilot Chuck Yeager and he could indeed have seen what he said hed seen.

Cooper, once a household name in an America that now seems far removed from todays, was the youngest of the original seven astronauts, and perhaps the most devil-may-care. Gordon went to sleep on top of a fully fuelled missile and it didnt bother him at all, Roberts says. The other guys, their heart rate might get up a bit at launch, 150 or so. Not Gordo. His death in 2004 came after a long battle with Parkinsons Disease, which Miklos says was torture for the fiery, physical astronaut, as it left him unable to control his body with his mind.

But though Miklos and the camera crew had no idea if Coopers maps would really pan out, theyre now five for five on confirmed shipwrecks at Coopers coordinates, with just a little more than a hundred to go.

This article originally appeared on VICE US.

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This Astronaut Found Sunken Treasure From Space and Kept It Secret Until His Deathbed - VICE

Houston Symphony is taking some inspiration from one of the city's most recognizable initiatives our involvement in NASA's space exploration programs for its world premiere of Composer-In-Residence Jimmy LpezBellido's Symphony No. 2, Ad Astra, on Dec. 5, 7 and 8 at Jones Hall. Commissioned by the Houston Symphony, Ad Astra is the culmination of Lpez's third and final year as composer-in-residence.

"When I [originally] sat down with the Houston Symphony, we discussed what kind of shape the residency would take, so I asked what makes Houstonians proud. Oneaspect was the Johnson Space Center and the contributions Houston as a city has made for space exploration. I felt it was necessary to highlight that. Ad Astra is dedicated to the people at NASA, and it's an homage to peoples desire to explore the stars,"Lpezsaid.

Musically, the composition originated from the Morse Code rhythm for the words "ad astra" (Latin for "to the stars"), part of a message aboard the Voyager's famous Golden Records as a greeting to any space-faring aliens that might find them someday. From there, the music expands to reference other missions and their mark in history. The symphony consists of five movements, each with a different source of inspiration: Voyager, Apollo, Hubble, Challenger, and Revelation. The final movement is Lpez' imaginative interpretation of what might happen if Voyager's message is ever found by distant lifeforms.

"Morse Code is very rhythmical. I took the rhythm of 'ad astra' as the trigger for the whole symphony. When you have that, it has a little cell from which the whole symphony sprouts. I like it that way because then you can have a very basic building block, and from that you can build a whole edifice. Thats what a symphony is to me. This isnt a symphony of individual movements; theres an overarching structure to it - an architecture. The movements talk to each other," he said.

Practice makes perfect. Rehearsal is key to making sure each performance is sheer perfection.

Photo by Melissa Taylor

Voyager sets the tone, with the message containing greetings and information about Earth for any space entities that might find them. It's the first time we hear the theme that carries throughout the whole piece. Apollo brings in nontraditional instruments to help evoke the soundscape of lunar exploration, like the glass harmonica.

"When I was writing Apollo, there was a particular timbre that I couldnt find in the traditional orchestra, and I wanted it to be eerie because its an otherworldly idea. It evokes the barren landscape of the moon for me," he said.

He used the same idea when composing Hubble, where he implored a wind machine.

"It emulates the sound of wind. When Humble was sent into space, it wasnt working properly. People were freaking out, then they found out what the issue was, and they were able to fix it. The wind machine makes a reference to the beginnings: insecure and a little bumpy. It has a mechanical sound to it like a machine about to start but doesnt," Lpez said.

That also opens up the idea that space exploration hasn't always been successful. Our efforts have also been a part of some of our country's most shocking moments, like in the Challenger movement.

"Challenger uses a siren alarm. I use it at a specific spot that I felt was necessary. It ramps up the narrative and tension to a different level. It feels really surprising," Lpez said. He added, "I didnt want to necessarily portray the tragedy, instead I wanted to portray the journey. There was a lot of expectations with Challenger, and there was a lot of excitement and joy, and when the tragedy happened, people didnt understand what was going on. It brings the element of alarm."

The fifth movement follows the disaster of Challenger and begins in a somber, meditative mood that transitions into the return of the "ad astra" rhythm where the whole composition began. In it, there is in fact a life form that received the message of Voyager and returned the message.

