Could We Achieve Interstellar Travel Using Only Known Physics? – Forbes

The launch of Cassini, on October 15, 1997. This spectacular streak shot was taken from Hangar AF on ... [+] Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, with a solid rocket booster retrieval ship in the foreground. For all of our history on Earth, the only way we've ever reached space is through the use of chemical-based fuels.

For as long as human beings have been watching the night sky, weve dreamed of visiting other worlds and truly seeing whats out there in the Universe. While our chemical-based rockets have taken us to a myriad of planets, moons, and other bodies in the Solar System, the farthest spacecraft ever launched by humanity Voyager 1 is only 22.3 billion kilometers (13.9 billion miles) from Earth: just 0.056% of the distance to the closest known star system. With current technology, it would take close to 100,000 years to travel to another star system.

But theres no need to restrict ourselves to doing things the way were doing them right now. With the right technology, we could vastly improve how efficient it is to get a large-payload mass, perhaps even one that carried humans on board, to unprecedented distances across the Universe. In particular, there are four technologies that have the potential to take us to the stars on much shorter timescales. Heres how.

A nuclear-powered rocket engine, preparing for testing in 1967. This rocket is powered by ... [+] Mass/Energy conversion, and is underpinned by the famous equation E=mc^2. Although this concept has never led to a successful rocket, it could be the future of interstellar space travel.

1.) The nuclear option. At this point in human history, every rocket weve ever launched into space has one thing in common: its been propelled by chemical-based fuel. Yes, rocket fuel is a special mix of chemical fuels designed to maximize thrust, but the chemical fuel part is very important: it states that the reactions powering it rely on the rearrangement of bonds between various atoms to provide energy.

This is fundamentally limiting! For an atom, the overwhelming majority of its mass is in the atoms nucleus: 99.95%. When youre engaging in a chemical reaction, the electrons orbiting the atoms get rearranged, typically releasing somewhere around 0.0001% of the total mass of the atoms involved in the form of energy, via Einsteins famous equation: E = mc. That means, for every 1 kilogram of fuel you load up your rocket with, youll only get the energy equivalent of somewhere in the ballpark of 1 milligram of mass out of the reaction.

The preamplifiers of the National Ignition Facility are the first step in increasing the energy of ... [+] laser beams as they make their way toward the target chamber. NIF recently achieved a 500 terawatt shot - 1,000 times more power than the United States uses at any instant in time. Nuclear fusion is thousands of times more efficient than any chemical-based reaction.

But if you went with a nuclear-based fuel, that story changes dramatically. Instead of relying on changing how electrons are configured and how atoms are bonded together, you could release comparatively enormous amounts of energy by altering how atomic nuclei themselves are bound to one another. When you split apart a Uranium atom by bombarding it with a neutron, it emits an enormous amount of energy compared to any chemical-based reaction: 1 kilogram of U-235 fuel can release the energy equivalent of 911 milligrams of mass, a factor of ~1000 times more efficient than chemical-based fuels.

If we were to master nuclear fusion instead, such as with an inertial-confinement fusion system that was capable of fusing hydrogen into helium the same chain reaction that takes place in the Sun we could become even more efficient. Fusing 1 kilogram of hydrogen fuel into helium would turn 7.5 grams of mass into pure energy, making it nearly 10,000 times as efficient as chemical-based fuels.

The key is that wed be able to achieve the same accelerations for a rocket for far longer periods of time: hundreds or even thousands of times as long, enabling us to reach speeds hundreds or thousands of times greater than conventional rockets achieve today. It could cut the interstellar travel time down to mere centuries or perhaps even decades. Its a promising avenue that might be achievable, depending on how the technology develops, before we hit the year 2100.

The DEEP laser-sail concept relies on a large laser array striking and accelerating a relatively ... [+] large-area, low-mass spacecraft. This has the potential to accelerate non-living objects to speeds approaching the speed of light, making an interstellar journey possible within a single human lifetime.

2.) A space-based laser array. This was the main idea behind the Breakthrough Starshot concept that gained notoriety a few years ago, and it remains an exciting concept. Whereas conventional spacecraft rely on bringing their own fuel on board and expending it to self-accelerate, the key idea at play here is that a large, high-powered laser array would provide the needed thrust to an external spacecraft. In other words, the source of the thrust would be separate from the spacecraft itself.

This is a fascinating concept, and a revolutionary one in many ways. Laser technology is successfully becoming not only more powerful, but more highly collimated as well, which means that if we can engineer a sail-like material that could reflect a high enough percentage of that laser light, we could use that laser blast to accelerate a spacecraft to tremendous speeds away from the source of our array. A ~1 gram-mass starchip could conceivably reach ~20% the speed of light, which would enable it to arrive at Proxima Centauri, our nearest star, in just 22 years.

The laser sail concept, for a starchip-style starship, does have the potential to accelerate a ... [+] spacecraft to about 20% the speed of light and reach another star within a human lifetime. It's possible that, with enough power, we could even send a crew-carrying spacecraft to span the interstellar distances.

Sure, wed have to build a tremendous laser array: about 100 square kilometers worth of lasers, and wed have to do it in space, but thats a problem of cost, not science or technology. But there are technological problems that do need to be overcome for this to work, including:

This technology could, perhaps, someday take us to the stars, but a successful plan to take humans up to ~20% the speed of light hasnt yet come out.

The production of matter/antimatter pairs (left) from pure energy is a completely reversible ... [+] reaction (right), with matter/antimatter annihilating back to pure energy. We know how to create and destroy antimatter, using matter along with it to recover pure energy in a usable form, such as photons.

3.) Antimatter fuel. If were going to bring fuel with us, we might as well make it the most efficient fuel possible: matter-antimatter annihilations. Rather than chemical-based or even nuclear-based fuels, where only a portion of the mass brought on board gets converted to energy, a matter-antimatter annihilation would convert 100% of the mass of both matter and antimatter into energy. This is the ultimate in efficiency for fuel: the prospect of converting all of it into energy that could be used for thrust.

The difficulty comes only in practice, and in particular, on three fronts:

Excitingly enough, the first two challenges are already being overcome.

A portion of the antimatter factory at CERN, where charged antimatter particles are brought together ... [+] and can form either positive ions, neutral atoms, or negative ions, depending on the number of positrons that bind with an antiproton. If we can successfully capture and store antimatter, it would represent a 100% efficient fuel source, but many tons of antimatter, as opposed to the tiny fractions of a gram we've created, would be required for an interstellar journey.

At CERN, the home of the Large Hadron Collider, theres an enormous complex known as the antimatter factory, where at least six separate teams are researching the various properties of antimatter. They take antiprotons and slow them down, forcing positrons to bind with them: creating anti-atoms, or neutral antimatter.

They confine these anti-atoms in a vessel with alternating electric and magnetic fields, which effectively pin them in place, away from the container walls that are made of matter. At this point in time, mid-2020, theyve successfully isolated and kept stable multiple anti-atoms for nearly an hour at the same time. At some point within the next few years, theyll be good enough at this that theyll be able to measure, for the first time, whether antimatter falls up or down in a gravitational field.

Its not necessarily a near-term technology, but it could wind up being our fastest means of interstellar travel of all: an antimatter-driven rocket.

All rockets ever envisioned require some type of fuel, but if a dark matter engine were created, new ... [+] fuel is always to be found simply by traveling through the galaxy. Because dark matter doesn't interact with normal matter (mostly) but passes right through it, you wouldn't have any difficulty collecting it in a specific volume of space; it would always be there as you moved through the galaxy.

4.) A spacecraft powered by dark matter. This one, admittedly, relies on an assumption about whatever particle is responsible for dark matter: that it behaves as a boson, making it its own antiparticle. In theory, dark matter that is its own antiparticle will have a small but non-zero chance of annihilating with any other dark matter particle it collides with, releasing energy that we could potentially leverage in the process.

Theres some potential evidence for this, as not only the Milky Way but other galaxies as well are observed to have an unexplained excess of gamma-rays coming from their galactic centers, where the dark matter density should be greatest. Its always possible that theres a mundane astrophysical explanation for this such as pulsars but its also possible that dark matter is annihilating with itself in the centers of galaxies, bringing up an incredible possibility: a dark matter-fueled spacecraft.

Our galaxy is thought to be embedded in an enormous, diffuse dark matter halo, indicating that there ... [+] must be dark matter flowing through the solar system. Although we have yet to detect dark matter directly, its abundant presence throughout our galaxy and beyond might provide a perfect recipe for the perfect rocket fuel imaginable.

The advantage of this is that dark matter is literally everywhere throughout the galaxy, meaning that we wouldnt need to take fuel with us on a journey to wherever we went. Instead, a dark matter reactor could simply:

and we could control the size and magnitude of the reactor to achieve the desired results.

Without the need for carrying fuel on-board, many of the problems of propulsion-driven space travel would become non-issues. Instead, wed be able to achieve the ultimate dream of travel: unlimited constant acceleration. From the perspective of the spaceship itself, this would open up one of the most imaginative possibilities of all, the ability to reach any location in the Universe within a single human lifetime.

The travel time for a spacecraft to reach a destination if it accelerates at a constant rate of ... [+] Earth's surface gravity. Note that, given enough time at an acceleration of 1g, you can reach any location in the Universe within a single human lifetime.

If we restrict ourselves to current rocket technology, it will take tens of thousands of years at minimum to complete a journey from Earth to the nearest solar system beyond our own. But enormous advances in propulsion technologies are within reach, and could reduce that journey to within a single human lifetime. If we can master the use of nuclear fuel, of spaceborne laser arrays, of antimatter, or even of dark matter, we could realize our dream of becoming a spacefaring civilization without invoking physics-breaking technologies such as warp drive.

