Space Race 2.0

Sixty years ago, the Soviet Unionlaunched the first artificial satellite into orbit. The event served as the starting pistol in what would come to be known as the Space Race, acompetition between the U.S.S.R. and the United States for spaceflight supremacy.

In the decades that followed, the first human reached space, a man walked on the Moon, and the first space stations were built. The U.S.S.R. and the U.S. were soon joined by other world powers in exploring the final frontier, and by the time the Soviet Union was dissolved in 1991, the contentious Space Race was something of a distant memory.

In recent years, however, a new Space Race has taken shapeSpace Race 2.0. Rather than powerful nations guided by presidents andpremiers, however, the competitors in this race are tech startups and private businessesspearheaded by billionaire entrepreneurs. And while the current atmosphere is far less contentious than that of the first Space Race (save the odd tweet or two), the competition is just as fierce.

SpaceX, Blue Origin, Bigelow Airspace, Virgin Galactic, Boeing, Lockheed Martin Not only has the number of private companies engaged in space exploration grown remarkably in recent years, these companies are quickly besting their government-sponsored competitors.

Were starting to see advances made by private entities that are more significant than any advances in the last three years that were made by the government, Chris Lewicki, CEO and President of Planetary Resources, tells Futurism.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezoss Blue Origin and Tesla CEO Elon Musks SpaceX are arguably the two companies that are setting the pace. In November 2015, the former completed the first successful vertical rocket landing after sending their New Shepard 100 kilometers (62 miles) into the air. SpaceX landed its own rocketa month later, only they did so with a craft twice as heavy as Blue Origins and traveled all the way into space first.

A month after that, in January 2016, Bezoss company became the first entity tore-launch and re-land a previously used rocket. SpaceX followed suit in 2017. The government was never able to [build reusable rockets], but now, two private companies within the space of the same year have done that, points out Lewicki.

Not only are private companies already surpassingtheir government counterparts, several are poised to widen their lead in the coming months and years.

If all goes according to plan, when SpaceXs Falcon Heavy launches in September, itll take the title of the worlds most powerful rocket away fromNASAs Saturn V. Virgin Galactic is already selling tickets for what it expects to be the first private spaceflights, which will take place aboard the sleek VSS Unity. SpaceX plans to send space tourists to the Moon in 2018, and then in 2024, the companyhopes to launch a system that will take people all the way to Marsroughly 5-15 years before NASA expects to do the same.

Private companies may bein the lead, but the finish line for this Space Race isnt exactly clear. The first iteration was arguably won when Neil Armstrong took his first steps on the Moon, so does this sequel end when we establish the first Moon base? When a human walks on Mars? When we leave the solar system?

Truthfully, the likelihood of humanity ever calling it a day on space exploration is slim to none. The universe is huge, with galaxy estimates in the trillions, so thegoalpost will continue moving back (to bring another sport into the analogy). Rather than focusing on competing in what is ultimately an unwinnable race, private and government-backed space agencies can actually benefit from collaboration thanks to their inherent differences.

The way that SpaceX, Planetary Resources, or Virgin Galactic approaches space exploration is going to be very different from NASA or the Air Force, explains Lewicki. Private companies arent beholden to the same slow processes that often stall government projects, and they can secure or reallocate funding much more swiftly if need be. However, unlike agencies like NASA, they do have shareholders to keep happy and a need to constantly pursue profitability.

The two sectors, therefore, have a tremendous opportunity to help one another. Private companies can generate revenue throughgovernment contracts for example,NASA has contracted Boeing to transport astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS), and SpaceX just closed a deal with the U.S. Air Force to launch its secretive space drone. Thisleaves the government agencies free to pursue the kind of forward-thinking, longer-term research that might not immediately generate revenue, but that can be later streamlined and improved upon in the private sector.

Ultimately, Space Race 2.0has no losers. The breakthroughs happening in space exploration benefit us all, and truly, a little friendly competition never hurt anyone (unless you count the egos bruised by those tweets).

This interview has been slightly edited for clarity and brevity.

Originally posted here:

Private Companies, Not Governments, Are Shaping the Future of Space Exploration - Futurism

Experts told Sputnik they believe China's space ambitions are driven not only by the goal of space exploration itself but also by politics. Tommy Yang - China's commitment to its space exploration programs is driven by the same sense of national pride that fueled the "space race" between the Soviet Union and the United States in the 1960s, experts told Sputnik.

China's space programs topped the What China's Space Ambitions Have to Do With Politicss this week after Chinese authorities unveiled more details of the nation's Lunar exploration and manned spaceflight missions during the 2017 Global Space Exploration Conference in Beijing.

The country's Chang'e 5 Lunar probe, named after a fairy goddess who resides on the Moon according to Chinese legends, is expected to land in the Mons Rumker region and to take Moon samples back to Earth at the end of 2017, Liu Jizhong, the director of China Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering Center of China National Space Administration (CNSA), said at the conference.

In addition, China is expected to launch four manned spaceflight missions over the next five years to build an operational space station, according to China's first astronaut Yang Liwei, who is now the deputy director of China's manned space program office. Yang added that two manned space missions will be conducted in 2020 and the first Chinese long-term operational space station will be completed by around 2022.

China has been making steady progress in its space exploration programs since the Chinese government approved the Shenzhou manned spaceflight program in 1992. Yang completed China's first manned spaceflight in 2003, orbiting the Earth 14 times. And the Shenzhou 9 manned spacecraft, with the first female Chinese astronaut on board, docked with the Tiangong-1 prototype space station for the first time in 2012.

The projected landing of China's Lunar probe on the Moon later this year comes almost 48 years after American astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans walking on the Moon in 1969, during the Apollo 11 mission commissioned by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

As traditional space exploration powerhouses including the United States and Russia scaled back their funding for spaceflight programs in the past several decades, China was set on continuing to invest in space exploration programs.

Experts suggested that political motives remain the main driver of Chinese space programs.

"Space exploration programs can demonstrate the technological capabilities for a country, showing it has the capability to do complex tasks," James Head, a professor of geological sciences at Brown University who worked on the Apollo project at NASA and provided training for the Apollo astronauts, said.

Head added that countries like India, Japan and the United Arab Emirates are developing their space programs for similar reasons.

Russian space enthusiast Vitaly Egorov, who initiated a project earlier this year to prove the success of human landing missions on the Moon, echoed professor Head's assessment.

"Today, China remains the only country in the world motivated by patriotic propaganda to finance its space achievements," said Egorov, noting that the early stages of space programs in the Soviet Union and the US also mostly served propaganda purposes.

Lei Fanpei, the chairman of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, the main contractor for Chinese space programs, said China may be the only country to have a space station in service by 2024, when the International Space Station retires.

China even coined a new name for its spacewalkers. Similar to the words "astronauts" used by the United States and "cosmonauts" used by Russia, the crews of Chinese spaceflights are called "taikonauts", derived from the Chinese word "taikong" for space.

Costly Explorations Following the launch of Sputnik 1 in 1957, the Soviet Union and the United States started a "space race" which lasted until the early 1970s. During that period, The Soviet Union beat the United States to send the first human, cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, into space in 1961. The United States succeeded in the landing of first humans on the Moon with Apollo 11 in 1969.

But the space race also came with a hefty price tag. According to figures from a CIA research report, the Soviet Union spent an estimated $20 billion, about $145 billion in modern day dollar value, on its space programs, including hardware development costs. The Apollo Moon program cost US taxpayers a staggering $25.4 billion, which translates to around $184 billion in modern day dollar value.

NASA's annual budget peaked in 1966 to $5.93 billion, which is valued at about $43.6 billion today, accounting for 4.41 percent of the US federal budget of that year. NASA's approved budget for fiscal year 2017 stood at $19.65 billion, about 0.47% of total US federal budget. In comparison, despite loud rhetoric about its space programs through Chinese state media, China's spending on those programs is significantly smaller compared to US and Soviet spending.