"A civilization finds the message, decodes it and sends it back to usthe whole premise is we connect and perhaps we will meet not just one civilization but several. It creates a new age," Lpez said. "Its at the core of all space exploration. Theres curiosity in humans. Are we alone in the universe? A lot of our quests and curiosity try to answer that."

To create the entire piece, he visited with Johnson Space Center to get firsthand experience with the lives of astronauts and the people who make NASA function.

"We got access that is unprecedented, I think. One of the highlights was when we went to mission control. I thought as I stood behind the glass wall, 'This is as close as I am going to mission control,' but they opened the door, and we went down there. We met the people who work there, and we met the flight director, as he was giving instructions to the people on the ISS," Lpez said.

"It was really humbling to see how extraordinary the work is they do every day. I went to a massive pool where they have a replica of parts of the ISS where astronauts practice underwater in a buoyancy lab before a mission. I had the chance to talk to the astronauts, and they explained the mechanics.I got lots of inspiration, and it was really a source of joy for me to be so close to that mission," he added.

It's easy to get lost in the fanfare of the world premiere, but the second half of the programming offers its own treat as well. Violin virtuoso Gil Shaham joins for Brahms' classic Violin Concerto. Known for his flawless technique, Shaham interprets this beautiful and emotionally powerful masterpiece - widely considered one of the great works of the violin repertoire.

Houston Symphony also kicks it up a notch with the Saturday night performance during an "Out of This World" party. Ticket holders are invited tosip celestial inspired cocktails, dance the night away to DJ tracks under a luminous moon globe, and mingle with Houston Symphony musicians.

It's a fitting party to capstone Lpez' work as composer-in-residence, but he's not done leaving his mark both in the city and in music. In May, the chorus and orchestra will perform his oratorio Dreamers, which was premiered by conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Philharmonia Orchestra in March.

And as for his future, he seems quite hopeful.

He said, "I have commissions lined up. There is no lack of work, thankfully. For the time being, I choose to focus on creating. That will keep me busy for a couple of years. Im always open to other positions. If I have the chance to do it again, it will be wonderful to apply all the lessons I learned during my stay in Houston."

Shaham Plays Brahms + Lpez World Premiere takes place December 5 and 7 at 8 p.m. and December 8 at 2:30 p.m at Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana. For information or tickets, call 713-244-7575 or visit houstonsymphony.org. Tickets range $24 to $109.

Sam Byrd is a freelance contributor to the Houston Press who loves to take in all of Houstons sights, sounds, food and fun. He also loves helping others to discover Houstons rich culture.

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Things To Do: Witness The World Premierere of Ad Astra with the Houston Symphony - Houston Press

Dazzling and breathtaking movement is afoot in the newly reconstituted National Space Agency. The past twenty-four months have seen a renaissance of the American space program with vision cast by President Trump and now, under the capable leadership of Vice President Mike Pence as chairman, to once again be the global leader in human space exploration.

On Oct. 5, 2017, the National Space Council convened for the first meeting in a quarter of a century. It was hosted by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC. Since that meeting, remarkable cooperation and coordination between the Departments of Transportation, Commerce, Defense and Energy, NASA with its revitalized leadership under Jim Bridenstine, our civil, military and commercial partners, have charted the course for this exciting new chapter in mankinds history-the goal of returning human astronauts to the moon in 2024.

NASA shortly thereafter, will then be establishing the lunar outpost Gateway, with its focus to support deep space exploration, and landing human astronauts on the red sands of Mars.

The Artemis Project, recently named, (she is the twin sister of Apollo from Greek mythology) isnt merely a repeat of the 1960s lunar missions that set American astronauts on the moon. The cornerstones of the National Space Councils vision are:

Space Policy Directive One charts the course for sustainable missions beyond low Earth orbit, which include the return of humans to the Moon for long term exploration and utilization, followed by human missions to Mars and other destinations.

Space Policy Directive Two sets the framework for streamlining regulations on the commercial use of space. Specific provisions include simplifying outdated launch and re-entry licenses, protecting radio frequencies, and ensuring entrepreneurial commercial space activities a regulatory environment in which to prosper unencumbered.

Space Policy Directive Three sets up a Space Traffic Management Policy which includes the mapping of space debris that imperils commercial and satellite machinery and a registry of these flying derelicts.

Space Policy Directive Four stands up the sixth branch of the Armed Forces-the U.S. Space Force.