There are multiple potential avenues to turn whats already been demonstrated as scientifically valid into a feasible, viable, next-generation propulsion technology. By the end of the century, its absolutely a possibility that a spacecraft that hasnt been designed yet will overtake New Horizons, the Pioneer, and Voyager missions as the most distant objects from Earth. The science is already there. Its up to us to look beyond the limitations of our current technologies and bring this dream to fruition.

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Could We Achieve Interstellar Travel Using Only Known Physics? - Forbes

The craziest contract demands revealed, including no space travel, weight clauses and cooking lessons – The Sun

PLAYERS are valuable commodities.

So when they thrash out contracts with the world's biggest clubs, its important to get everything right and nothing's left to chance.

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But there are times when stipulations are put in place by player and club to protect their interests, to let them fulfil their hobbies, or managers just don't trust them.

SunSport looks back at the wackiest requested to and by players.

When the Polish forward was at Borussia Dortmund in the last year of his contract Bayern Munich and Real Madrid were jostling for his signature.

And in leaked documents, Real Madrid's offer seemed lucrative.

Alongside a 166,000-per-week deal and a 10million signing-on fee were several requests they didn't want daredevil Lewandowski to do while he was their property.

Skiing, paragliding, climbing, going on a motorboat and even riding a motorbike were big 'no-nos' for Real Madrid's hierarchy... so that's why signed for Bayern.

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WHEN negotiating a contract, its important to be 100 per cent clear about what is being stipulated.

When German forward Reina moved to Arminia Bielefeld in 1996, he demanded the club build him a house for every year of his contract.

The club accepted.

However, Reina didnt specify what size he required.

And Arminia provided him with a house made of Lego for the next three years.

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FORMER Real Madrid and AC Milan midfielder was excluded from Argentinas 1998 World Cup squad for a bizarre reason.

Manager Daniel Passarella had refused to pick homosexuals or players with earrings and long hair.

Redondo was guilty of the latter.

He said: I was in great form. But Passarella had particular ideas about discipline and wanted me to have my hair cut.

I didnt see what that had to do with playing football so I said no.

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CONGOLESE midfielder moved from Karlsruher to Eintracht Frankfurt in 1999.

However, he had one simple request: that his new club pay for his wife to have cooking lessons.

Were not sure Mrs Guie-Mien took too kindly to this demand.

Though, she was not available for comment at the time.

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THE SWEDE moved to Sunderland in 1999 but the Wearsiders had one stipulation the former Arsenal man had to adhere to.

Schwarz was told that any potential flights into space would not be tolerated.

The Black Cats chief exec John Flicking said at the time: One of Schwarzs advisers has, indeed, got one of the places on the commercial flights [into space, due to take place in 2002].

And we were worried that he may wish to take Stefan along with him. So we thought wed better get things tied up now rather than at the time of the flight.

In fact, rather than managing to go up, his career ended when Sunderland went down in 2003.

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THE former defender once admitted to eating 212 steak and kidney pies every year.

And Crystal Palace were advised Ruddock did come with some extra baggage when they signed him on a free in 2000.

Ex-Eagles chairman Simon Jordan wrote in his autobiography: On approaching West Ham I discovered he was a free transfer, although he did have a weighty salary which was not the only weighty thing about him.

Harry Redknapp, the West Ham manager at the time, told me to put in a weight clause.

So I decided to put a 10 per cent penalty on the contract we were proposing to offer him if he was over the recommended weight of 99.8kg, which by the way was still frigging huge.

Ruddocks Palace debut was allegedly delayed because the club couldnt find a pair of shorts big enough for him.

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MORE recently Japanese legend Keisuke Honda joined Botafogo.

But moving to Brazil's crime-ridden city of Rio de Janeiro had the midfielder fearing for his safety.

So he stipulated he would need an ARMOURED VEHICLE as part of the deal.

More incredibly, Botafogo agreed.

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The craziest contract demands revealed, including no space travel, weight clauses and cooking lessons - The Sun

Hovering, Flying, and Hopping Across the Solar Sytem – Discover Magazine

If you're like most people, you've dreamed of flying (studies show that more than half of us have done it). If you're curious about the universe, you've probably also dreamed about visiting other planets. And if you're willing to wait about nine months, you are in luckbecause after that, you won't have to dream anymore.

Ladies and gentlemen, NASA is about to go flying on Mars.

The Perseverance rover, scheduled to land on February 18, 2021, is carrying a grapefruit-sized helicopter named Ingenuity strapped to its belly. Assuming all goes well with the touchdown, Perseverance will settle into its new home for about two months. Then it will release a small debris shield, fire a pyrotechnic cable-cutter, unleash a spring-loaded arm, and set the little Ingenuity flyer free.

After the rover has rolled a safe distance away, Ingenuity will soak up sunlight to charge its six lithium-ion batteries, like a newly emerged butterfly drying its wings. Then it will spin its twin rotors up to 2,400 rpm and begin a series of exploratory flights on Mars. That ultra-high rotor speed, necessary to generate lift in the thin air of Mars, means each of Ingenuity's flights won't last long (officially just 90 seconds) nor will it go very far (1,000 meters maximum). Still it's the principle of the thing. The first flight of the Wright Brothers covered just 37 meters.

Ingenuity will establish an equally impressive precedent: the first powered flight on a world beyond Earth. It will surely not be the last.

Science and science fiction visionaries have been sketching out ideas for flying on Mars for decades, even before the existence of NASA and space rocketry. The 1918 film A Trip to Mars, one of the earliest science-fiction movies, depicted a giant, buglike Martian airship. NASA's favorite ex-Nazi, Wernher von Braun, wrote a book-length outline for a human expedition to Mars, which prominently included air travel on the Red Planet; space artist Chesley Bonestell gave visual life to his ideas in his 1953 painting, Exploring Mars. No wonder, then, that NASA engineers are already mulling ideas about how to "add another dimension to the way we explore worlds in the future."

"Exploring Mars" by Chesley Bonestell, based on ideas drawn up by Wernher von Braun. (Credit: Chesley Bonestell)

Actually, it's much more than just ideas. NASA already has another off-world flyer approved and under developmentone that is even more audacious than the Ingenuity helicopter. In April of 2026, the agency is scheduled to launch Dragonfly, a nuclear powered octocopter (yes, eight rotors), on an eight-year journey to Saturn's giant haze-shrouded moon, Titan. After touching down on Titan's Shangri-La dune fields, Dragonfly will set off on a daring set of long-distance excursions, essentially carrying out a whole new mission each time it lands.

Dragonfly's capabilities will utterly eclipse those of Ingenuity. Titan has lower gravity than Mars, and its atmosphere is 200 times thicker, making flight far easier there. Also, Dragonfly will carry its own radiothermal energy source, so it won't have to rely on trickles of electricity from a small solar panel. The net result is that NASA expects its Titan 'copter will end up traveling a total of about 175 kilometers over the course of a nearly three-year campaignand judging from past NASA efforts, those numbers are probably highly conservative underestimates.

Dragonfly as it will appear after landing on Titan in 2034. The 450-kilogram flyer will sample the surface through its feet each time it touches down. (Credit: NASA/JHU-APL)

Titan is a fascinating target for this kind of exploration. It is a huge world, nearly as large as the planet Mercury, covered in cold organic compounds. Methane and ethane fall as rain, flow in rivers, and collect in lakesa hydrological cycle composed of liquid natural gas instead of water. Titan's dunes are probably composed of tar-like compounds, blowing over a bedrock of deeply frozen water ice. The exotic carbon chemistry happening on Titan today may resemble the reactions that occurred on Earth before life appeared 4 billion years ago. We want to see as much as we can of this unique place.

For now, there are no other flying missions planned for other worlds. But flying is not the only novel form of space transit in development. On small objects like comets and asteroids, hopping is an efficient way to get around. Really, it's almost the only way to get around, since the surface gravity is so low.

The European Space Agency's Philae lander did an accidental hop on Comet 67P after failing to harpoon itself to the surface. The Japanese Space Agency's Hayabusa-2 spacecraft dropped three active hoppers onto the asteroid Ryugu. (I wrote a separate account of their amazing journey.) The Hayabusa-2 probe did its own kiss-and-bounce rendezvous with the asteroid to collect samples. NASA's OSIRIS-REx is about to do a similar maneuver with the asteroid Bennu; Japan's Martain Moons Exploration (MMX) probe will perform yet another kiss-and-bounce on the Martian moon Phobos around 2025.

More sophisticated forms of space-hopping may be coming soon. Phil Metzger at the University of Central Florida is testing a robot called WINE that would visit a comet or asteroid, extract water from its surface, and use it to execute a series of steam-powered jumps. NASA recently funded the development of a similar concept called SPARROW, which could hop across the icy surface of Jupiter's moon Europa.

There could be a future for ballooning on other worlds as well. The Soviets have already pioneered this type of transit with the Vega balloon probe, which was deployed in the upper atmosphere of Venus in 1985. If NASA approves a new Venus exploreras I fervently hope it willa new-generation balloon experiment could be floating around the planet in the coming decade.

Any why stop there? I mentioned earlier that Titan has lakes, which would be prime locations for a future space boat or space submarine. NASA seriously considered a proposal for a Titan boat (the TiME mission) but passed it over in favor of the Mars InSight lander. Still, the concept could easily make a comeback. There are also concepts on the drawing board for Titan submarine and a tunneling machine on Europa.

There's even an experiment underway that could make it possible to navigate the oceans of Europa, if that tunneling machine can manage to break through the ice. If you dream of swimming like a fish, this would be the mission for you. Beneath its icy crust, Europa has more water than all of Earth's oceans combined. There may be volcanic vents below, warming and fertilizing the ocean. Many astrobiologists now consider Europa the most likely place to find life elsewhere in the solar sytem.