According to Wu Ping, deputy director of the China Manned Space Agency, China spent about $5.74 billion on its Shenzhou manned spaceflight program from the time the program was approved in 1992 until 2012, when Chinese taikonauts completed the first manned docking mission with the Tiangong-1 prototype space station.

Professor Head acknowledged that, similar to the era when pioneering explorers such as Christopher Columbus needed to be funded by the Spanish Monarchy looking for gold, human exploration into space also faces a similar dilemma.

"Before you get to see a good business model, you can't convince people to spend money [on space projects]," Head said.

Head believes that China's top-down decision making system may be an advantage in supporting the continuity of its space programs, adding that the US space programs have become "a hostage" of contrary decisions made by different presidents.

For example, former US President Barack Obama canceled plans to continue exploration of the Moon. Instead, he wanted NASA to send astronauts to Mars by the 2030s.

"We have set a clear goal vital to the next chapter of America's story in space: sending humans to Mars by the 2030s and returning them safely to Earth, with the ultimate ambition to one day remain there for an extended time," Obama wrote in the op-ed published in October 2016.

Lack of CooperationChinese President Xi Jinping stressed in a congratulatory letter to the space conference in Beijing that China wants to enhance cooperation with the international community in peaceful space exploration and development.

But China still faces an uphill battle when it comes to borrowing experiences from the United States or Russia from their previous successful space missions.

A two-sentence clause included in the US spending bill approved by the US Congress in 2011 prohibits the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and NASA from coordinating any joint scientific activity with China.

The clause, inserted by Representative Frank Wolf, a long-time critic of the Chinese government who chairs a House spending committee that oversees several science agencies, prevents OSTP or NASA from using federal funds "to develop, design, plan, promulgate, implement or execute a bilateral policy, program, order, or contract of any kind to participate, collaborate, or coordinate bilaterally in any way with China or any Chinese-owned company."

Yu Guobin, vice director of the Lunar and Space Exploration Engineering Center of China, was scheduled to speak at a symposium before the start of the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in the United States on March 19 to discuss China's plans to explore the Moon and Mars. But Yu informed the organizers that the US embassy in Beijing had denied his request for a visa to attend the conference.

"Even during the Cold War, there was not any harsh law like this preventing people working at NASA from communicating with their Russian counterparts," Head, who was an organizer for the symposium, complained.

He added that the law is hurting Washington more than China.

The International Space Station welcomed the first experiment independently designed by China, when SpaceX's unmanned Dragon cargo ship, carrying a 3.5 kilogram (2.2 pound) device from the Beijing Institute of Technology, arrived earlier this week.

The deal for the delivery was reached in 2015 with NanoRacks, a Houston-based company that offers services for the commercial utilization of the space station. The deal was purely commercial and therefore considered legal.

In addition, as China and Russia seek to build closer bilateral ties, cooperation in space programs between the two nations is also expected to get a boost.

Russia and China discussed prospects for cooperation in the field of manned space flights, Sergey Krikalev, the executive director for manned space flight programs at Russia's Roscosmos State Space Corporation, said at the space conference in Beijing.

Russia's Lavochkin Research and Production Association is ready to work with China on designing Lunar exploration missions, including orbital and return ones, Sergei Lemeshevsky, the company's director general, told Sputnik on Thursday.

Source: Sputnik News

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What China's space ambitions have to do with politics - Space Daily

By Marc Weider, Anchin, Block and Anchin

In New York and other dense urban areas, space is an increasingly precious commodity.

Here are some of the trends developers are embracing as they search for solutions to address the scarcity of land for development.

Cantilevered Buildings

Most developers are familiar with the practice of transferring air rights that is, the right to build or develop in the airspace above a property.

If zoning laws permit it, acquiring air rights from nearby owners who dont plan to use them allows a developer to build higher than zoning restrictions would otherwise allow. Generally, taller buildings command higher resale values, particularly on the upper floors, boosting the developers return on investment.

Going taller isnt always an option, though. A planned building may already be at the legal limit. Or, even if its possible to acquire additional air rights, the developer may be concerned about the risk that the city will impose new height restrictions down the road. In recent years, an increasing number of developers have maximized their spaces (and increased their profitability) by acquiring the right to cantilever their buildings over adjacent properties. Cantilevered buildings offer a variety of benefits: For example, they allow developers to extend their horizontal spaces beyond the constraints of the buildings footprint and to add value by expanding apartment layouts, improving views, and bathing units in natural light.

In addition, cantilevered buildings use a sort of inverted pyramid approach, which enhances value: Floors get bigger as one goes higher, where space is more valuable.

Developers considering this strategy should be sure to work with financial and legal advisors who have experience with air rights and land use issues.

Cantilevered structures can be expensive and challenging to build. And valuing air rights (values can be 60 percent or more of comparable land values) and negotiating their transfer is a complex process. Missteps can lead to costly surprises.

For example, if the transfer isnt negotiated and documented thoroughly and precisely, theres a risk that the seller will retain rights that can interfere with the buyers plans.

And buying air rights from condo buildings can be tricky, because typically it requires the approval of each unit owner.

Converting older buildings

Another strategy developers are using to tap new sources of developable space is to convert existing buildings such as schools, hospitals or churches into residential, retail, or mixed use properties.

The availability of these buildings is on the rise, as struggling schools and houses of worship close and health care facilities close or are consolidated.

Other possibilities include banks, movie theaters, warehouses, government buildings, industrial facilities, parking garages, and fire stations.

Many of these buildings boast historic or distinctive architectural features and unique structural elements such as high ceilings, large windows and skylights, unusual building materials, and unconventional layouts that lend themselves to intriguing residential and retail spaces. Plus, these buildings are often located in desirable neighborhoods.

Converting these types of buildings also presents several significant challenges that require the assistance of experienced advisors.

In addition to the architectural and engineering challenges associated with such a conversion, there may be zoning, land use, historical preservation, building code, and other regulatory issues, as well as potential environmental obstacles. Hospitals, schools, and industrial buildings, for example, may contain hazardous substances that require remediation. And certain conversions, churches in particular, may be controversial in the community.

Micro-Units

Most developers focus on the luxury market and strategies for expanding spaces. But theres a burgeoning trend toward micro-units studio apartments as small as 300 square feet or less but with high-quality amenities that appeal to the relatively untapped market of young singles who want to stay in the city.

This trend has yet to take off, and many developers are skeptical about the profitability of micro-units. But based on the enthusiastic response to the first micro-unit buildings to hit the market in New York, this strategy may be worth a look. Rent per square foot for micro-units is substantially higher than that of larger apartments, and developers can maximize their profits by squeezing many units into a relatively small space.

Of course, in most cases renters can get more for their money by sharing apartments with others, but many young people are willing to trade space for privacy.

So far, there hasnt been much interest in micro-unit condos, but that may change. Were beginning to see a market for these units among young professionals looking to buy on their own, parents seeking alternatives to the dorm for their children in college, and people looking for a piedterre.

Be Creative

As developers confront the challenges of a dwindling supply of developable space, these and other trends may offer solutions. To remain competitive, developers must be creative and push the boundaries of traditional development strategies.

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Space exploration: The solutions to land scarcity - Real Estate Weekly

China will offer more opportunities for private companies to participate in lunar and Mars exploration, a space exploration official said.

Tian Yulong, secretary general of the China National Space Administration (CNSA), said that commercial aerospace programs had been carried out in low Earth orbit (LEO), but those in deep space exploration would be a challenge, at the Global Space Exploration Conference, which lasts from Tuesday to Thursday.

"In deep space exploration, we need to provide a favorable environment for middle and small-sized enterprises," he said.

At present, space exploration is mostly invested and operated by government bodies and institutions. Encouraging private investment in space exploration has long been a challenge for countries worldwide.

Tian said many Chinese companies showed enthusiasm for taking part in space exploration. In the last two years, more than 10 enterprises have been engaged in microsatellite research and development and about 100 have worked on the development and use of satellite LEO data.

There are more than 20 companies that have been listed based on the business possibilities of aerospace technology, he said, adding that space exploration technology, such as communication and human intelligence, could be widely used.