These four directives will support and guide the global policy architecture that commercially develops low Earth orbit, which then frees up taxpayer dollars to provide the resources for the establishment of a lunar industrial complex and space exploratory projects.

While the energetic, constructive activities are exciting, counter efforts by the enemies of freedom are growing unabated, putting our national security at risk. Both China and Russia have invested heavily in their own space programs and are weaponizing their space capabilities. One has only to consider the effects of Communist control in any arena to understand the threat this poses to our national and the worlds security.

President Trump and Vice President Pence are leading, along with international global alliances to foster a foundation of peace through strength and establish the rule of law in space. American leadership has lagged in this area the past several decades, but those days are behind and on the horizon lies the day when we will once again, have Boots on the Moon.

Janalee Cooper is a Bridgewater Township resident and a Republican Party activist.

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Boots on the Moon - 2024 | Opinion - Southernminn.com

Todays science fiction, the cliche runs, is tomorrows science fact. Considering how SF tends towards the pessimistic, from cyberpunks urban cynicism in the 80s to todays glut of post-apocalyptic dystopias, thats a worrying thought. Still, we cant ignore geopolitics, or the planets climate emergency. SF is the literature most attuned to contemporaneitys harsh music and so remains the best predictor of our collective future.

In 2019, authors turned a clear eye on these dark possibilities. My pick for the book of the year, Tim Maughans Infinite Detail (MCD x FSG Originals), is a before-and-after tale of near-future social collapse after a coordinated attack takes the internet down. Its hard to believe it is a debut, so assured and evocative is Maughans writing. As a portrait of the fragility of our current status quo it is as thought-provoking as it is terrifying; you wont ever take your wifi for granted again. Running it a close second is Vicki Jarretts Always North (Unsung), another before-and-after-the-disaster novel, about climate collapse. Protagonist Isobel is on an Arctic mapping expedition for an oil-surveying company when she encounters something strange: though there are echoes of Ballard and Joanna Russ here, Jarrett is very much her own writer, with a talent for extraordinary images.

If I say The Migration by Helen Marshall (Titan) is about a plague called Juvenile Idiopathic Immunodeficiency Syndrome, whose fatalities dont stay dead, you might think it yet another zombie story. But this emotionally resonant, cleverly creepy novel has much to say about climate change.

Ben Smiths Doggerland (4th Estate), another debut, is also set in a climate-collapsed near future. An old man and a boy inhabit a North Sea wind-turbine, no longer within sight of the shore. This vision of a flooded world possesses a pared-down, Beckettian plangency.

In Chuck Wendigs Wanderers (Del Rey), a new plague sends crowds of people sleepwalking around the globe. This slow shuffle through a world coming to an end takes a while to build momentum, but by its conclusion the book parses societal and climate change via a satisfying SF twist. Chen Qiufans Waste Tide (Head of Zeus) is set on Silicon Isle, a dumping ground for the worlds discarded computers and tech trash. Theres an old school cyberpunk quality to the book, and though its plotting is a touch choppy, its a compelling reflection on a world defined by its waste.

Post-apocalypse wasnt the only flavour in 2019: in Claire Norths The Pursuit of William Abbey (Orbit) a witness to a racial murder becomes literally haunted by the crime, but in a way that grants him the ability to see the truth of peoples motivations. As ever with Norths work, its a clever and thought-provoking conceit. Arkady Martines excellent debut A Memory Called Empire (Tor) is proper space opera, with lots of hi-tech, juicy political intrigues spread across a baroque interplanetary empire. Charlie Jane Anderss City in the Middle of the Night (Titan) has a classic Le Guinian vibe: culture clash and community on an unforgiving distant planet. Joe Abercrombies first volume in a new fantasy trilogy, A Little Hatred (Gollancz), gives us incipient industrialisation, a refugee crisis, violence, politics and magic, all handled with darkly funny aplomb.

Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstones This Is How You Lose the Time War (Jo Fletcher) is hard to categorise: we might call it an epistolary time-travel spy love story, but that doesnt really convey the books poetic quality its one of a kind. Annalee Newitzs The Future of Another Timeline (Orbit) is the sharply plotted story of a murder and the spiralling consequences of trying to undo it. Ted Chiangs Exhalation (Picador) is only the short-story masters second collection, while the connected tales of Lindsey Dragers The Archive of Alternate Endings (Dzanc), each set roughly 75 years apart to coincide with the appearance of Halleys Comet, are eloquent on the centrality of storytelling to who we are. Beginning with Hansel and Gretel as the prototype tale, the narrative spins forward into the future of space exploration, and the whole is quietly brilliant. The Rosewater Redemption (Orbit) brings Tade Thompsons award-winning Nigerian alien-encounter trilogy to an end.