Flying on Mars is a breeze compared to traveling to Europa, breaking through 10 kilometers of ice, and exploring the pitch-black ocean below. But if we can master that tremendous challenge...damn, what we find could be well worth the perils of getting there.

For more science news, follow me on Twitter: @coreyspowell

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Hovering, Flying, and Hopping Across the Solar Sytem - Discover Magazine

Dayton meets first step to bring Space Command to Wright-Patt – Dayton Daily News

ExploreSpace City? Challenge and opportunity lie in Space Command competition

In a letter sent to the assistant secretary of the Air Force, Gov. DeWine endorsed the nomination. A letter signed by 22 area mayors and four county commission presidents was also submitted expressing mutual support for Daytons bid.

In May, the Pentagon said it would accept nominations for the headquarters location based on defined criteria. Coalition advocates have said since then that Dayton met all of the screening requirements.

This advancement of Wright-Patt in the selection process of U.S. Space Command is an important step forward that I have advocated strongly for, U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Dayton, said in a statement. As the home of invention of flight and a pioneer in space travel and defense, Wright-Patt has the foundation to host the U.S. Space Command.

Among the criteria laid out by the Pentagon in its search for the headquarters: Communities should be within 25 miles of a military base, within the top 150 most populous metropolitan statistical areas, and score at least 50 out of 100 points on the American Association of Retired Persons Livability Index, among other criteria.

Dayton clearly has a military base nearby. As of July 2019, the Dayton-Kettering metro area was ranked at 107 in terms of population. And according to the AARP Index, the Dayton area scores a 53.

The Dayton area has a viable shot at winning the national competition for the U.S. Space Command headquarters, House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy said in a visit to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base this month.

If you look at history, flight was created here, McCarthy said at a brief press conference outside the Hope Hotel and Conference Center on the base. This place is definitely viable. Wright-Patt, theyre definitely in the running.

He added: If you look at the work that Wright-Patt does, theyre definitely in the running. But we want to make sure that its the right place, that it has the right synergy, and Ill let the experts take all of that into consideration.

The location decision announcement is expected early next year.

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Dayton meets first step to bring Space Command to Wright-Patt - Dayton Daily News

The Astronauts SpaceX Crew Dragon Capsule Are Returning To Earth – NPR

NASA astronauts (from left) Bob Behnken, Doug Hurley and Chris Cassidy are the U.S. members of the Expedition 63 crew aboard the International Space Station. Behnken and Hurley are scheduled to return to Earth on Aug. 2. NASA hide caption

NASA astronauts (from left) Bob Behnken, Doug Hurley and Chris Cassidy are the U.S. members of the Expedition 63 crew aboard the International Space Station. Behnken and Hurley are scheduled to return to Earth on Aug. 2.

Updated 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday

The two astronauts that blasted off in the first private space vehicle to take people to the International Space Station are about to return to Earth by splashing down in the waters around Florida.

This will be the first planned splashdown for space travelers since 1975, although a Russian Soyuz capsule did have to do an emergency lake landing in 1976.

NASA astronaut Douglas Hurley says that he and his crewmate Robert Behnken are prepared for the possibility of seasickness.

"Just like on an airliner, there are bags if you need them. And we'll have those handy," Hurley said in a press conference held on Friday, while on board the station. "And if that needs to happen, it certainly wouldn't be the first time that that's happened in a space vehicle. It will be the first time in this particular vehicle, if we do."

The astronauts will come home in the same SpaceX Dragon capsule that took them up on May 30. Their flight marked the first time people had been launched to orbit from U.S. soil since NASA retired its space shuttles in 2011.

The success of their trip in the SpaceX vehicle has been a major milestone for commercial space travel, and a vindication of NASA's long-term plan to rely on space taxis for routine flights to and from the orbiting outpost while the government agency focuses on developing vehicles for a return to the moon.

The Dragon "Endeavour" capsule undocked from the International Space Station on Saturday at 7:34 p.m. ET. They will spend the night in orbit before heading home, with the splashdown scheduled for 2:48 p.m. ET on Sunday. NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine confirmed Saturday afternoon that the crew will target a splashdown site off the coast of Pensacola as the primary location. Conditions there are a "Go," according to the space agency.

"We have confidence that the teams on the ground are, of course, watching that much more closely than we are," Behnken said. "And we won't leave the space station without some good landing opportunities in front of us, good splashdown weather in front of us."

An alternative site off the coast of Panama City in the Gulf of Mexico is still being monitored should the crew need to switch locations. While Tropical Storm Isaias is headed for Florida, it is currently expected to hit the state's east coast.

Their mission is technically a demonstration flight it is the final test for SpaceX's crew system to be certified by NASA as 'operational' for future astronaut missions to and from the space station.

Already, NASA has assigned astronauts to future SpaceX Crew Dragon flights including Megan McArthur, who happens to be married to Behnken.

"She's super excited to be assigned to a SpaceX mission," says Behnken, who says the thing about his return to Earth that he's looking forward to the most is seeing his wife and son.

"My son is six years old," says Behnken, "and I can tell from the videos that I get, and talking to him on the phone, that he's changed a lot even in just the couple of months that we've been up here."

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The Astronauts SpaceX Crew Dragon Capsule Are Returning To Earth - NPR

Planning A Vacation To Outer Space? Here’s A First Look At Virgin Galactic’s Spaceship – TheTravel

Virgin Galactic is making dreams of interstellar travel come true with the VSS Unity, the first spaceship designed for commercial travel.

For some time now, Virgin Galactic has had a goal in the works for creating one of the very first commercial space flights. And by space flights, they don't mean inearth's atmospheric space - they mean outer space. For those who have always wanted to know what it's like to be an astronaut, their chances might come sooner rather than later.

Among all the strange things that can be found in outer space, humans are about to be the next thing on the list. Not only is the design top of the line and innovative, but it's intended to add comfort to a journey through time and (literal) space. The Founder of the Virgin Group, Richard Branson, said that the cabinhas"been designed specifically to allow thousands of people like you and me to achieve the dream of spaceflight safely," and thatthe entire process is"incredibly exciting." What's even more exciting are the details of the first commercial spacecraft, on which potential passengers can put down their $1,000 deposit for a $250,000 round-trip ticket.

The design of this aircraft is truly futuristic and pushes any limits we've previously seen on any flight. Its intended use is to be versatile from commercial trips to actual missions and sports enough features to make both incredibly comfortable. The interior is streamlined and looks like something from a space movie (Interstellar, anyone?). The technology within the craft is high-tech and functioning at the highest capacity for a journey such as this.

While it is quite the undertaking, Virgin Galactic has been designed with the notion in mind of opening up outer space for general public exploration; a means to give the average person a taste of what it's like to float around in space. With this notion in mind, extreme safety precautions have also been put in place so that passengers not only have the experience of a lifetime but will also feel safe while doing it.

Related:You'll Soon Be Able To Book A Hotel Room In Space, But It'll Cost You Around $10 Million

So how did Virgin Galactic accomplish this stellar (no pun intended) feat? With the help of experts, of course. The company consulted with astronaut trainers, doctors, engineers, and even potential customers for input and guidelines, according toTravel + Leisure.One interesting question that was posed to the group was how to temper a "high adrenaline" environment such as a spaceship in order to make it a calm and serene place to be during takeoff and landing. One answer to this was the addition of timed lighting, which serves as a visual signal to passengers during times of excitement or calm. The hope for additions such as these lights is the experience will be both rewarding and thrilling, rather than stressful and uncertain.

Related:15 Stargazing Destinations for Space Lovers (5 Where the City Lights Ruin the Night Sky)

TheVSS Unityalso features 12 windows that wrap around the entire spacecraft, allowing passengers to have a steady view of the earth from every angle. The spacecraft also allows for a level of weightlessness as passengers experience zero gravity for the first time, making it an interactive experience as well as one that's educational and scenic.

Even the seating on this spacecraft has been built to temper the effects of space travel - including offsetting G-forces. These seats will also display live flight data for passengers with its innovative design.

Next:The World's First Hotel In Outer Space Is Coming In 2025!

Virginia Has Its Own Traditional Foods, And These Are The Best

Originally from New York, Katie is used to a fast-paced lifestyle. She got her personal start with writing in the second grade, and carried that passion with her until she won a spot in her high school's published poetry book - but not before becoming the News Editor and columnist for the high school newspaper. In college, she majored in English Literature with an emphasis in Political Science, soaking up most creativity and method from one of the last professors to study under famed beat poet Allen Ginsberg. The more she wrote, the more she learned about the world and, more importantly, herself. She has been writing professionally and has been published since the age of 19, and for nearly a decade has covered topics in entertainment, lifestyle, music news, video game reviews, food culture, and now has the privilege of writing and editing for TheTravel. Katie has a firm belief that every word penned is a journey into yourself and your own thoughts, and through understanding this, people can begin to understand each other. Through her voice, she brings personality, research, and a bit of friendly sarcasm to every piece she writes and edits.

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Planning A Vacation To Outer Space? Here's A First Look At Virgin Galactic's Spaceship - TheTravel

Mission Viejo native Michael Lpez-Alegra inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame – Los Angeles Times

Fifty-one years ago on July 20, 1969, a then 11-year-old Michael Lpez-Alegra was playing on Laguna Beachs shores with his family and friends. He remembers the adults calling the kids out of the water and everyone gathering around transistor radios that broadcast Apollo 11s historic landing onto the surface of the moon.

And once they said, Tranquility Base, the Eagle has landed, all these adults who were kind of strangers to each other were hugging and, like, slapping each other on the back like they were relatives or friends, Lpez-Alegra, 62, said. It was really quite a moment.