"The CNSA is working on enabling enterprises to become the main force of technical innovation by creating favorable laws and policies," Tian said.

Source: Xinhua News Agency

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China to provide more opportunities to private companies for space exploration - Space Daily

Mashable

Here's why you should pay close attention to India's space program Mashable India stands apart from other big players in space exploration. Unlike the reasons for forming the U.S. and Russian space programs, India's goals for space travel aren't mainly motivated by nationalistic competition. Instead, the ISRO was founded to ... and more »

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Here's why you should pay close attention to India's space program - Mashable

MINSK, 8 June (BelTA) Belarus is ready for international cooperation in peaceful space exploration. Deputy Chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (NASB), Academician Sergei Kilin made the statement during the 60th session of the UN Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space in Vienna, the NASB press service told BelTA.

In his speech the NASB official noted that after Belarus joined the UN Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space in 2014, the country has been open and ready to join international integration and cooperation in this field. The policy in favor of peaceful exploration and uses of outer space fully conforms with Belarus' national interests and is being implemented through the relevant measures and projects in Belarus. We are proud that three cosmonauts Piotr Klimuk, Vladimir Kovalenok, and Oleg Novitsky are natives of Belarus, noted Sergei Kilin.

The official stated that the year 2017 has been declared the Year of Science in Belarus. Fundamental and applied research projects in the area of space exploration are in progress as well as the development of the accompanying technologies. For the sake of consolidating the country's scientific, technical, and industrial potentials space exploration projects and measures are stipulated by the government program on peaceful space exploration till 2020. The program includes several main directions: the development of the Belarusian system for the remote sensing of Earth using the already operational Belarusian satellites BKA and Canopus-B; the development of navigation, geodesy, and cartography projects using space technologies; the development of programs for training scientific personnel, for providing scientific, technical, organizational, and legal support for space exploration projects in Belarus.

Sergei Kilin noted that this year Belarus has started creating a new satellite for the remote sensing of Earth. It will boast a higher resolution ability (0.5m) in the panchromatic mode.

Sergei Kilin reminded that in September 2018 Belarus will host the 31st Planetary Congress of the Association of Space Explorers. Preparations are already afoot. The congress will be properly organized. We invite representatives of all the Association countries to participate in the congress, said the academician.

The 60th session of the UN Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space is scheduled to take place in Vienna, Austria on 7-16 June. The agenda includes the development of cosmonautics for peaceful purposes, space technologies as part of the UN system, long-term sustainable development of space industry, and a number of other areas.

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Belarus' drive for peaceful space exploration underlined - Belarus News (BelTA)

The rocket that blasted into space from New Zealand on May 25 was special. Not only was it the first to launch from a private site, it was also the first to be powered by an engine made almost entirely using 3D printing. This might not make it the first 3D-printed rocket in space that some headlines described it as, but it does highlight how seriously this manufacturing technique is being taken by the space industry.

Members of the team behind the Electron rocket at US company RocketLab say the engine was printed in 24 hours and provides efficiency and performance benefits over other systems. Theres not yet much information out there regarding the exact details of the 3D-printed components. But its likely many of them have been designed to minimise weight while maintaining their structural performance, while other components may have been optimised to provide efficient fluid flow. These advantages reducing weight and the potential for complex new designs are a large part of why 3D printing is expected to find some of its most significant applications in space exploration, with dramatic effect.

One thing the set of technologies known as additive manufacturing or 3D printing does really well is to produce highly complicated shapes. For example, lattice structures produced in exactly the right way so that they weigh less but are just as strong as similar solid components. This creates the opportunity to produce optimised, lightweight parts that were previously impossible to manufacture economically or efficiently with more traditional techniques.

Boeings microlattice is an example of taking this to the extreme, supposedly producing mechanically sound structures that are 99.9 per centair. Not all 3D printing processes can achieve this, but even weight savings of a few percent in aircraft and spacecraft can lead to major benefits through the use of less fuel.

3D printing tends to work best for the production of relatively small, intricate parts rather than large, simple structures, where the higher material and processing costs would outweigh any advantage. For example, a redesigned nozzle can enhance fuel mixing within an engine, leading to better efficiency. Increasing the surface area of a heat shield by using a patterned rather than a flat surface can mean heat is transferred away more efficiently, reducing the chances of overheating.

The techniques can also reduce the amount of material wasted in manufacturing, important because space components tend to be made from highly expensive and often rare materials. 3D printing can also produce whole systems in one go rather than from lots of assembled parts. For example, NASA used it to reduce the components in one of its rocket injectors from 115 to just two. Plus, 3D printers can easily make small numbers of a part as the space industry often needs without first creating expensive manufacturing tools.

In orbit

3D printers are also likely to find a use in space itself, where its difficult to keep large numbers of spare parts and hard to send out for replacements when youre thousands of kilometres from Earth. Theres now a 3D printer on the International Space Station so, if something breaks, engineers can send up a design for a replacement and the astronauts can print it out.

Astro printing (Barry Wilmore/NASA)

The current printer only deals with plastic so its more likely to be used for making tools or one-off replacements for low-performance parts such as door handles. But once 3D printers can more easily use other materials, were likely to see an increase in their uses. One day, people in space could produce their own food items and even biological materials. Recycling facilities could also enable broken parts to be reused to make the replacements.

Looking even further ahead, 3D printers could prove useful in building colonies. Places like the moon dont have much in the way of traditional building materials, but the European Space Agency has proven solar energy can power the production of bricks of lunar dust, which would be a good start. Researchers are now looking at how to use 3D printing to take this idea further and develop complete printed buildings on the moon.

To make many of these applications a reality, well need to research more advanced materials and processes that can manufacture components to withstand the extremely harsh conditions of space. Engineers also need to work on developing optimised designs and find ways of testing 3D printed parts to prove theyre safe. And then theres the irritating issue of gravity, or rather the lack of it. Many current processes use powders or liquids as their raw materials so were likely to need some clever tricks in order to make these function safely in a low or microgravity environment.

Some of these barriers may even require entirely new materials and techniques. But as research goes on, 3D printing is likely to be used more and more in space, even if a fully printed space vehicle isnt going to launch any time soon. The sky is no longer the limit.

Candice Majewski is a lecturer in mechanical engineering at the University of Sheffield. This article was originally published on The Conversation (www.conversation.com)

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A 3D-printed rocket engine just launched a new era of space exploration - The Independent

By Dr. Jyotika I. Virmani June 7, 2017

Both space and ocean exploration can boast world firsts, extreme risks, unknown challenges and mind-boggling discoveries that captivate our imagination and advance our understanding of our world and, fundamentally, of ourselves. So why does space exploration and research capture our collective attention and imagination more than ocean exploration and research?

The answer to this question has remained elusive for ocean professionals and enthusiasts alike. A case can be made that until the mid-20th century the oceans held an equal, if not a greater, fascination for the general public as compared to space. What changed? A frequently given reason for this shift in public interest is the 20th century space race, which triggered greater funding for space exploration and resulted in greater outreach. Added to this, space is generally considered to be more exciting and more visible; people need simply to look up into the night sky and see billions of stars and imagine the vast possibilities. Conversely, the oceans remain psychologically distant from the human mind (e.g. Schuldt et al., 2016), only directly visible to those who live along or visit a coast; even then, most people just see the sea surface the wonders that lie beneath remain hidden. But are these the only reasons?

For decades, the ocean community has worked to engage the public in ocean issues by, for example: highlighting the potential solutions for food security or pharmaceutical discoveries; raising the alarm over the damage we are causing and the long-term consequences to our own livelihoods; and making it more relatable by emphasizing the human connection. Some progress has been made but the fact still remains that space, although inaccessible for the majority, is more appealing to the general public than the oceans. Consequently, given the magnitude of discoveries waiting to be made, ocean exploration and research are generally underfunded. This can clearly be seen through a number of metrics including social media, which can be used as a proxy for the level of interest by the public. For example, search engines show at least four times as many hits on space exploration versus ocean exploration (e.g. Schubel, 2016) at any given time.

