10 Hairy Legs Elects Judith Leone To Board Of Trustees – New Jersey Stage

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originally published: 05/19/2020

(HIGHLAND PARK, NJ) --10 Hairy Legs,the male repertory dance company has announced that Judith Leone has been unanimously elected to its Board of Trustees, effective immediately.

Leone noted,I am very pleased and honored to be joining the Board of 10HL. They are an exceptionalgroup of dance advocates. I hope that I am able to make a meaningful contribution to analready superb organization."

Leone resides in Toms River, NJ with her husband Stephan, has been firmly committed to community service for more than 40 years. She has served in leadership capacities as a Trustee for Algonquin Arts, ArtPride New Jersey,The National Conference for Community and Justice, The Italian American Cultural Society, United Way of Ocean County, Oceans Harbor House, Open Arms, Barnegat Bay Foundation. She currently serves on the boards of OceanFirst Foundation, Garden State Philharmonic, the Shelter, Inc. and Longshore HOA (FL) as President. Leone was a Council Member of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts (2003-2011), serving as Vice-President from 2007-2011.

Awards include:Chairman, J.C. Penneys Golden Rule Committee (1995), Italian American Cultural Society, Citizen of the Year (1995), United Way of O.C., Volunteer of the Year (1996), National Conference of Community & Justice, Humanitarian Award (1998), Garden State Philharmonic Distinguished Service Award (2003), ADACO, Citizen of the Year (2004), Monmouth-Ocean Development Council, Community Service Award (2006), Ocean County College Humanitarian Award (2007), Oceans Harbor House, Distinguished Service Award (2007),The Strand, Honoree (2007), TR-Ocean County Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Citizen (2010), Ocean County Cultural & Heritage Art Advocate Award (2013).

Leone graduated from Toms River High School, earned a B.A. in Early Childhood from Kean University and a Masters in Library Science from Rutgers University. She was the Law Librarian at The Law Center in Toms River (1996-1998), Co-Owner and V.P. of The Production House from 1985-1992,an Educational Media Specialist for the Toms River Public Schools from 1985-1988 and an elementary teacher in Toms River from 1970 to 1985.

Judi is also the proud stepmother of two daughters, Cheryl Leone and Debra Challoner, grandmother to two grandsons and mom to two cats. Her husband is a partner in the law firm of Carluccio, Leone, Dimon, Doyle and Sacks of Toms River.

10HL President Carol Byrne commented,In this particularly challenging time for all of us, we are thrilled to welcome Judis tremendous experience and expertise to augment the strength of our Board of Trustees as we move forward to support our artists and ensure our companys future success. The world needs creative problems solvers right now and dancers excel in this regard.

About 10 Hairy Legs

10 Hairy Legs, a male repertory company, provides a lens to experience the broad spectrum of dance. Widely acclaimed for its aggressive commissioning of new works and curation of master works, we have served more than 85,000 patrons, students, artists and educators since our founding in 2012, toured nationally to 20 states appearing at notable venues such as The Kravis Center (FL), Dance Place (DC), Tulsa PAC (OK), The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts, The Carlsen Center (KS), as Cameo Artists for The Public TheatersPublic Worksproduction ofHerculesat The Delacorte Theatre, choreographed by Chase Brock, and internationally in the Cayman Islands and South Africa.

13 World Premiere Commissions from: Adam Barruch, Julie Bour, Al Blackstone, Doug Elkins, Larry Keigwin, Raja Feather Kelly, Tiffany Mills, Nicholas Sciscione, Doug Varone, Manuel Vignoulle, Megan Williams and Yin Yue. Commissioned Works to debut in June 2021 from: Joshua Beamish, Robert Mark Burke and David Parker. Curated works in our repertory are by:Sean Curran, David Dorfman and Dan Froot, Heidi Latsky, Cleo Mack, David Parker, Stephen Petronio, Claire Porter, Niv Sheinfeld and Oren Laor, Christopher Williams.

Broadcasts have included NJTVs State of the Arts, The Meredith Vieira Show and Nick Cannons Red Nose Dancathon.Dance Education is an important part of our mission andwe provide a wide range of programs for all ages exemplifying the many facets of maleness expressed through dance to more than 2,200 students and educators each year.

by far, the best American male modern dancers one could have the good fortune of seeing these daysgotta hand it to them: 10 Hairy Legs shows what modern dance should be Demetrius Klein,Palm Beach Daily News2018

Original musical commissions: Pauline Kim Harris, Kyle Olson, Robert Maggio, Roarke Menzies, Ofer Pelz, Bryan Strimpel, Michael Wall, Dorian Wallace and Peter Whitehead.