Later that day at his familys home in Mission Viejo, Lpez-Alegra was entranced watching grainy black-and-white footage of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walking on the moon.

The events on that summer day were influential in inspiring Lpez-Alegras 20-year career as an astronaut for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and 37-year career in aviation and space flight.

Now Lpez-Alegra will join his childhood heroes as an inductee for one of the industrys highest honors: the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. Though it was announced earlier this year (the ceremony was originally scheduled for May 16), the 2020 ceremony has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Lpez-Alegra and two other retired astronauts Pamela A. Melroy and Scott Kelly will be inducted at a later date.

They exemplify bravery, dedication and passion, and their hard work has paved the way for what promises to be an unprecedented new decade of space exploration and interplanetary travel, said Curt Brown, space shuttle astronaut and board chairman of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, which oversees the selection process.

Michael Lpez-Alegra had a 20-year career as an astronaut for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and 37-year career in aviation and space flight.

(Courtesy of NASA)

A place in the Hall of Fame is a rare honor. Lpez-Alegra will be one of only 102 people in a revered company of space greats that includes Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and John Glenn.

Not that hed brag about it. Lpez-Alegra is down-to-earth (pun intended) about his accomplishments.

Lets be clear: I think the people I looked up to as a kid and even later as a 20-something-year-old they really accomplished a lot more in terms of being on the cutting edge, he said. I mean, people who walked on the moon or flew to the moon or were the first in space thats a pretty elite group. Im honored to be a part of it, but Im not really in the same league as those guys.

Lpez-Alegra went on four spaceflights for NASA (three Space Shuttle missions, and one mission as the commander of the International Space Station), holds two NASA records for spacewalks (for the highest number of spacewalks 10 and duration of time spent 67 hours and 40 minutes), and speaks four languages (English, Spanish, Russian and French).

When asked which career highlight hes proudest of, Lpez-Alegra points to his experience in spacewalks, or extravehicular activity (EVA).

Michael Lpez-Alegra traverses along the Starboard One truss on the International Space Station during the missions third and final scheduled spacewalk in 2002.

(Courtesy of NASA)

I didnt set out to specialize in that, but I ended up being in the right place at the right time, and it is sort of the most iconic of the activities that an astronaut does, he said. And so, having [those records] is special. I know that [they] will fall someday, and Id be happy to hand the baton to the next person.

Born in Madrid and naturalized as a U.S. citizen, Lpez-Alegra moved to the U.S. with his family at age 2 and to Mission Viejo at 8. He graduated from Mission Viejo High School in 1976, then from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis in 1980. Designated a naval aviator, Lpez-Alegras childhood dream of becoming an astronaut was reinvigorated at age 25 after he read a magazine article about Navy test pilots segueing into astronauts.

He trained at the U.S. Naval Test Pilot school and earned a master of science in aeronautical engineering before joining NASA in 1992. Three years later, Lpez-Alegra was launched into orbit for his first Space Shuttle mission the first Spanish-born astronaut to do so.

Among his favorite aspects of space flights are the launch (an incredible roller coaster, white knuckle thrill ride), the fun of floating in microgravity, and the consuming but rewarding hours spent on research.

His most tense moment on a spacewalk and likely the most comical involved the least important work he ever had to do: He and his Russian crewmate were tasked with hitting a golf ball in space for a commercial.

Lpez-Alegra nearly lost his grip on the ball when it was exposed to the vacuum of space,

And then my next thing was to hold my partners feet, like an anchor, while he took a swing, and the bad news is that he shanked it, and we didnt get much video of it at all, he said with a laugh.

Initially skeptical of space tourism and commercial space flight, Lpez-Alegra had a change of heart after Iranian American entrepreneur and engineer Anousheh Ansari joined the crew on his last mission in 2006.

Ansari was the fourth space tourist in history and the first self-funded woman to fly to the International Space Station. Her blog and subsequent book about the experience introduced space travel to people who may not have considered it before.

Literally a million people were reading her blog, and these are people who would otherwise not care two cents about what was going on in space and human space flight, Lpez-Alegra said. This sort of idea of sharing the experience clicked with me, and really ever since then Ive become a pretty big proponent of this idea of democratization of access to space.

Following his retirement from NASA in 2012, Lpez-Alegra moved to Washington, D.C., and served as president of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, an advocacy group for commercial spaceflight companies. He continues to work in D.C. as an independent consultant for the industry, serves on advisory boards and is a public speaker.

He is excited about the industrys progress that there has been a little of a renaissance in human spaceflight in the past several years and suspects that it will be accessible to laypeople sooner than we think.

With the return of Elon Musks SpaceX Crew Dragon Demo-2 mission on Sunday the first private company to send astronauts to the International Space Station that reality just got a little closer.

He hopes that whoever goes into space whether its astronauts or tourists will get to experience the Overview Effect, a phenomenon where space travelers return with a different perspective about life on Earth.

When you come back, you definitely feel more connected to other people and to the planet. A little bit more tolerant maybe, a little bit more skeptical about conflict, Lpez-Alegra said. It just seems like we all ought to figure out a way to get along together, because were all crew members on the same spaceship planet Earth and theres only one of them. And I think the more people who experience it, the better off our planet.

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Mission Viejo native Michael Lpez-Alegra inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame - Los Angeles Times

Down The Dark Alleys Of Sesame Street – EverythingGP

Can You Tell Him How To Get, How To Get a Space Shuttle Seat

Perhaps one of the most iconic characters on the Street, aside from our red puppet friend Elmo, is the 8-foot 2-inch, yellow giant we lovingly call Big Bird. Your friend and mine, Big Bird is one of the original puppets on the Street and still graces our television screens with love, compassion, and happiness. But, should he be a few inches shorter, this happy-go-lucky friend may not be around today.

In the early 1980s, NASA reached out to the creators of Sesame Street with an interesting proposal. As space travel was still new and uncertain, the NASA team was eager to gain some public attention and affection for their newly developed space shuttle. The Challenger mission was sure to be one for the books, and what better way to get young children excited about space than by sending their good friend, Big Bird, up into the galaxy.

Luckily, Big Bird and his puppeteer, Caroll Spinney were unable to join the Challenger mission. While the exact reasoning is not quite defined, its safe to say that the puppets towering heights were the main contributing factor. Lets be real, an 8-foot, 4000-feathered bird is not quite an essential when it comes to compact space travel. As we know today, the tragic mission of The Challenger would have resulted in the devasting loss of our yellow friend, and Sesame Street as we know it would never be the same.

So Big Bird continued his residency on Sesame Street with all of his friendsreal, and once imaginary. From 1971 to 1985, the shaggy brown monster, Mr. Snuffleupagus, was a totally ambiguous character. He was introduced to the show as an imaginary friend that only Big Bird could see. The two became extremely close during this time. In fact, when other characters appeared on-screen, Snuffy shuffled off or totally missed everyones arrival each and every time. Big Bird insisted that Snuffy was real, but no one ever believed him.

This tricky friendship raised an eyebrow or two after some disturbing storylines started hitting the front page. In the early 1980s, an episode of 60 Minutes gave the showrunners a reason to think twice about the portrayal of Snuffy as Big Birds imaginary friend. The issue of child abuse became particularly prominent. The last thing writers wanted was kids thinking that they couldnt come to their parents with important or difficult information in the fear that they wouldnt be believed.

The Executive Producer of Sesame Street, Carol-Lynn Parente said The fear was that if we represented adults not believing what kids say, they might not be motivated to tell the truth. And so, with careful planning and storytelling techniques, the writers developed a two-year scheme, introducing Snuffy as a real character to the rest of the members on Sesame Street. In this iconic episode, Bob McGrath, one of the human residents, tells Big Bird: From now on, well believe you whenever you tell us something, driving home the main point of this storyline change.

While Big Bird and Snuffy maintained their friendship on the Street, theyre accompanied by a whole melting pot of characters: Elmo, Cookie Monster, Oscar the Grouch, and the cloak-wearing Count.

While Count von Count was originally modeled off of Bela Lugosis Count Dracula, we do have some reason to believe that this cape-wearing, castle-dwelling puppet is a vampire. According to many claims on the Muppet Fan wiki page, the character has been described as a number-friendly vampire and a Numerical Vampire. However, according to The Counts official biography, he is not specifically listed as such. But, why is Sesame Street so set on their Dracula-inspiration?

Perhaps its because, in traditional folklore, vampires are said to have severe arithmomaniaa type of compulsive disorder where individuals become obsessed with counting absolutely everything around them. Aside from the fact that vampires also, quite obviously, have huge fangs and are known to puncture humans and drink their blood, this wouldnt be a good look for our friend The Count. To be safe, were going to stick with his official About Me, and opt for the Dracula inspirationbut hey, you be the judge!

If near-death explosions, imaginary friends, and OCD werent enough, a few characters are worth mentioning for other eyebrow-raising reasons. While only on screen for a short period of time, Don Music, became a quick fan favorite. Writing hit songs like Mary Had a Bicycle, and Drive, Drive, Drive Your Car, he was quite the clever lyricist. However, as a musician, he was bound to make a few frustrating mistakes at the piano. And to voice this frustration, he often began shouting and throwing his head against his instrument. Naturally, kids at home began to follow this behavior leading to some headaches and injuries. Needless to say, Don Music was retired from the screen.

Sesame Street will always be a sunny place we can call home. With an eclectic group of residents, theyve certainly made bright turns out of dark alleys or crooked storylines and it continues to be a place of acceptance, learning, and joy for viewers today.

Source: Down The Dark Alleys Of Sesame Street

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Down The Dark Alleys Of Sesame Street - EverythingGP

Tech News: Space the final frontier? – IOL

By Opinion Jul 30, 2020

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By Professor Louis C H Fourie

JOHANNESBURG - It was about 500 years ago that Ferdinand Magellan (born Ferno de Magalhes) in 1519 sailed beyond the edge of the world to find a western route to the spice-rich East Indies in modern day Indonesia something his contemporaries regarded as impossible.