Lets take a deeper look at how weaving the human element into a narrative makes the story more appealing and relatable for people. In November 2011, NASA launched the Mars Curiosity Rover, a mission that successfully landed a robot 54.6 million kilometers from Earth, on Mars, in August 2012. This phenomenal achievement made front-page news globally and, with each new finding, continued to generate massive global interest. At approximately the same time, in March 2012, James Cameron, one of the worlds best known movie directors, personally embarked on an extremely dangerous mission to the bottom of the Mariana Trench (approximately 11 kilometers deep and approximately 300 kilometers from the nearest land). As the third person in human history to do this (Jacques Piccard and Capt. Don Walsh made this journey for the first time in 1960), it was an incredible testament to human achievement. In one example, we have a robot on a daring mission of exploration and discovery. In the other example, we have a very famous person on a daring mission of exploration and discovery. Both showcase the sense of adventure and human achievement. Yet the epic journey by Cameron is not as well-known (a Google search shows 251,000 hits for James Cameron reached Mariana Trench) compared to the Mars Curiosity journey (a Google search shows 446,000 hits for Mars Curiosity Rover landed). Clearly, the ingredients for a compelling and memorable story are more complex than the human element alone.

As an ocean community, we should continue to talk about the importance of issues such as conservation and protection, but to reach a broader audience there are lessons we can learn from the space community. We should take these to heart and turn the tide on ocean communication. And perhaps, as space becomes more commercialized and easier to access, the space community can take lessons from the recent experiences of the ocean community. By inspiring the public we shape public perception, which in turn influences policymakers and, more practically, changes funding levels. We need to embark on a Quest to Inspire the Public about the oceans for the sake of everyone.

The Author

Dr. Jyotika Virmani is Senior Director for Planet & Environment at XPRIZE and prize lead for the Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE. Dr. Virmani has over a decade of professional experience in oceanography. She has a Ph.D. in physical oceanography.

References

Schubel, J. R., 2016, Positioning Ocean Exploration in a Chaotic Sea of Changing Media. National Ocean Exploration Forum, October 20-21, 2016

Schuldt, J. P., K. A. McComas, and S. E. Byrne. 2016, Communicating about Ocean Health: Theoretical and Practical Considerations. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 371: 20150214. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2015.0214

Tversky, A., and D. Kahneman, 1981, The Framing of Decisions and the Psychology of Choice. Science, 211(4481): 453-458. doi: 10.1126/science.7455683

Weiss R. K., and A. Cochrane, 2010, Days of Future Past: Film Visions of Space Exploration, Commercialization and Tourism. IAC-10.E5.3

Woodman, J., 2016, Just Waiting to be Discovered: Finding Hope in Earthbound Mysteries, IEEE Earthzine

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Ocean vs Space: Exploration and the Quest to Inspire the Public - Marine Technology News

According to Robert Salazar, If you study nature from an artistic and scientific perspective while gaining proficiency in your medium, you can allow your artistic pursuits to give rise to engineering applications, and your engineering pursuits to give rise to works of art.

Salazar is an expert of striking the perfect balance between art and science. A master of origami and an environmental studies student, hes able to apply both his art and science skills to build solar reflectors for a project at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Salazars had to work incredibly hard: after attending five different high schools and losing his home, hes managed to follow his dreams by finding ways to allow his artistic endeavors to apply to impressive engineering pursuits. He documents all of his explorations on his website, and we were lucky enough to also chat with him about his story here. Check out the conversation below, which has been edited for clarity.

TERRI BURNS: Tell me about your background, what you're studying in school, and some of your interests.

ROBERT SALAZAR: I earned my associates degree before transferring to UCSB as a physics major, where I transitioned to a major in environmental studies with a minor in philosophy.

In school, I take the opportunity to familiarize myself with what is happening to our environment and to each other around the world, and how our understanding of the world coupled with our behavior leads to freedom from environmental degradation and involuntary suffering or otherwise. I take great interest in further developing the framework I use to approach these problems and identifying relevant theorems in a network context.

Additionally, I strive to further develop the ancient Japanese art of origami into a powerful expressive medium that can inspire social change toward environmental sustainability and peace. Ive spent 17 years folding origami, and 8 years designing them rigorously. Everything I fold is an original design from a single uncut sheet. My courses of study are well suited to origami design, where the objective is to establish harmony among many folded features that are intimately and geometrically related to each other, and take up a finite sheet of paper. In origami, these relationships can be transformed, but they can never be cut by scissors, nor can paper be added.

TB: Tell me about the work you're doing now as a JPL intern.

RS: At JPL I'm currently developing large origami deployable solar reflectors for the Trans-Formers for Lunar Extreme Environments project. The project mission is to illuminate permanently shaded regions in the interior of Shackleton Crater at south pole of the Moon. Though the rim of Shackleton Crater receives constant sunlight nearly all year long, its interior has remained in darkness for billions of years, allowing its temperature to cool to ~90K (~ -300F), a temperature well suited to the capture of icy debris from nearby comet impacts over the eons. The solar reflectors would be mounted in pairs on a support structure on the crater rim, and would track the sun to illuminate and power robotic explorers in regions of interest ~10km below.

On the project, I design the solar reflectors and their deployment mechanisms. I use finite element analyses and simulations to determine what materials would allow a reflector to deploy very flat under tension, within 1mm/m deviation, and operate under constant solar radiation and temperature extremes for years on end, while maintaining >95 percent directional reflectivity. Then I write algorithms to design origami crease patterns that would allow a solar reflector to deploy to the size of the Statue of Liberty from a package ~1 cubic meter in volume and ~100kg.

TB: What's your backstory? How did you get where you are today?

RS: I faced difficulties graduating high school. I had attended five high schools, and lost my house twice during that time. Later, my first summer of research was at UCSB, where I discovered the photoacoustic effect in nanostructured thin metal films. This discovery ultimately led to a photoacoustic phased array, and a much cheaper alternative to the production of ultra-high frequency ultrasound. I spent the next summer at JPL developing thermoelectric materials for cooling X-ray detectors aboard space telescopes.

In the summer of 2015 I returned to JPL as an intern to work on the Starshade project [a free-flying spacecraft that would block the glare of a distant star so a separate space telescope could see its much fainter planets]. My task was to develop a crease pattern that would allow the slightly conical optical shield of the Starshade to stow to a well-defined volume and create a perfect light seal with its mechanical truss throughout deployment. The challenge required me to write an algorithm that could design a crease pattern to fit its given stow requirements, boundary conditions, and material thickness. My success on Starshade led me to the Transformers project the following summer.

TB: How did you get interested in solar reflectors specifically, and why are they important?

RS: The advantages of renewable energy and the mission of the transformers project got me interested in developing solar reflectors. Their ability to generate and redirect energy, catalyze chemical reactions, propel spacecraft, and be deployed from small lightweight packages to large surface areas further solidified my interest. Their traditionally low cost, simplicity, and reliance on an abundant, though diffuse, energy source, makes them an attractive technology.

TB: What do you want to do in your career? Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

RS: I plan to continue at JPL to meet the origami challenges of the future and to continue building my company, Orisun into one that can deliver portable origami deployable solar concentrators for desalination, water purification, rain capture, energy generation, atmospheric water generation, and solar cooking to people who have been displaced by war, climate change, and natural disasters. I will also continue to develop origami into a powerful medium that is well-acquainted with a grand diversity of interactive materials for artistic expression and engineering.

TB: What is something that you would love to see happen someday in your field of study?

RS: Just as every unit of surface in a sheet of paper gives rise to all of an origamis folded features, so too does energy and matter give rise to the systems we take part in.

I would love to see the rise of technology that has been designed with its downstream life cycle in mind. I would love to see an end to the labeling of materials and energy as waste, when each has its own unique potential to be something new or to do useful work. In any finite system where energy and matter are conserved, you can almost be certain that energy is flowing and materials are changing. Everything that ends is giving rise to something else. If we can develop a world where we find utility in everything we make throughout its life cycle, we can achieve sustainability, as nature has shown us we can.