Designers: Abraham Cruz, Oana Botez, Cindy Capraro, Sarah Dixon, Benjamin Heller, Jason Flamos, John Lasiter,Naomi Luppescu,Mary Kokie McNaugher,Dennis OLeary-Gullo,Lauren Parrish, Amanda Ringger, Eric Mark Rodrigues, Amanda Shafran, Ken Tabatchnik, Olivier Theyskens, Asa Thornton and Tuce Yasak.

The company is currently providing remote performances and educational programs.

Leadership funding for the company provided by: The Geraldine R. Dodge, Frank & Lydia Bergen, Benevity, Blanche and Irving Laurie, The O'Donnell Green Music & Dance, Fan Fox & Leslie R. Samuels, Mertz Gilmore, Hyde & Watson & SHS Foundations, The E. J. Grassmann Trust, The Harkness Foundation for Dance, Magyar Bank, Johnson & Johnson, American Dance AbroadsRapid Response,Middlesex County Arts & History, New Music USA, The New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Dept. of State, receiving aCitation of Excellence in 2018 and 2019,the generous contributors to the 10HL Choreographic Initiative and The Constance Poster Trust for New Choreography.

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10 Hairy Legs Elects Judith Leone To Board Of Trustees - New Jersey Stage

Letters: Be a good neighbor and wear a mask in public – Planet Princeton

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We have lived here in Princeton for almost 50 years.We raised our children here and have remained in our starter house. And during that time, I have been extremely proud and happy to be a resident of a wonderful community.But that has been changing.

I guess that the Golden Rule no longer applies during this novel coronavirus crisis. My husband and I don masks every time we go past our driveway and plan to be out and about. It seems that our neighbors in Princeton do not act in the same way. We were out on Thursday, in and around Princeton University and on campus, and I would say that 95% of the people we saw were not wearing masks, and 0% of the young people.

What a great disappointment in this so-called enlightened community. Shame! Why should it be that we seem to care more about our neighbors than our neighbors care about us? Why arent people wearing masks and practicing social distancing? Do people think they are above it all?

AliceK. Small

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Letters: Be a good neighbor and wear a mask in public - Planet Princeton

MEA Presents the 2020 Distinguished Environmental Award to Larry Milner – PR Web

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Larry Milner, 2020 MEA Distinguished Environmental Award winner.

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (PRWEB) May 19, 2020

MEA Energy Association (MEA) is honored to announce that the 2020 MEA Distinguished Environmental Award goes to Larry Milner of Burns & McDonnell, retired. Milner receives the award for his 28 years of service to the environmental industry.

As the former Vice President and Environmental Practice Manager at Burns & McDonnell in Chicago, Milner led more than 70 environmental professionals over 28 years of experience in Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) investigation, remediation and property restoration. Part of his career was spent writing numerous site investigation work plans and remedial action plans for government and industrial clients. Milner was also involved in multiple emergency response cleanups. He managed the Ambient Air Monitoring Program for Alliant Energy and was project coordinator for a toluene spill in Greene County, Pa. and assisted utilities such as Aquila, Peoples Gas, Nicor, and IE Utilities, Inc.

Chad Tameling, executive vice president, SET Environmental, Inc. worked with Milner as a service provider. Tameling said, Larry has been inducted into the MEA Hall of Fame, has many publications to his credit, and been awarded many project awards for excellence in remediation, engineering, and MGP work. Most importantly, Larry is a humble leader, leads with conviction, and is passionate about serving others with his philanthropic work. Larry lives by the golden rule, and always challenges his teammates to be the best version of themselves.

The MEA Distinguished Environmental Award program is an initiative of the MEA Environmental Committee, whose purpose is to provide resources and educational opportunities to the energy industry on the diverse set of environmental issues related to both the management of environmental liabilities as well as those encountered in the field. For a complete list of eligibility requirements and how to enter, visit https://www.meaenergy.org/membership/awards. For questions, contact Stacey Bonine at staceyb (at) MEAenergy (dot) org or call (651) 289-9600 x114.