After a journey of about 100 000km only 18 people of the original 260 of Magellans expedition, arrived back in Spain on the ship Victoria in September 1522 under the leadership of Juan Elcano.

They are the first human beings to prove that the globe could be circumnavigated. Along the way, they had encountered a new ocean, mapped new routes for European trade, and set the stage for modern globalism.

Air travel

A little more than 400 years later in 1924, as technology improved, six US Army Air Service pilots for the first time successfully circumnavigated the planet by air in Douglas World Cruiser biplanes. It took them 175 days and 74 stops to cover the 44 337km. Since the arrival of commercial aviation in the late 20th century, circumnavigating the globe became easy and takes only a few days instead of years. The only challenge to circumnavigate the Earth today is about human and technological endurance, speed and unconventional methods of travelling.

Space travel

But technology developed drastically and in April 1961 the first person to fly in space, Yuri Gagarin, completed an orbital spaceflight in the Vostok 1 spaceship within two hours. However, it was Gherman Titov in Vostok 2 that was the first human to circumnavigate the Earth in spaceflight. Eventually, on July, 20,1969, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first human beings to land on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission.

During the 1960s and 1970s, Nasa launched a series of space probes called Mariner, which studied Venus, Mars and Mercury. Then followed the era of the space stations the Soviet Salyut 1 (1971), Nasas Skylab (1973) and the International Space Station (1998). During the same time two Nasas project Viking probes landed on Mars.

Since the Apollo lunar program was terminated in 1972, much of human space exploration focused on low-Earth orbit, with many countries participating and conducting research on the International Space Station.

However, in the past few decades numerous probes have been launched on missions throughout our solar system and more recently also further into our galaxy.

These probes have made a range of significant discoveries, amongst others that a moon of Jupiter, called Europa, and a moon of Saturn, called Enceladus, have oceans under their surface ice that may contain life according to scientists.

Interstellar exploration

At the same time, technological instruments in space, such as the Kepler Space Telescope, and instruments on the ground have discovered thousands of exoplanets (planets orbiting other stars). This era of exoplanet discovery began in 1995, and advanced technology now allows instruments in space that can quite accurately characterize the atmospheres of some of these exoplanets.

The first spacecraft to enter the interstellar medium (ISM) or region of space outside the bubble-shaped boundary produced by wind streaming outward from the sun, was Voyager 1 in 2012.

At the end of 2018 Voyager 1 was joined by Voyager 2 in the realm of the stars when it became only the second human-made object to journey out of the suns influence at more than 17.7 billion kilometres from the sun.

It was almost 500 years after the significant mission of Ferdinand Magellan beyond the edge of the world that a spacecraft ventured past the edge of our solar system.

Again, we as a human race are in unchartered waters and not sure what we will find. Only now we are not travelling the oceans of the earth, but the vast and endless distances of deep space to discover the universe.

Spacecraft with light sails propelled by light

The very ambitious Breakthrough Starshot project that is the brainchild of Stephen Hawking, Yuri Milner and Mark Zuckerberg, aims to slingshot a spaceship at one fifth of the speed of light, beyond our solar system to the neighbouring Alpha Centauri star system. Even at one fifth the speed of light it is a journey that will take about 20 years and that is only one way.

Just like Magellan, the sailcraft will use sails to get to its destination, but in this case a light sail and a ground-based directed-energy laser array to accelerate them to the target speed. One of the many challenges that will have to be overcome will be to transmit data back to Earth. In a recent study the director of Starshot systems, Dr Kevin Parkin, described the possibility to use a tight-beam laser transmitter embedded in the sail of the craft to transmit data back to a 30-meter telescope on Earth in the near-infrared and near-ultraviolet spectrum (1.02 to 1.25 micrometres).

Using laser beams have many advantages over radio wave or microwave transmissions. Since lasers have wavelengths that are a thousand times shorter than microwaves, it will have a much tighter beam from Alpha Centauri to Earth.

However, the array will have to point very accurately at Earth for the data to be received. To ensure proper communication through numerous downlinks, Starshot plans to launch a thousand 4-gram light sail nanocraft at R100 million each. According to Dr Parkin a distributed algorithm will be used to allow each spacecraft to operate in tandem and with a degree of autonomy while mapping a different part of the Alpha Centauri system.

Living spaceships and bio-inspired design

Another approach to the exploration of deep space is living spaceships and bio-inspired design. Many space agencies and leading research universities are turning to adaptive, biomimetic (the emulation of the models, systems, and elements of nature to solve complex problems) and evolution-inspired designs for space exploration.

According to scientists, bio-inspired design will allow us to design more efficient spacecraft with improved adaptability to unforeseen problems when exploring deep space. Since resources and energy are limited in space, bio-inspired design is becoming increasingly important. It was bio-inspired design that led to the invention of Velcro in the 1940s after researching plant seeds.

Based on the function of human body parts, Raul Polit-Casillas, a Spanish architect and engineer from Nasas prestigious Jet Propulsion Laboratory, is researching the manufacturing of multifunctional spacecraft parts. Just like the human skin is a sensing, thermal management and protective instrument, the parts of spacecraft should have more than one function. His work has already found its way into several Nasa projects.

At the Technical University of Delft in the Netherlands, Angelo Vermeulen and his colleagues are researching a spacecraft that will feed of an asteroids resources and will evolve like an organism to take it beyond our solar system since spaceships on their way to outer space are not able to carry all the fuel they need.

Daunting challenges

We are in the infancy of interstellar travel and exploration with many obstacles still to overcome. Despite possible innovative data communication at the speed of light, even the data will take 4.364 years to reach us from a spacecraft in the vicinity of Alpha Centauri and that is only one of the nearest stars.

The spacecraft will also have to function autonomously since it will be extremely difficult to send commands to the spacecraft in real time. Two-way light signals will take at least 8.72 years to Alpha Centauri travelling at 299 792 458 m/s.

In order to build a sailcraft as envisioned by Starshot, may take many decades depending on technological development. Light propulsion requires enormous power of about a gigawatt of Power (the output of one powerplant). Microwave phased arrays have been in use for about 50 years, but optical phased arrays do not yet exist and will be no easy feat to integrate into a ceramic sail as envisioned by Starshot.

But any exploration mission as in the case of Magellan in 1519 present their share of challenges and dangers. Interstellar and deep space exploration will indeed have some daunting challenges, but technology has a way to develop and overcome many challenges over time, especially in the Fourth Industrial Revolution with its confluence of innovative technologies. What may sound like science fiction to us, may be part of the future world of our children.

But is space the final frontier for us as human beings to conquer? What is at the edge of the universe if we can ever reach it? Nobody knows.

Professor Louis C H Fourie is a futurist and technology strategist

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Tech News: Space the final frontier? - IOL

Inside The Virgin Galactic Spacecraft That Will Take Tourists To Space – Tatler Hong Kong

Travel enthusiasts and aspiring astronauts have a new aircraft to add to their bucket listVirgin Galactic has revealed the cabin interior of its highly anticipated SpaceshipTwo vehicle live on YouTube yesterday.

In just my second week as Virgin Galactics CEO, it is with great pride that I can lead our talented teams in revealing this latest milestone in our journey to space, Michael Colglazier, CEO of Virgin Galactic said in a press release. The spaceship cabin interior is in many ways the design centrepiece of the astronaut journey and what has been created will both facilitate and elevate a uniquely profound and transformational journey for the thousands who will fly.

The spacecraft itself was built in collaboration with London design agency, Seymourpowell, to include a sense of safety without distraction, so travellers can focus on absorbing periods of sensory intensity while offering each traveler a level of intimacy required to fully absorb the unforgettable experience.

In terms of aesthetics, the color palette of the cabin was curated to complement the architecture of the seats, the spacecraft itself, and the Under Armour-made astronaut spacesuits, with the golden metallics made to resemble desert sands and blues inspired by the celestial spaces and oceans below.

The seats have been made to match the dynamism of the flight, with a built-in, pilot-controlled recline mechanism which will position astronauts to manage G-forces during takeoff and landing phases while also freeing up space to allow for travelers to float through the cabin in zero gravity zones.

When we created Virgin Galactic, we started with what we believed would be an optimal customer experience and then built the spaceship around it, said Richard Branson, Founder of Virgin Group, adding that, we will continue with that ethos as we expand our fleet, build our operations and underpin Virgin Galactics position as the Spaceline for Earth.

The event also noted that the latest milestone will be available on a new, cutting-edge augmented reality enabled mobile app, which will be available to download for free at the App Store and Play Store before space tourists will officially be able to take off. We hope the new app will help bring the dream of space one step closer for space enthusiasts everywhere, added Colglazier.

Aspiring astronauts and space enthusiasts can now reserve front of the line access to the newly released spaceflight roundtrip for a US$1,000 deposit. For more information or to reserve your seat, be sure to check out the official Virgin Galactic website.

See also:Tatler's Guide to Going to Outer Space

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Inside The Virgin Galactic Spacecraft That Will Take Tourists To Space - Tatler Hong Kong

Tom Cruise enlists Elon Musk and SpaceX to help make the first movie in space – RadioTimes

Tom Cruise has reportedly recruited Elon Musks technological expertise as he plans the first movie to ever film in outer space with the production backing of Universal Pictures.

Just in case youre checking if its 1st April, Deadline is reporting that Cruise, director Doug Liman and Christopher McQuarrie have agreed with Universal Pictures a budget in the region of $200 million (153 million) to make the film, which currently doesnt even have a script (apparently Liman is writing it now).