TB: What advice do you have for other students who may be interested in doing the kind of work you do?

RS: Well acquaint yourself with the problems of the world. You never know how valuable something you made or discovered will be for many other purposes.

If you study nature from an artistic and scientific perspective while gaining proficiency in your medium, you can allow your artistic pursuits to give rise to engineering applications, and your engineering pursuits to give rise to works of art. Pursuing them together, can take your designs and your medium to very interesting places.

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The Origami of Space Exploration - Scientific American (blog)

The Global Space Exploration Conference (GLEX 2017) has officially opened its doors on Monday 6 June 2017 with a welcome address by Li Yuanchao, Vice-President of People's Republic of China who also read a participative letter from Xi Jinping, President of People's Republic of China stating that "China is ready to strengthen cooperation with the international community for a better future to humankind".

Lei Fanpei, President of the Chinese Society of Astronautics (CSA) and Jean-Yves Le Gall, President of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), welcomed over a thousand delegates from 51 countries.

This Chinese call to cooperation has been the main focus of the Heads of Agency Plenary where the idea of a global space agency has been analysed; Roberto Battiston, President of the Italian Space Agency (ASI) praised this dream of a global space agency and the great impact it would have on mankind; he also added that this could be achieved by "the ultimate endeavor in front of us: sending men to Mars".

However, Pascale Ehrenfreund, Chair of the Executive Board of German Aerospace Center (DLR), defended "the role that national space agencies have in fostering national businesses".

Afterwards, delegates attended the International Platform for Diversity and Equality in Astronautics (IDEA) Diversity luncheon, moderated by IAF President, Jean-Yves Le Gall. Yang Baohua, Vice President of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), presented the impressive results of China's space development contribution to 3G (Gender - Geography - Generation).

The audience discussed, among many other topics, the role of female space leaders, the characteristics of the first astronauts' crew landing on Mars, the work of space nations and emerging space countries to foster diversity.

Delegates then attended a Plenary organised by the Chinese Host focusing on the key role played by China in space cooperation with Cheng'E-4 mission and ESA, DLR and NSO have been awarded by CNSA for their commitment and support to the mission which was a great success.

Finally, Jan Woerner, Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA) expressed the wish to invite the global space community to join a cooperative Moon Village concept.

Both Global Networking Forum (GNF) and Technical Sessions received a huge interest from the delegates and left us with the reassuring conviction that global partnerships is vital in order to ensure the successful inclusion of all countries in space exploration.

Follow the conversation online #GLEX2017.

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Will Space Exploration lead us to a Global Space Agency - Space Daily

Space: the final frontier. Outer space has been in the news a lot recently. The recent discovery of seven Earth-sized planets orbiting TRAPPIST-1in February excited many people at the possibility to explore further into space. Whats more, different companies have been conducting successful experiments tolaunch commercial flights tospace. Richard Bransons Virgin Galactic and Elon Musks SpaceX have both been conducting successful tests of their burgeoning passenger spaceships.

The allure of space goes beyond the human need to explore new places and see new sights. The financial gain could be huge as well. There are asteroids full of valuable elements, such as platinum. According to a 98-page client memo, Goldman Sachs said that a craft could be built for $2.6 billion and could extract anywhere from $25 to $50 billion worth of platinum from an asteroid.

Of course this raises many issues, one of which is the risk of inundating the market with platinum and tanking its value.

via GIPHY

Another potential issueis the Outer Space Treaty,drafted in 1967 by the U.S. and the USSR. The countries main fear was nuclear weapons being put in space, but the treaty laid the groundwork for space exploration. Essentially what the treaty established was that the act of space exploration should be used to benefit humankind. In fact, one line of the treaty explicitly says:

Believing that the exploration and use of outer space should be carried on for the benefit of all peoples irrespective of the degree of their economic or scientific development

When the treaty was signed, national governments, and not private companies,had the capital available to venture into space exploration. In 2017, the economic landscape is a bit different. If Goldman Sachs wants to send itsown personal spaceship to an asteroid to mine it for platinum, will theprofits be used for the benefit of all peoples as the treaty would require?

Article VI of the treaty, the only article that addresses non-governmental entities, says that the nation the private entity is located in would have to police its actions. It states:

States Parties to the Treaty shall bear international responsibility for national activities in outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, whether such activities are carried on by governmental agencies or by non-governmental entities, and for assuring that national activities are carried out in conformity with the provisions set forth in the present Treaty. The activities of non-governmental entities in outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, shall require authorization and continuing supervision by the appropriate State Party to the Treaty

The U.S. would have to ensure that Goldman Sachs use the profits of itsmining to benefit all peoples.

Space, as of right now, is technically res communis, or common territory, like a park or the high sea. Unfortunately, what you can and cannot do there is not as clearly defined as it is in these territories. The treaty prohibits national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, so does that mean that no one can build a hotel on Mars? And what about that gold mine (well, platinum mine) in the asteroid? Does Goldman Sachs even have the right to mine it, even if itcan get there?

For now, space is a legal gray area. We have a long way to go before we become like The Jetsons or Zenon. But its still fun to think that one day we could get there.

via GIPHY

Anne Grae Martin is a member of the class of 2017 University of Delaware. She is majoring in English Professional Writing and minoring in French and Spanish. When shes not writing for Law Street, Anne Grae loves doing yoga, cooking, and correcting her friends grammar mistakes. Contact Anne Grae at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

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Space Exploration: Can Private Companies Operate in Space? - Law Street Media (blog)

A new trailer for the upcoming indie game Outreach, where you explore an abandoned Russian space station during the cold war, received its first gameplay trailer on Tuesday, giving us a look at what to expect from the graphics and some of the things youll be doing in the game.

Playing as a Russian astronaut named Alexy, youll explore a secret space station built by the Russians in the 1980s to try to discover what happened to the crew. Youll be working on computers trying to get them back online, and talking with ground control back home.

Check out the Initial Gameplay Trailer below:

Outreach was announced back in 2015, and has slowly made its way onto the scene using some high quality, live action trailers meant to portray the tone that they are going for. You can check them all out at developer Pixel Spills YouTube channel. Outreach is to be released sometime later this year on Steam.

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Space Exploration Game 'Outreach' Receives First Gameplay Trailer ... - Hardcore Gamer

Vice President Mike Pence applauds NASA's newest class of astronauts in a June 7 ceremony at the Johnson Space Center. Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

WASHINGTON Vice President Mike Pence used a ceremony announcing NASAs latest class of astronauts June 7 to restate the administrations plans to reestablish the National Space Council, but set no timetable for formally doing so.

Pence, in an address at NASAs Johnson Space Center, said the plans to restore the council, inactive for nearly a quarter century, was part of a coherent and cohesive approach to space policy by the administration, one that the White House has, so far, offered few details about.

Im especially excited to say to announce, after more than two decades from when it was disbanded, that soon, President Trump will relaunch the National Space Council, and it will be my great honor as Vice President of the United States to chair the new National Space Council, Pence said in his remarks.

America needs a National Space Council once again, he said, noting the two previous times the council was active, during the early years of the Space Age in the late 1950s and 1960s, and again during the administration of President George H.W. Bush in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Our National Space Council will reenergize the pioneering spirit of America in space, and it will ensure that America never again loses our lead in space exploration, innovation and technology, Pence said.

Pence did not indicate when the council would formally be reestablished, but his comments at the astronaut ceremony were not the first time he discussed the council. At a March 21 signing ceremony for a new NASA authorization bill at the White House, Pence said that the president would sign an executive order establishing the council in very short order, with Pence chairing it.

That executive order has not been signed yet. At a May 1 symposium on ultra low cost space access, Bob Walker, a former chairman of the House Science Committee who, as a space policy advisor during the Trump campaign, recommended reestablishing the council, said the order had been drafted and was awaiting the presidents signature.