About MEA:MEA serves the people that deliver electricity and natural gas to homes and businesses. We were founded as a trade association over 110 years ago by distribution utilities whose vision was to improve safety and efficiency. Today, we fulfill the same purpose through education, leadership development, and industry connections. Energy delivery companies, contractors, and suppliers around the country benefit from our 55 summits, roundtables, and webinars, 400+ online technical courses, safety assessments, evaluator training, operator qualification compliance tools, and leadership courses for field personnel.

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MEA Presents the 2020 Distinguished Environmental Award to Larry Milner - PR Web

Colin and Justin: Summer lovin’ – Toronto Sun

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A summer inspired bedroom should suffuse you with well-being, whilst delivering a little of that escapist five star holiday magic that makes you, at every turn, feel special and indulged.

Imagine running through the surf, sipping delicious cocktails and wiping dried sand from your coconut scented skin. Just a few of the emotions a warm climate boudoir should evoke. Sound about right?

Yes indeed, emotional design, as we see it, is the new frontier during these COVID afflicted times where people are looking to be moved by their personal spaces. So for what, precisely, are you waiting?

Let your imagination run wild, retool your home as the perfect vacation destination and let the real good/ feel good factor settle. Heres a room we designed, and a guide, therein, to its creation. Follow it carefully to snag all the inspo required to get you hot under the summer time collar

Our colour palette is cool, calm and sophisticated and employs the perfect balance of plain and patterned to provide schematic interest. To follow suit, choose a fresh, neutral colour and arrange it across walls via paint, and via fabrics for headboard and seating. Our paint of choice was Revere Pewter HC-172, with trim and doors in Whale Grey 2134-40 both by Benjamin Moore, http://www.benjaminmoore.ca

Add texture to add comfort layers work just as well during summer as they do winter, so pop in throws and cushions to satisfy the pursuit of all things touchy feely. The custom linen headboard doesnt only feel and look good, it serves as a flat wall against which to position the bed.

This problem solves a sloping ceiling and allows the divan to be centrally positioned to create relaxing symmetry. Head board fabric is Valemont in silver, drapery is Pewter IKAT Damask and cushions are Pewter Stone Luxe Plaid all from Robert Allen http://www.robertallendesign.com

By arranging the room into distinct zones, we kept our design clean and fresh, whilst ensuring every inch of space was thoughtfully employed. Many of the bedrooms we see have only a bed and night stands, but if space permits auspiciously selected seating or a dressing table would provide much needed extra function. Because suites appear more indulgent than standard rooms, we gave this space its own sitting area, courtesy of twin chaise longues sourced at IKEA. Perfect for anyone who wants to enjoy a comfortable summertime read? And then some.

Keep windows clear from obstruction to make more of views and let natural light pour in. Make a list of all the aspects youd like your bedroom to deliver, and tick off those boxes as you redesign and subsequently enhance each feature.

Dont forget scented candles and incense sticks to balance matters olfactory: just ensure theyre never left unattended.

Employ linen water as you iron lavender scent is especially lovely. Whilst this might seem like a small detail, the aromatic effect is outstanding.

Uncluttered rooms feel larger and fresher, so weed out items you no longer love or need, and invest in storage for the things that make the edit. And remember the golden rule of storage: Double D. Create an inviting mix of display and discrete the former to show off items that enhance your scheme, and the latter to keep other things out of sight and out of mind. Furniture from Urban Barn, http://www.urbanbarn.com

Your movements, due the current health crisis, may be somewhat compromised (in the meantime, certainly) but when it comes to your bedroom, nothing, as we see it, should be off limits.

So without further ado, let decorative ambition swell as you ready your inner sanctum for those hot, balmy days. More from us next week

Watch for Colin and Justin on Cabin Pressure and Great Canadian Cottages (Cottage Life TV) and on Cityline (CityTV). Find the Colin and Justin Collection in stores across Canada. Visit http://www.colinandjustin.tv

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Colin and Justin: Summer lovin' - Toronto Sun

COVID-19 Is Opening Peoples Eyes to Science and Research: QF Medical Research Expert – Al-Bawaba

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COVID-19 is giving people a greater understanding of why research, development, and innovation needs long-term investment to produce results, according to a heath chief at Sidra Medicine which has developed a vital new method of testing for coronavirus.

Teams at the leading womens and childrens hospital and medical research center a member of Qatar Foundation have devised an in-house approach that uses Sidra Medicines robotics and expertise to extract ribonucleic acid (RNA) from the swabs samples taken from individuals, and then test it for the presence of the virus.