Some of 2019s releases find magic in the darkness. The Starless Sea (Harvill Secker) by Erin Morgenstern features an ancient subterranean library whose books about pirates, spies and lovers bleed into reality. Booker-winner Marlon Jamess venture into fantasy, Black Leopard Red Wolf (Hamish Hamilton), is a dense, multi-stranded novel about (among many other things) a mercenary searching for a lost child through a fantastical Africa: stylistically ambitious, full of arresting images, and crammed with the myriad ways humans can be ghastly to one another.

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Best science fiction and fantasy books of 2019 | Books - The Guardian

Chuck Barney, East Bay Times Published 9:54 p.m. ET Nov. 29, 2019 | Updated 9:59 p.m. ET Nov. 29, 2019

SUNDAY

In the milestone 250th episode of NCIS: Los Angeles, a former black ops agent (Carl Beukes) originally recruited and trained by Hetty Lange returns to seek revenge on Hetty for the life she introduced him to. (9:30 p.m., CBS).

MONDAY

Laugh and call him names all you want, but theres no denying that Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer continues to be a major prime-time attraction. The beloved 1964 animated special gets another holly-jolly airing tonight. (8 p.m., CBS).

Garth Brooks: The Road Im On is a two-night Biography special that promises an intimate look into the life and career of the best-selling solo artist of all time. Included: interviews with Trisha Yearwood, Keith Urban, George Strait, James Taylor and many more. (9 p.m., A&E).

Alex Borstein, left, and Rachel Brosnahan in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Amazon Prime is releasing the shows third season Friday.(Photo: Amazon)

TUESDAY

Brad Paisley Thinks Hes Special is the title of, well, his new special. The country music star showcases his hits and his humor during a performance at the War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville. (8 p.m., ABC).

Residents of Whoville, beware: The green ol grouch with a heart thats two sizes too small returns in the latest airing of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. (8 p.m., NBC).

Country music star Trisha Yearwood hosts and performs on the 10th annual CMA Country Christmas special. Shell be joined by, among others, Kristin Chenoweth, Chris Janson, Tori Kelly, Lady Antebellum, Rascal Flatts, CeCe Winans and Brett Young. (9 p.m., ABC).

WEDNESDAY

Move over, Griswolds, and meet The Moodys. Denis Leary and Elizabeth Perkins headline this holiday comedy series about a dysfunctional family that attempts to have the perfect Christmas and fails miserably. (9 p.m., Fox).

As the sixth and final season of Vikings begins, Ivar the Boneless has left Kattegat on a journey to parts unknown. Meanwhile, Bjorn Ironside has some struggles in his new role as king of Kattegat. (9 p.m., History).

THURSDAY

A Charlie Brown Christmas returns to remind us of the true meaning of the holiday and that scrawny little tree needs our love, too. (8 p.m., ABC).

Project Runway apparently is poised to blast off into a new season. Challenge No. 1: Create an innovative look inspired by space exploration. (9:30 p.m., Bravo).

FRIDAY

Rachel Brosnahan returns as the title character in Season 3 of acclaimed period comedy The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. As the new episodes drop, Midge is taking her stand-up comedy to the next level by embarking on her first national tour and opening for popular singer Shy Baldwin (Leroy McClain). However, she and her manager, Susie, will soon discover that life on tour can be just as humbling as it is glamorous. (Amazon Prime).

Octavia Spencer and Aaron Paul headline the new series Truth Be Told. Set in San Francisco, it follows a true-crime podcaster who is compelled to reopen a murder case that made her a national sensation. (Apple TV Plus).

SATURDAY

In the feel-good holiday film A Christmas Love Story, Kristin Chenoweth plays a youth choir director who is struggling to write a big song for a Christmas Eve show. Sparks fly (of course) after the arrival of a golden-voiced boy and his widowed father (Scott Wolf). (8 p.m., Hallmark Channel).

Chuck Barney, East Bay Times

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TV highlights for the week of Dec. 1-7 - Detroit Free Press