Its a matter of timing, Walker said at that event. I think theyre hoping to announce the executive secretary of the space council at the same time that they announce the formation of the space council.

Pence offered few specifics in space policy, other than a suggestion that the administration will focus NASA on human space exploration over areas like Earth science. We must reorient our civilian space program towards deep space exploration, and provide the capabilities for America to maintain a constant presence in low Earth orbit and beyond, he said.

He also emphasized increased collaboration with commercial space industries in his speech, but offered no details about what such collaborations might entail.

Pences speech otherwise offered generic support for NASA and space exploration, including a personal interest in space what he described as space fever that he said dates back to watching launches from the early space program as a boy growing up in Indiana. He also discussed the presidents support for the issue. President Donald Trump is firmly committed to NASAs noble mission, leading America in space, he said.

The address was the keynote of an event where NASA unveiled a new class of 12 astronauts. That group seven men and five women comes from a mix of science and technical backgrounds, including some from academia and the military, as well as one engineer who previously worked for SpaceX.

The new astronauts, selected from a record-high applicant pool of 18,300, will begin two years of training in August, after which they will be eligible for flight assignments. That will include preparing to fly both NASAs Orion spacecraft as well as commercial crew vehicles under development by Boeing and SpaceX for missions to the International Space Station.

You have joined the elites. You are the best of us, Pence told the astronaut class. You carry on your shoulders the hopes and dreams of the American people.

The rest is here:

Pence reiterates plans to reestablish the National Space Council - SpaceNews

Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent a letter of congratulations to the Global Space Exploration Conference, which opened Tuesday in Beijing.

In his letter, Xi said China is willing to enhance cooperation with the international community in peaceful space exploration and development.

Hailing the achievements made in space exploration in the 20th century, Xi said progress in space science and technology will benefit people around the world in the future.

China has attached great importance to space exploration as well as innovation in space science and technology, the president said, noting that the country wants to use these achievements to create a better future for mankind.

He also expressed hope that the ongoing conference will promote space science development and international exchanges and cooperation.

Source: Xinhua News Agency

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China willing to cooperate in peaceful space exploration: Xi - Space Daily

Every aspect of space travel is difficult, but perhaps the hardest is the act of walking in space. When astronauts exit the International Space Station, theyre exposed to the vacuum of space. The only thing thats protecting them is a pressurized suit, known as an EMU (Extravehicular Mobility Unit). And now, it appears as though were running out of them.

Weve been using spacesuits since Mercury (the first American spacewalk occurred on Gemini 4), but the current spacesuit was designed and built for the Space Shuttle program. Of course theyve been upgraded, modified, and refurbished since then, but the fact remains: These suits were originally designed to last fifteen years. Almost forty years later, theyre wearing out.

This is a huge problem, given the timeline for the International Space Station. Right now, the ISS is scheduled to be operated through the year 2024. Its likely that will be extended through the year 2028. And according to NASAs own investigations and a report from the NASA Office of the Inspector General, the current plan to maintain and support the station with the spacesuits we currently have will be a real challenge.

Astronaut David A. Wolf participates in a 2002 space walk (Image credit: NASA)

NASAs current crop of spacesuits, or EMUs, have two different components: the Pressure Garment System, or PGS, and the Primary Life Support System, or PLSS. The PGS is responsible for maintaining pressure around the astronauts (as we need a minimum of 3 pounds per square inch of oxygen for our bodies to function), while the PLSS is basically a life-support backpack. It provides temperature control, oxygen, and scrubs carbon dioxide. The problem is, there are only 11 functional PLSSs left, out of an original 18.

When the Space Shuttle program was still running, issues with existing spacesuits were less of a problem. The EMUs could be regularly returned to Earth for inspection and maintenance. But now, SpaceXs Dragon is the only vehicle that can both carry supplies to the ISS and return items to Earth. (The Russian Soyuz can as well, but the weight/cargo space on those is usually reserved for astronauts because its currently the only vehicle capable of ferrying humans to and from the ISS. And spacesuits are big.)

As a result, NASA has been pushing the limits on how long EMUs can go without maintenance. Youd think that the older the suits got, the more refurbishment theyd need to make sure theyre performing up to spec. The suits were originally authorized for a single Shuttle mission before maintenance. In 2000, that interval was extended to 1 year. That continued to increase until 2008, when the ground maintenance interval [was] extended to 6 years, with in-flight maintenance and additional ground processing, NASA OIG Analysis of EVA Office Information.

Astronaut Soichi Noguchi trains for a space walk in the Neutral Buoyancy Lab (Image credit: NASA)

Now, thats not to say were intentionally and knowingly endangering astronauts livesin August 2016, an independent review team agreed with the six-year maintenance cycle, but there were still issues: For example, due to launch failures and slips, the suits werent even being maintained on a six-year cycle. One had gone a full nine years with no ground maintenance. (Just another example of why we need more than one vehicle capable of bringing cargo like this back from the ISS.)

Of course, were currently developing new spacesuitsin fact, NASA is working on three different programs, none of which have actually produced a spacesuit thats ready to fly. The combined cost of these programs? Around $200 million.

A prototype of the Exploration Development Suit (Image credit: NASA)

The problemokay, there are many problems, but the one Im going to focus onis related to larger issues at NASA. The organization is unsure of what its doing, what its goals are, and where its going. Now, as I mentioned in my column about going to Mars, thats not all the organizations fault. Program authorizations, followed by budget cuts, mean that NASA is constantly in limbo in regard to what is actually going to happen. The organization might start developing a new spacesuit tied to a program thats been authorized, knowing that it might never make it to fruition. Thats not a great way to commit to developing new technology, and its part of the reason there are three different programs to develop new suits, rather than one dedicated program.

Its not really clear what NASA is going to do about this spacesuit issue, but I will say that the organization is incredibly good at making hardware last far beyond its original use date. The problem is that these spacesuits are already so oldwhile many people might think spacesuits are custom made for the user, theyre not. These are old, cobbled together EMUs. Astronauts swap out arms and legs to make them fit, but weve got to figure out a better solution, and fast, in order to ensure we can continue to maintain the ISS over the course of its life.

Top photo by NASA

Swapna Krishna is a freelance writer, editor and giant space/sci-fi geek.

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Space Matter: The Trouble with Spacesuits :: Science :: Features ... - Paste Magazine

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched its 90th spacecraft mission on June 5, 2017, called GSLV MkIII-D1/GSAT 19. This is one of most important missions launched by ISRO ever, because it successfully lifted a payload mass of 3,136kg, the largest weight ever put by ISRO in outer space.

For the last few years, the Indian space programme is getting recognised as one of the most successful space programmes globally in recent times. However, Indian space capabilities for all these years were suffering from lack of a heavy satellite launch vehicle.

Now, with the success of GSLV Mark III, in the coming few years ISRO should be able to fully operationalise this new launch vehicle for heavy satellites.

Normally, communication and meteorological satellites belong to the category of heavy satellites. Such satellites are 4 to 6 tonne in weight and operate from geostationary orbit (36,000km above the earths surface).

Since, 1983 India has been launching communications satellites mainly under the programme famously known as Indian National Satellite (INSAT) system. Some of these satellites were multipurpose satellites too (they had meteorological payloads).

Today, India has nine operational communication satellites. Together, these satellites have more than 200 transponders in the C, Extended C and Ku-bands. These transponders are primarily used for television broadcasting and for providing various telecommunications services.

GSAT 19 is also a commutations satellite weighting 3,136kg, and is configured around ISROs standard I-3K bus. This satellite carries Ka/Ku-band high throughput communication transponders. In addition, it carries a geostationary radiation spectrometer (GRASP) payload for monitoring and studying the nature of charged particles and the influence of space radiation on satellites and their electronic components.

The success of GSLV III mission is significant for ISRO on various counts. First, it reduces/removes their dependence on outside agencies like the French company Ariane Space for launching of heavy satellites (four to six-tonne category) on commercial basis.