Deadlines sources say that Musks firm SpaceX will be involved in the project from day one and while Liman will direct, Cruises Mission: Impossible director McQuarrie will be ground control as story advisor and producer for the project.

The $200m budget is an estimate which, considering no film has ever been made beyond Earth before, is full of probably the greatest variables any movie project has ever had. A logistical nightmare doesnt even begin to hint at what the production team will contend with.

Cruise, though, is renowned for taking risks and doing his own stunts, including climbing the outside of the 123-storey Burj Khalifa skyscraper in Dubai, then doing an action scene at the top. The Hollywood star was first reported as conceiving the space-set adventure in May and had obtained Musks interest. The obvious publicity benefits for his SpaceX company would be a big inducement to be involved.

Liman has apparently been doing the preparatory work for the project. Both he and Cruise are qualified pilots and Liman reportedly went to Florida to witness the launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, atCape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, complete with two NASA astronauts last week.

Falcon 9 is an historic public-private partnership that put the US back in the business of human space travel for the first time in a decade and the opportunity to be the first film production to ever make a narrative movie in space must have powerful appeal for all concerned, especially Universal Pictures.

Cruise is currently working on Mission: Impossible 7 and was reported last month to be creating a VIP village in Oxfordshire to create a coronavirus-free zone which would allow filming to resume.

If youre looking for more to watch, check out ourTV guide.

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Tom Cruise enlists Elon Musk and SpaceX to help make the first movie in space - RadioTimes

High-altitude balloons could soon be taking tourists into the stratosphere – Globetrender

High-altitude balloons could be taking everyday cosmonauts to the edge of space, offering dramatic views of Earth from the stratosphere for those who dare to book a ticket. Sam Ballard reports

There is no doubt about it, the space race is hotting up. However, these days, its not global nation states competing against each other its the battle of the billionaires. And, whether you are rooting for Richard Bransons Virgin Galactic or Elon Musks SpaceX, they have certainly got the worlds attention.

However, while the pair are vying to be the first to take tourists into space there has been a surprise contender that has seemingly risen out of nowhere: space balloons.

The concept of high-altitude balloons has been around for centuries, ever since the first hydrogen balloon was launched in Paris in 1783.

Over the years, the technology has developed to allow passengers to rise to dizzying new heights as anyone who has watched Felix Baumgartners 38,969-metre skydive will attest.

There are now companies that are looking to harness that technology and take passengers more than 30km up in a balloon to enjoy a perspective of the planet that few have had the chance to enjoy before. Optimistic outlooks suggest that this could be happening within the next couple of years.

One such initiative is World View, a project by the Paragon Space Development Corporation. Guests will board a capsule that will rise 30,000 metres by means of a helium balloon.

According to the company, once at that height, passengers will experience the space environment, including a period of weightlessness and the iconic space view: a curved Earth with its thin blue atmosphere against the blackness of space.

Nigel Goode, director at PriestmanGoode, the design agency behind the capsule, says: This is a dream project to work on. Its incredibly exciting to be part of this nascent industry. Inspired by our work designing luxury aircraft interiors, our design vision focuses on enhancing comfort on-board the capsule to create a truly transformative human experience.

The World View flight will incorporate an ascent of roughly one-a-half to two hours with the capsule then spending between two and six hours when it has reached an altitude of roughly 30km. It will then be a much faster 20- to 40-minute descent back to Earth.

Goode adds: We have been working closely with Jane Poynter and Taber MacCallum, who founded the Paragon Space Development Corporation. They are both at the forefront of aerospace technology and brought us in for our expertise designing luxury travel experiences. Its been an inspiring process to combine our different skills to define the experience of premium space travel.

PriestmanGoode has also designed balloon passenger cabins for another project called Space Perspective, which also rises 30km into the air.

Spaceship Neptune will be flown by a pilot with up to eight passengers, called Explorers, on board. The entire experience will take roughly six hours a two-hour ascent above 99 per cent of the Earths atmosphere, a two-hour flight at 100,000ft above ground and then a two-hour descent. The Spaceship Neptune will land in the sea where a ship will retrieve the passengers, capsule and balloon.

Meanwhile, Bloon, part of Zero to Infinity, is looking at taking its guests even higher up to a giddy 36km, which is above 99.5 per cet of Earths atmosphere.

Speaking to Globetrender, Jos Mariano Lpez Urdiales founder and CEO of Zero 2 Infinity, says that he started the company in order to share his experiences with others.

Ive been fortunate to have space in my life since I was little, my father is an astronomer, he says. Ive always felt strongly that more people should get to do things in space. Bloon is the way.

The outlook for a first flight is constantly evolving, Urdiales says, however, he is hopeful that the first flight for space tourists could be as early as 2022, with professional flights happening even sooner.

Balloons are the only affordable, safe and cost-effective way to democratise space tourism. By 2030, UBS predicts the space tourism industry to be worth US$3 billion.

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High-altitude balloons could soon be taking tourists into the stratosphere - Globetrender

JPT That Was Then, This Is Now – Journal of Petroleum Technology

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This is not my first JPT editorial. In fact,it is more than 16 years since that was publishedsufficiently long ago that I initially put my invitation to write this piece down to an error. When it became clear that was not the case, I wondered what I should use this opportunity to say.

I had entirely forgotten what I had written about in February 2004. Reading that editorial again was slightly uncomfortable, and I found myself wincing at parts. Setting that discomfort aside, when I thought about when the piece was written, as much as what I had said, I was struck by the parallels and contrasts with the world that we live in today. That insight led me to test what I believe to be important for the oil and gas industry of tomorrow.

Compared to 2004 I am, broadly speaking, much the same; perhaps a little wiser. I still have a keen interest in (my words), or pointless obsession with (other peoples words), fonts, text editors, pre-1980s programming languages, and units of weights and measures. I could add more to this list, but I dont want to come across as too nerdy. While I have remained constant, at least in spirit, some things were profoundly different at the start of 2004.

US Oil Production Had Been in a Long Period of Decline. During 2003 the US produced around 5.6 million B/D of crude oil, including lease condensates. Production had been declining steadily from its peak in the mid-1980s. In my editorial I wrung my hands at the slow pace of uptake of methods to improve well productivity and drive down well costs. As far as the US was concerned, I neednt have worried: a productivity revolution was underway that would profoundly affect not only the shape of the US oil industry, but the supply/demand balance of the entire world. The factory drilling of highly stimulated horizontal wells took US crude production from 5 million B/D in 2008 to more than 12 million B/D by the end of last year.

Facebook Did Not Exist. Facebook was launched in February 2004. Gmail was announced in April the same year. Twitter was not a thing until 2006. In a world where something has become so pervasive, it is hard to imagine that the term social media had no meaning for most people in 2004. Today, social media is deeply entrenched in our working practices: it is central to the way that companies communicate with their employees and with the public; it provides the means by which we advertise and apply for jobs; people use WhatsApp groups to collaborate on projects because it is better than the tools provided by their employers. The impact upon our personal lives is perhaps even more dramatic. Although the positive influences of being hyperconnected should not be underestimateda point Ill come back to latercyber-bullying was no real cause for concern in 2004, nor was the impact of social media on major political events.

SARS-CoV Did Not Have a Number. By the end of 2003, the SARS epidemic had been reduced to a few sporadic outbreaks. The coronavirus genome that caused the disease had earlier been classified as SARS-CoV. Today it is known as SARS-CoV-1 and its baby brother, CoV2, is currently wreaking havoc across the world. At a time when the oil and gas industry was already wrestling with oversupply, COVID-19 has managed to destroy demand by an unprecedented level, and the oil and gas industry has been plunged into another downturn. I hear people using phrases like the coronavirus fog is lifting, but Im not so sureI think we have just adapted rather quickly to working in the fog.

Attitudes Toward Climate Change Were in a State of Flux. To be fair, attitudes today are hardly a consensus, but things were still very different in 2004. The Kyoto Protocol of 1997, which agreed on legally binding emissions cuts for industrialized nations, had still not been ratified. The oil and gas industry could largely carry on regardless, with the voices of climate change activists being too quiet or too far away to have any material impact. Today the global politics concerning climate change has, if anything, become more intense, but public opinion has shifted markedly. Irrespective of our individual views, the oil and gas industry is being forced to adapt by attitudes to climate change. Im not trying to make a political pointIm just stating the obvious.

I am writing this article in my house, looking out of the window into a sunny garden, under lockdown in the UK. I feel like Im in the eye of a storm, which has already battered the industry on its way through and will, no doubt, still do further damage. However, Im nothing if not persistent, and after more than 30 years of working in oilfield technology, Im not going to give up now.

I dont feel at all self-serving when I say that the application of technology will continue to transform the oil and gas industry. Nor am I embarrassed about using the tired clich that necessity is the mother of invention. Indeed, Ive watched as the past few months of lockdowns and travel bans have changed the way that people work.

The worlds information networks initially groaned under the strain of supporting so much video-calling, but that strain was shrugged off quickly. Microsoft reported that more than four billion minutes of Teams meetings happened in a single day in April, up from a previous record of 900 million minutes in mid-March. Although the effect on wellbeing of enforced isolation is a cause for concern, for some people the improvement in the quality of their working life has been a revelation.

On reflection, recent events have reinforced my opinion on what needs to be doneat least in the areas that my colleagues and I have any ability to influenceand optimism about that making a difference.

Reduce Footprint. Whether due to lack of bed space, travel restrictions, or the current need to remain socially distant, we need to use fewer people to do jobs at the wellsite. Indeed, we need to use less resources in general. The oil and gas industry is being forced to reduce its footprint, in all senses of the word, and that is a necessity that we should turn into a way of working. As the past few months have shown, technology has a clear role to play: better connectivity, better remote operations support, better data gathering leading to better answersits all doable.