This would allow significant monitory savings and ISRO could use the same money for their various other programmes. Second, India took the help of Ariane Space during September 2013 for the launch of its first strategic satellite called GSAT-7 (being used by the Indian Navy), a multi-band military communications satellite, because GSLV Mark III was not ready by that time. Hence, ISRO was forced to look towards a foreign agency for launching a strategic payload.

India undertook missions to the moon and Mars more as technology demonstrator missions.

Now, in the near future, ISRO would be able to launch the proposed satellites for the Indian Army and air force by using an indigenously developed launch vehicle. In short, the presence of a heavy satellite launch vehicle would also boost Indias strategic space programme.

Third, India undertook missions to the moon and Mars more as technology demonstrator missions. These missions had limited scientific aims owing to ISRO limitations to carry more weight and the missions were undertaken by PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle).

Naturally, owing to the capability of this rocket, only a limited number of payloads was carried onboard the moon and Mars missions to study these planets. But now, with a stronger rocket (GSLV), ISRO can develop major scientific goals for future missions to these planets.

Fourth, ISRO has already established itself as a reliable and cost-effective agency capable of launching satellites in the low earth orbit, weighing less than two tonne.

Now, in the coming years, with the maturing of the GSLV system, ISRO could be able to make inroads in the global commercial heavy satellite launch market.

Today, a good number of countries in the world can develop satellites and sensors. Many such efforts are collaborative efforts and are among two or more countries. However, mastering the art of rocket science remains a difficult proposal even today.

Hardly 11 countries in the world have developed such capabilities and they are able to launch satellites by using their indigenously built rocket systems. Among these countries only Russia, US (also private agency called Space X), China, Japan and the European Union can launch heavy satellites in the geostationary orbit.

Now, with the successful launch of GSAT 19 by using GSLV Mark III-D1, India has joined this club. In compression, with the earlier rockets developed by India (SLV, ASLV and PSLV), the GSLV is bigger in size and purpose (for launching heavy satellites) and hence fondly gets referred to as Fat Boy.

However, knowing the importance of GSLV for the future of Indias space programme and the type of role it is expected to play in the near future, this Fat Boy needs to be rechristened as a Suitable Boy!

Also read:ISRO launching its biggest rocket ever, GSLV-Mk III, is a bold move by India

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Launch of India's biggest rocket is a defining moment in space exploration - DailyO

Venturing off into space costs a pretty penny. Thats why NASA, in 1972, quit sending astronauts on joyrides to the moon. But a nation-wide survey over 40 years in the making reveals that Americans dont mind ponying up the cash for extraterrestrial exploration whether its scouring the red Martian desert for hints of life, or peering down into Jupiters roiling clouds.

Beginning in 1972, when the last astronauts returned home from the moon, the independent research organization NORC at the University of Chicago began surveying Americans in every state, asking them, Do you think the nation is spending enough on space exploration? This was one of hundreds of questions asked as part of the General Social Survey, an ambitious endeavor to track the nations attitudes and beliefs which continues today. The surveys data for this specific question can been seen in the graph below, which was created by Overflow Data, a site that turns data into clear visualizations.

Herein lie some important trends. When the survey began in the early seventies, six out of 10 Americans thought we were spending too much on space exploration. Today, a little over two out of 10 Americans believe this. And in the last decade, the percentage of Americans that think were spending too little on space exploration has nearly doubled, to 21 percent.

Tom W. Smith, the director of the General Social Survey, suggests that the media coverage around commercial space programs, like SpaceX, might be a significant factor for why so many Americans want the government to spend more on space.

A lot of space news in recent years has been about the private sector. I wonder if the public thinks were spending less, Smith told Inverse. If were spending less, then theyre not going to say that were spending too much.

There are few space events that stir more excitement and media attention that Elon Musks reusable rockets, which are now landing back on Earth after blasting into space. The more coverage something is getting, that would be a major factor in shaping what people think about it, says Smith. Private spaceflight, notes Smith, might imply that space exploration money](https://www.inverse.com/topic/money) is being spent more efficiently than before, when the notoriously bureaucratic federal government held nearly exclusive reign over space rocketry.

In the 1980s, the Soviets invaded Afghanistan and Smith observed a similar shift in the nations attitudes. When the Soviets were on the march, support for defense spending doubled, says Smith.

Media attention is undoubtedly influential, but Americans acceptance of space spending could also be motivated by a growing cosmic intrigue. The deeper humans plunge into the void, the more curiosities we find. Saturns moon Enceladus spews geysers of water vapor and ice (and whatever else) into space, while Jupiters moon Europa tempts scientists with what might lie under its cracked icy crust perhaps a salty sea?

Whatever the reasons, if Americans believe that the government is spending less on space exploration, theyre absolutely right.

During the rousing 1960s space race to the moon, NASA was swimming in money. In the mid to late 1960s, NASA was spending well over four percent of taxpayer dollars. But by 1980, this dipped to one percent of the budget, and today its a measly half of one percent. This, of course, isnt too measly its over $19 billion. Nearly a quarter of this (around $4.5 billion) was tagged for space exploration in 2016, which includes the development of NASAs giant new rocket the Space Launch System which will launch Mars(https://www.inverse.com/topic/mars)-bound astronauts into space.

This expensive venture wont take place until the 2030s, but if recent trends continue, Americans may be willing to shell out more money to give astronauts the chance to romp around the Martian desert.

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Americans Like Spending Money on Space Exploration, Survey Finds - Inverse

Into Orbit

Humans have dreamed about spaceflight since antiquity. The Chinese used rockets for ceremonial and military purposes centuries ago, but only in the latter half of the 20th century were rockets developed that were powerful enough to overcome the force of gravity to reach orbital velocities that could open space to human exploration.

As often happens in science, the earliest practical work on rocket engines designed for spaceflight occurred simultaneously during the early 20th century in three countries by three key scientists: in Russia, by Konstantin Tsiolkovski; in the United States, by Robert Goddard; and in Germany, by Hermann Oberth.

In the 1930s and 1940s Nazi Germany saw the possibilities of using long-distance rockets as weapons. Late in World War II, London was attacked by 200-mile-range V-2 missiles, which arched 60 miles high over the English Channel at more than 3,500 miles per hour.

After World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union created their own missile programs. On October 4, 1957, the Soviets launched the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, into space. Four years later on April 12, 1961, Russian Lt. Yuri Gagarin became the first human to orbit Earth in Vostok 1. His flight lasted 108 minutes, and Gagarin reached an altitude of 327 kilometers (about 202 miles).

The first U.S. satellite, Explorer 1, went into orbit on January 31, 1958. In 1961 Alan Shepard became the first American to fly into space. On February 20, 1962, John Glenns historic flight made him the first American to orbit Earth.

Landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to Earth within a decade was a national goal set by President John F. Kennedy in 1961. On July 20, 1969, Astronaut Neil Armstrong took a giant step for mankind as he stepped onto the moon. Six Apollo missions were made to explore the moon between 1969 and 1972.

During the 1960s unmanned spacecraft photographed and probed the moon before astronauts ever landed. By the early 1970s orbiting communications and navigation satellites were in everyday use, and the Mariner spacecraft was orbiting and mapping the surface of Mars. By the end of the decade, the Voyager spacecraft had sent back detailed images of Jupiter and Saturn, their rings, and their moons.

Skylab, Americas first space station, was a human-spaceflight highlight of the 1970s, as was the Apollo Soyuz Test Project, the worlds first internationally crewed (American and Russian) space mission.

In the 1980s satellite communications expanded to carry television programs, and people were able to pick up the satellite signals on their home dish antennas. Satellites discovered an ozone hole over Antarctica, pinpointed forest fires, and gave us photographs of the nuclear power-plant disaster at Chernobyl in 1986. Astronomical satellites found new stars and gave us a new view of the center of our galaxy.

Space Shuttle

In April 1981 the launch of the space shuttle Columbia ushered in a period of reliance on the reusable shuttle for most civilian and military space missions. Twenty-four successful shuttle launches fulfilled many scientific and military requirements until January 1986, when the shuttle Challenger exploded after launch, killing its crew of seven.

The Challenger tragedy led to a reevaluation of Americas space program. The new goal was to make certain a suitable launch system was available when satellites were scheduled to fly. Today this is accomplished by having more than one launch method and launch facility available and by designing satellite systems to be compatible with more than one launch system.

The Gulf War proved the value of satellites in modern conflicts. During this war allied forces were able to use their control of the high ground of space to achieve a decisive advantage. Satellites were used to provide information on enemy troop formations and movements, early warning of enemy missile attacks, and precise navigation in the featureless desert terrain. The advantages of satellites allowed the coalition forces to quickly bring the war to a conclusion, saving many lives.

Space systems will continue to become more and more integral to homeland defense, weather surveillance, communication, navigation, imaging, and remote sensing for chemicals, fires and other disasters.

International Space Station

The International Space Station is a research laboratory in low Earth orbit. With many different partners contributing to its design and construction, this high-flying laboratory has become a symbol of cooperation in space exploration, with former competitors now working together.

And while the space shuttle will likely continue to carry out important space missions, particularly supporting the International Space Station, the Columbia disaster in 2003 signaled the need to step up the development of its replacement. Future space launch systems will be designed to reduce costs and improve dependability, safety, and reliability. In the meantime most U.S. military and scientific satellites will be launched into orbit by a family of expendable launch vehicles designed for a variety of missions. Other nations have their own launch systems, and there is strong competition in the commercial launch market to develop the next generation of launch systems

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A Brief History of Space Exploration - The Aerospace Corporation

Cyprus Space Exploration Organisation Abbreviation CSEO Formation 2012; 5years ago(2012) Type Non-governmental Legal status Non-profit Purpose Promote Space Exploration - R&D, Education and Industry Location

Region

Volunteers

The Cyprus Space Exploration Organisation (CSEO) is a Cypriot non-governmental, nonprofit organisation.[1][2] It's main functions are outreach,[3][4][5] education,[6] research,[7] development,[8] advocacy,[9][8] and international relations[10][11] in the field of space exploration. The organisation fosters collaboration with other space-faring nations in science, space and planetary missions.[1][12][13][14][15][16][17] It was founded in 2012[8] and has over 380 registered researchers,[17] members and volunteers and over 18,000 followers on social media.[17][11]

CSEO is member of:

CSEO's research paper submitted by its team MarsSense, has been recognised and nominated in the best four in the world for an international award, at SpaceOps 2014 (at JPL, NASA in May 2014).[7][25]

CSEO's main mission is to promote Cyprus as a one of the leading international space-faring nations.[18]

CSEO states[26] its mission as:

CSEO operates with the following four basic pillars: Education and Outreach, R&D, Industry, and International Relations and Collaboration.[18][13]

CSEO main activities concentrate on:[18]

CSEO is actively involved in space-related educational activities to stimulate the interest of the younger generation in the field of science and space research.[4][27][5] One of CSEOs pillars of primary focus is the education and empowerment of young people of all ages and backgrounds in its area of expertise, with the ultimate objective of assisting in the development of a highly-skilled youth, equipped to address contemporary and future scientific challenges.[28][1][6]

As part of these activities CSEO runs the "CSEO Space Club" in schools throughout the island.[17] This club is an outreach and education project in Cyprus, in association with the International Space Community, for school classes and afternoon societies.[29] It brings to schools training and educational material, as well as Astronauts and Space engineers in order to prepare and build the next generation of scientists and engineers.[5][4][30][6][29]

CSEO organises the Space Week annually since 2013, promoting space to the people of Cyprus.[9][4]

CSEO co-produced with Tetraktys-Films the First Cypriot Space Documentary, that promotes space research on the island.[31] It was premiered at the CYTA Headquarters in November 2016 and then on National TV channel CyBC 1 the following month.[31]

More:

Cyprus Space Exploration Organisation - Wikipedia

Under a plan proposed by Stephanie Thomas of Princeton Satellite Systems, Inc., NASA could be returning to Pluto. (Image: NASA/JPL/New Horizons)

Earlier today, NASA announced funding for 22 projects as part of its Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program. From a planet hopping laser-driven sail and a solar powered Venusian weather balloon to an autonomous rover on Pluto, the future of space exploration looks incredibly bright.

To keep the pipeline moving for space exploration concepts, NASA regularly entertains pitches via its NIAC program. For a concept to receive final approval and funding, it has to go through two phases of attrition. Teams granted Phase I status receive $125,000, and theyre given nine months to refine their designs and explore various aspects of implementing their crazy-ass schemes. A peer review process vetts these proposals, and a lucky few get to reach second base. Phase II teams receive as much as $500,000 to embark upon two-year projects, allowing them to further develop their plans. Phase II plans are then chosen according to their demonstrated feasibility and benefit.

Today, NASA announced 15 new Phase I concepts and seven new Phase II concepts (we provided the complete list at the end of this article). Here are a few that grabbed our attention.

NASA has given the greenlight to not one but two Phase I concepts that could set the stage for interstellar space travel. Of note is the Interstellar Precursor Mission headed by NASA JPL scientist John Brophy. His idea would see the construction of an orbiting 100 megawatt laser array with a diameter of six miles (10 km). The array would convert the massive laser power into electrical energy, generating enough power to enable long-distance travel of a conventionally-sized spacecraft on a reasonable timescale.

We propose a new power/propulsion architecture to enable missions such as a 12-year flight time to 500 AU [where 1 AU equals the average distance of the Earth to the Sun]...with a conventional (i.e., New Horizons sized) spacecraft, explains Brophy at his project page. This architecture would also enable orbiter missions to Pluto with the same sized spacecraft in just 3.6 years. Significantly, this same architecture could deliver an 80-metric-ton payload to Jupiter orbit in one year, opening the possibility of human missions to Jupiter.

Armed with similar technology, NASA could start to roll out laser-based propulsion systems that could travel to nearby stars, but were getting a bit ahead of ourselves.

Other interesting phase I concepts include a plan to detoxify Martian soil for agriculture, a system that would literally tether a spacecraft to Mars moon Phobos, and a plan called Solar Surfing, which presumably involves a light-driven spacecraft.

Among NASAs chosen Phase II concepts is the Venus Interior Probe project spearheaded by Ratnakumar Bugga, also with NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory. This proposed probe would drift through Venus clouds while tethered to a balloon, collecting valuable data on temperature, wind speed, and atmospheric pressure. Conventional batteries would allow for a scant one to two hours of life, but under this plan, the probe would continually recharge its batteries using solar energy.

Excitingly, under a Phase II plan envisaged by Stephanie Thomas of Princeton Satellite Systems, Inc., NASA could be returning to Pluto. But unlike the whiplash New Horizons flyby mission, this plan calls for a stop at the dwarf planet.

Using a game changing Direct Fusion Drive (DFD), a spacecraft would travel to Pluto equipped with an orbiter and a lander. Under the plan, the craft would arrive at Pluto in just four to five years (it took New Horizons nearly a decade to make the same journey). A major challenge will be in figuring out a way to decelerate the spacecraft once it gets to Pluto, where it will release its 2,200 pounds (1,000 kg) worth of cargo.

Since DFD provides power as well as propulsion in one integrated device, it will also provide as much as 2 MW of power to the payloads upon arrival, says Thomas at her NASA project page. This enables high-bandwidth communication, powering of the lander from orbit, and radically expanded options for instrument design. She added: The data acquired by New Horizons recent Pluto flyby is just a tiny fraction of the scientific data that could be generated from an orbiter and lander.

Sadly, not all of these concepts will be approved. The Pluto plan, for example, may be too technologically demanding given the hypothetical nature of the fusion drive. For those plans that are approved, it could still take ten years or more before the projects are complete and ready for liftoff.

Here are all the projects approved by NASA today:

The selected 2017 Phase I proposals:

The selected 2017 Phase II proposals:

[NASA]

George is a contributing editor at Gizmodo and io9.

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These Are the Wildly Advanced Space Exploration Concepts Being ... - Gizmodo