Upgrade Existing Equipment Through Retrofitting. Our industry is characterized by huge amounts of capital equipment, much of it obsolete. In many cases, as a matter of policy, that equipment is serviced only by the original manufacturers who simply keep it functioning. We can do better than that.

We can improve our stewardship of brownfield assets, leaving much of the original equipment in place, by retrofitting new components that enhance performance, reduce inefficiency, and provide better diagnostics. Additive manufacturing will become increasingly important. Lumps of dumb iron can be replaced by printed structureswhere internal complexity reduces waste and costmade as required, rather than kept in overstocked warehouses.

The pace of change in this area is probably going to be limited not by technology, but by policy. It needs us to rethink the supply chain, bursting the misapprehension bubble that a policy of using original equipment manufacturers to service old equipment is the best way to ensure quality and reliability. It isntit increases cost and stifles innovation.

Prepare To Abandon. Nothing stands still; there is always some transition under way. However, the oil and gas industry is not going to suddenly die, no matter how much some people might think that it should. Indeed, it would be an environmental catastrophe if it did. As the world becomes increasingly electrified, the oil and (particularly) gas industry is going to play a key part in this transition.

Nevertheless, there is an enormous amount of infrastructure that will need to be decommissioned. The anticipated costs of that are currently eye-watering and need to be reduced without compromising the quality of the end result. There is great scope for innovation, such as new well-abandonment methods, and better pre-abandonment surveys that inform planning for final decommissioning. All of this should reduce the risk of unforeseen problems, which tend to cause abandonment costs to be heavily skewed toward significant budget overruns.

In closing, despite the current uncertainty and recognizing that this is a difficult time for many people, I believe there is much to be excited about. Im not worried about getting oldI plan to do it with great vigor. I think the oil and gas industry will do the same.

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JPT That Was Then, This Is Now - Journal of Petroleum Technology

Virgin Galactic reveals cabin interior of its first SpaceShipTwo vehicle – Inceptive Mind

Virgin Galactic continues to prepare to send space tourists into Earth orbit. And now, the space travel company has shown how the cabin interior of its first SpaceShipTwo vehicle, VSS Unity, will look like. In a virtual event streamed live on YouTube, the company demonstrated cockpit footage taken during test flights between space and the atmosphere.

The cabin will have six passenger seats and was designed to maximize the vision of the Earth, with 12 cabin windows, 16 cameras, and a large mirror at the rear. The seats are made of the highest-grade aluminum and carbon-fiber manufacturing techniques. The color palette of the cabin has been carefully curated so that it complements the architecture of the seat, the cabin itself, and spacesuits.

Each seat is near a large porthole, each of which has a camera connected so that the passenger can be photographed with the Earth in the background. Other windows running through the roof of the cabin offers a spectacular view of the planet.

The seats are far apart, with a long center passage between them. The rear wall of the cabin is represented by a large mirror, which will provide passengers with the opportunity to see themselves in microgravity. There are slots in the headrests of the seats so that passengers with long hair can gather them in a ponytail and place them comfortably.

Special attention was paid to the seat belts. They consist of five ribbons and a round buckle located on the passengers chest. You can open the seat belt with a simple twist, after which a special mechanism will remove the belts so that they do not interfere in microgravity conditions.

The cockpit is capable of receiving signals from a Virgin Atlantic aircraft. There is a lighting system around the windows, which signals the different stages of the flight. A white light indicates the initial climb; the orange light indicates rocket engine ignition. In space, the lights turn black. In addition, there are screens in the back of the seats that display each phase of the flight for passengers.

The output from 16 cabin cameras, plus those in the cockpit and mounted externally, will generate high definition output to provide everything from the first Instagram posts, to a beautifully edited and historically significant personal movie.

The firm founded by British billionaire Richard Branson has repeatedly postponed the date of its first commercial flight, although its managers recently said it is only a matter of a few months. It also notes that some more test flights are needed before that, including with several company employees as passengers.

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Virgin Galactic reveals cabin interior of its first SpaceShipTwo vehicle - Inceptive Mind

Iranian professor: Space travel will only be possible after Hidden Imam’s arrival – Cleveland Jewish News

Irans former Deputy Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance said during a recent interview that the moon landings are a lie, and that travel to other planets will only become possible once the Hidden Imam arrives.

Mohammad-Hadi Homayoun, a professor at Imam Sadegh University, told Irans Channel 4 on July 17 that when this happens, there will be no more diseases and people will be able to communicate with jinns.

Enormous things are going to take place, said Homayoun. Those who want regimes that are just must know that this will certainly happen [when the Hidden Imam appears]. If somebody wants to travel to other planetsthis is also going to become possible. People say that [man] has gone to the moon and stuff like that, but they are almost certainly lying. Man has not yet left planet Earth. We have not yet gone to the moon.

Homayoun added that according to our tradition, we will be able to go to other planets only after [the Hidden Imam] appears.

Communicating with jinns will also become possible, and the jinns will serve man, said Homayoun. We wont be afraid of the jinns like we are now. I am talking about God-fearing jinns.

He added that once the imam arrives, there will be no more disease.

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Iranian professor: Space travel will only be possible after Hidden Imam's arrival - Cleveland Jewish News

Save Space Camp: The crowdfunding campaign to save a NASA institution – CNET

Space Camp and U.S. Space and Rocket Center Museum in Alabama is in danger of closing for good.

Space Camp is the ultimate destination for kids with stars (and planets) in their eyes who want to learn all about space travel. However, since the coronavirus quarantine, youngsters wanting to train to become future astronauts have had to stay home.

Space Camp-- hosted at the US Space & Rocket Center at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama -- has for 38 years educated and inspired students from all over the world, but now it's in trouble due to loss of profits from having to close its doors to visitors during the quarantine.

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"Due to the coronavirus pandemic, we have seen a dramatic reduction in attendance at the US Space and Rocket Center museum and Space Camp, leading to a significant decrease in revenue and operating capital," the crowdfunding page stated. "With limited admission from international students and school groups this fall and winter, we're forced to close our weeklong camp programs again until April 2021. These ongoing challenges have meant a devastating loss of two-thirds of our revenue."

TheSpace Camp started a crowdfunding campaignin hopes of raising $1.5 million to help pay for operating costs while the coronavirus lockdown continues. The US Space and Rocket Center and Space Camp aren't federally funded and are ineligible for state or local financial relief, so the money will need to be raised, or both will be forced to close this October.

"The coronavirus pandemic has devastated our revenue stream, and without your support, we're on a trajectory to have to close the doors of the US Space and Rocket Center Museum, Space Camp, and its sister programs sometime in October of this year,"Space and Rocket Center Education Foundation chair Ben Chandler said in a video posted on July 27. "Raising the funds would allow the camp to remain open through spring of next year, just in time for what organizers hope is a busy, pandemic-cleared summer attendance season."

Here's a closer look at the realistic setting for training at Space Camp hosted by the U.S. Space and Rocket Center Museum.

If the campaign reaches its crowdfunding goal, it will not only save Space Camp but also the US Space and Rocket Center itself, which is a popular tourist destination for space lovers. So far, the crowdfunding campaign has raised $549,021 of $1,500,000 goal.

This Space Camp isn't just a fun way to spend the summer; it can inspire kids to pursue careers with NASA. The astronauts Sandra Magnus, Robert Hines, Kate Rubins, and Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger have all attended Space Camp.

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Save Space Camp: The crowdfunding campaign to save a NASA institution - CNET

Down The Dark Alleys Of Sesame Street – CFJC Today Kamloops

Can You Tell Him How To Get, How To Get a Space Shuttle Seat

Perhaps one of the most iconic characters on the Street, aside from our red puppet friend Elmo, is the 8-foot 2-inch, yellow giant we lovingly call Big Bird. Your friend and mine, Big Bird is one of the original puppets on the Street and still graces our television screens with love, compassion, and happiness. But, should he be a few inches shorter, this happy-go-lucky friend may not be around today.

In the early 1980s, NASA reached out to the creators of Sesame Street with an interesting proposal. As space travel was still new and uncertain, the NASA team was eager to gain some public attention and affection for their newly developed space shuttle. The Challenger mission was sure to be one for the books, and what better way to get young children excited about space than by sending their good friend, Big Bird, up into the galaxy.

Luckily, Big Bird and his puppeteer, Caroll Spinney were unable to join the Challenger mission. While the exact reasoning is not quite defined, its safe to say that the puppets towering heights were the main contributing factor. Lets be real, an 8-foot, 4000-feathered bird is not quite an essential when it comes to compact space travel. As we know today, the tragic mission of The Challenger would have resulted in the devasting loss of our yellow friend, and Sesame Street as we know it would never be the same.

So Big Bird continued his residency on Sesame Street with all of his friendsreal, and once imaginary. From 1971 to 1985, the shaggy brown monster, Mr. Snuffleupagus, was a totally ambiguous character. He was introduced to the show as an imaginary friend that only Big Bird could see. The two became extremely close during this time. In fact, when other characters appeared on-screen, Snuffy shuffled off or totally missed everyones arrival each and every time. Big Bird insisted that Snuffy was real, but no one ever believed him.

This tricky friendship raised an eyebrow or two after some disturbing storylines started hitting the front page. In the early 1980s, an episode of 60 Minutes gave the showrunners a reason to think twice about the portrayal of Snuffy as Big Birds imaginary friend. The issue of child abuse became particularly prominent. The last thing writers wanted was kids thinking that they couldnt come to their parents with important or difficult information in the fear that they wouldnt be believed.

The Executive Producer of Sesame Street, Carol-Lynn Parente said The fear was that if we represented adults not believing what kids say, they might not be motivated to tell the truth. And so, with careful planning and storytelling techniques, the writers developed a two-year scheme, introducing Snuffy as a real character to the rest of the members on Sesame Street. In this iconic episode, Bob McGrath, one of the human residents, tells Big Bird: From now on, well believe you whenever you tell us something, driving home the main point of this storyline change.

While Big Bird and Snuffy maintained their friendship on the Street, theyre accompanied by a whole melting pot of characters: Elmo, Cookie Monster, Oscar the Grouch, and the cloak-wearing Count.

While Count von Count was originally modeled off of Bela Lugosis Count Dracula, we do have some reason to believe that this cape-wearing, castle-dwelling puppet is a vampire. According to many claims on the Muppet Fan wiki page, the character has been described as a number-friendly vampire and a Numerical Vampire. However, according to The Counts official biography, he is not specifically listed as such. But, why is Sesame Street so set on their Dracula-inspiration?

Perhaps its because, in traditional folklore, vampires are said to have severe arithmomaniaa type of compulsive disorder where individuals become obsessed with counting absolutely everything around them. Aside from the fact that vampires also, quite obviously, have huge fangs and are known to puncture humans and drink their blood, this wouldnt be a good look for our friend The Count. To be safe, were going to stick with his official About Me, and opt for the Dracula inspirationbut hey, you be the judge!

If near-death explosions, imaginary friends, and OCD werent enough, a few characters are worth mentioning for other eyebrow-raising reasons. While only on screen for a short period of time, Don Music, became a quick fan favorite. Writing hit songs like Mary Had a Bicycle, and Drive, Drive, Drive Your Car, he was quite the clever lyricist. However, as a musician, he was bound to make a few frustrating mistakes at the piano. And to voice this frustration, he often began shouting and throwing his head against his instrument. Naturally, kids at home began to follow this behavior leading to some headaches and injuries. Needless to say, Don Music was retired from the screen.

Sesame Street will always be a sunny place we can call home. With an eclectic group of residents, theyve certainly made bright turns out of dark alleys or crooked storylines and it continues to be a place of acceptance, learning, and joy for viewers today.

Source: Down The Dark Alleys Of Sesame Street

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Down The Dark Alleys Of Sesame Street - CFJC Today Kamloops

Space Equals Luxury in the New Normal – TravelPulse

Luxury means something a little different to each traveler. Some people scope out the fanciest resorts and spas, and others are all about beachfront access, massive pools and the best dining available.

Moving forward with vacations in the new normal, luxury for a lot of travelers means having space to travel without constantly worrying about crowded areas. Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit have travelers covered in this department.

Although these destinations are growing to be popular tourist hotspots, they still boast plenty of wide-open spaces. Travelers will have no problem finding a place to relax and enjoy the warm weather and gorgeous scenery without the crowds.

Ways to easily social distance in this destination include finding a spot on one of the many expansive beaches and booking a stay at an exclusive resort. There are also several outdoor activities to take part in such as hiking and snorkeling.

Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit recently reopened to visitors, and this Pacific Coast paradise is eagerly awaiting your next visit.

Contact a travel advisor to begin booking your next adventure.

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Space Equals Luxury in the New Normal - TravelPulse

How will private space travel change the way we explore the Solar System? – BBC Focus Magazine

Gary Martin is the Vice President for North American operations for the International Space University, but before that he was a senior advisor to the Luxembourg Space Agency and spent more than 30 years at NASA, advising on space science missions, advanced technology development, and human spaceflight.

He explains the significance of the recent SpaceX launch, what private space travel can do that governments cant, and why we need sci-fi to inspire our engineers.

In the past, national space agencies have built and launched the spaceships that carried astronauts into space. Recently, we saw a private company, SpaceX, launch American astronauts to the International Space Station on behalf of NASA for the first time ushering in a new era of private space travel.

SpaceXs Crew Dragon successfully docked with the International Space Station on 1 June 2020 NASA

Were starting a whole new chapter in humanitys quest to move off this planet, to actually start things weve seen in science fiction.

The SpaceX launch, although it was still bought by government funds, is a huge change. Its something Ive been waiting for all my career in that before, only governments had the kind of money, could take the liability, and actually had permission to go into space and explore this frontier.

Now weve got a commercial company that has shown it can take an astronaut up to space into low Earth orbit.

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There are a couple of private space station companies out there [for example Axiom Space and Bigelow Aerospace] but until now you had no way to get there, because you would have had to get a government to sell you a seat and the governments have other priorities and seats are precious.

Now SpaceX could sell you a trip to your private space station. And if all these countries are going to the Moon, there are a number of companies that are interested in providing communications around the Moon, providing resources and fuel and water and power.

Theres all kinds of economic possibilities in the next couple of decades that are now empowered. This is very exciting; this is a milestone that we will look back on and say, This is when it started; this is when it really took off.

Gary Martin in 2004 when he held the role of Space Architect at NASA David Paul Morris/Getty Images

At the beginning of the Internet, you would never ever think of what a role it plays in our entire world right now. This is what I believe space is going to be like.

So how do you start that? Well, this is where governments absolutely do work. It was NASA putting so much money into SpaceX that allowed it to have the capability to take humans into space. Now, SpaceX can amortise [pay off] that investment to give anyone a ride, if they pay the price.

And thats the difference, the government would never have that capability, theyre not going to become an operational activity. But SpaceX is a private company that has motivations to do private things in space.

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In Luxembourg, we looked at where are the places you could make money in space. Well, its very expensive to take things from the Earth and use them in space. So, if you assume that governments are going to the Moon, you need to make everything you want for civilisation in space at some point.

At these Moon bases, youre going to want to not only be out there doing science, exploring or having tourism there, youre going to want to go have a beer at night, youre going to want to have a pizza, youre going to want a comfortable, safe room.

SpaceX expect that one day their Starship could carry passengers to the Moon SpaceX/Flickr

All of these materials and things and ideas have to be constructed by people in businesses. So the business opportunities at some point, maybe two decades or so from now, are actually limitless.

Once theres a foot hold of people on the Moon, then people will be going to Mars. Well learn how to live safely, well learn how to do things in space. Theres a lot to learn, and theres a lot of business opportunities in learning those things.

Every day I read a number of clippings to try to stay current and Ill tell you, theres a new launcher system proposed every week. There are launcher systems all over the world in many, many countries, mostly though, those are to put things in low Earth orbit.

The countries that can launch people are China, Russia, and the US. India is working towards that capability.

In the commercial role, only SpaceX has launched people into orbit, in addition theres only a few other US companies working to develop the capability: Blue Origin, Sierra Nevada, and Boeing. Its a handful but you wouldnt expect it to be a lot till theres a lot going on and then people will rush to the marketplace.

BlueOrigin, owned by Amazon boss Jeff Bezos, is also working to launch humans into space BlueOrigin

Think about it, if youre a country, lets say youre a Middle Eastern country with a lot of money, in a few years you could automatically go into the space age by just buying a private space station and buying tickets to get there from SpaceX.

Now youre in a country that went from no human spaceflight to your own space station. Because you can buy it.

If you look at Star Wars movies and you look at Star Trek, whatever these inventive writers envision for the future, it gives the real engineers something to aim for and some of it comes true.

Star Treks USS Enterprise might be a work of fiction, but it has inspired many to push us further into space Alamy

So, in a way, Elon [Musk, SpaceX CEO] is setting a vision, and engineers, like myself, all want to do exciting things. And so whether 100 people are going to be going to Mars anytime soon, that may or may not happen.

But theres a lot of engineers and a lot of people who want to dedicate their lives to doing something exciting, that is different and that has never been done before. And so he energises amazing people who have already shown the amazing things theyre able to do in space and hes gotten their creativity working.

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How will private space travel change the way we explore the Solar System? - BBC Focus Magazine

Alabama’s US Space and Rocket Center may close forever unless it raises $1.5 million in the next 3 months – WTVA

The US Space and Rocket Center has inspired dreams of scientific exploration and space travel for decades. But now, it's in danger of closing its doors for good because of coronavirus pandemic's financial hits.

The museum in Huntsville, Alabama, which houses the legendary Saturn V rocket, is usually the state's top paid tourist attraction. But since the pandemic began it has lost two-thirds of its revenue, according to a news release.

"We are now struggling for our very survival," John Nerger, chairman of the Alabama Space and Science Exhibit Commission, said in a news conference Tuesday.

If the center closes, so would its beloved Space Camp, which has allowed both children and adults from around the world to experience what it's like to be an astronaut.

To prevent this from happening, officials announced the "Save Space Camp" drive with a goal of raising $1.5 million in donations to keep the museum open past October and to reopen Space Camp next April.

And the donations have already been pouring in. As of Wednesday afternoon, the GoFundMe has raised more than $366,000, with people commenting how much the center and Space Camp means to them and their families.

"The summer I spent at Space Academy in the late 90's was a life-changing experience. Please, Save Space Camp! We need more programs like this for young people, more than ever. I am forever grateful for the opportunity, and I hope it can continue to inspire America's kids," one person commented.

Another proud Space Camp alumna? CNN's own Brooke Baldwin.

"I was a Space Camp kid in 1993. I begged and begged and begged my parents to please send me here to Huntsville, Alabama and I got to live my dream," Baldwin said in 2018 when she had the opportunity to return.

"i think at the end of the day, it's about these kids and belief. Space camp believes in them," she added.

Since launching in 1982, Space Camp has been attended by nearly a million people from over 150 countries. It's inspired hundreds of thousands of successful careers in aerospace, engineering, science, education and other fields, organizers said in the news release. 10 Space Camp alumni have even become real astronauts.

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Alabama's US Space and Rocket Center may close forever unless it raises $1.5 million in the next 3 months - WTVA