This is enhancing Qatars COVID-19 testing capacity at a time when testing kits are in short supply globally due to demand, and avoids the risk of delays in processing swab samples leading to false negative results and people who have the disease being unaware of it. The method has now been made publicly-available to the global scientific community.

And Dr. Khalid Fakhro, Acting Chief Research Officer at Sidra Medicine, said: This is something we were able to create in Qatar because of a visionary investment 20 years ago, designed to make this nation the top country in the world for biomedical and healthcare sciences.

Science, and research and development, is not something you build overnight. It took time to optimize this method, and I believe that one of the biggest positive aspects of living in a pandemic age is that people are starting to appreciate how long research, development, and science takes.

In Qatar, we have a vibrant scientific community, which is how you build sustainability, and the fact we were able to innovate and turn this method around in just 3-4 weeks was because sustainability is embedded in this community.

The COVID-19 testing method was developed by teams led by Dr. Mohammad Rubayet Hasan from the Molecular Infectious Diseases Lab within Sidra Medicines Pathology Department, and Dr. Stephan Lorenz from the Clinical Genomics Lab in its Research Department. It aligns with standard clinical methods used worldwide and, due to being established in a controlled laboratory setting, was immediately ready for implementation after being validated.

The root cause of the global testing issue is the lack of supplies of testing kits, said Dr. Fakhro. It is not about who will pay more for them; it is about global supply chains being under pressure because everyone wants the same kits. So in Qatar, we looked to develop alternatives.

At Sidra Medicine, we have a national genomics core where we have so far sequenced 20,000 genomes, state-of-the-art equipment, and very, very well-trained staff. We knew how to extract RNA from very small samples, and we have the robotics to do this. And, as a national genome lab, we are ready to operate at scale.

It is a very innovative way of applying your competitive advantage in robotics and your understanding of chemistry on a fundamental level to addressing a real-world problem. The golden rule in tackling coronavirus is to test, test, test, because that is the only way we will understand its prevalence, and the countries which do this most effectively will see the best outcomes.

According to Dr. Fakhro, collaboration across Qatars scientific community has been a constant factor of the nations response to the pandemic. The moment coronavirus started spreading, we all came together to see what projects we could undertake, where we could collaborate, and what our priorities should be, he said. International collaboration is also important, as no country can answer all the big questions on its own.

Its important to realize that those conducting research are on the COVID-19 frontline. We are one community looking to fight this virus; everyone has a role to play, because only by coming together as a community of thinkers will we be able to take that vital leap forward.

Dr. Patrick Tang, Division Chief of Pathology Sciences at Sidra Medicine, said: The main challenge in developing our testing method is that we had to work fast, with experiments that would normally be conducted over many weeks being finished in days.

The advantage is that we are using materials that are not in short supply, and so there is less global competition for them. And as we have made our method publicly available, any lab in the world can adapt it to suit their own equipment. The current challenge is that the world needs faster and more accurate testing for COVID-19, and many groups in Qatar and around the world are addressing that challenge right now.

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COVID-19 Is Opening Peoples Eyes to Science and Research: QF Medical Research Expert - Al-Bawaba

5 things to know today that arent about the virus – Lowell Sun

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By The Associated Press

Your daily look at nonvirus stories in the news:

1. VIDEO SURFACES OF POLICE CONFRONTATION WITH ARBERY A video from 2017 shows police in Georgia attempting to search Ahmaud Arberys parked car, and when he refuses to let them and begins to walk back to the vehicle an officer tries to tase him.

2. BIDEN HIRES FORMER KAMALA HARRIS AIDE The granddaughter of civil rights leader Csar Chvez is joining Joe Bidens campaign to help with Latino outreach.

3. SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS A U.N. investigative team cites new evidence that should strengthen cases against Islamic State extremists of crimes against the Yazidi minority in 2014.

4. MYANMAR SEIZES LARGE AMOUNT OF LIQUID FENTANYL The discovery provides the first evidence that the synthetic opioid is being produced in quantity in Southeast Asias infamous Golden Triangle region.

5. ROONEY RULE AMENDED The NFL is expanding the hiring rule to require more interviews of minority candidates for head coaching and coordinator positions, the AP has learned.

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5 things to know today that arent about the virus - Lowell Sun

Powderfinger gets the band back together – Sydney Morning Herald

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Singer Bernard Fanning's bandmates John Collins, Ian Haug and Darren Middleton joined him on stage during his solo set at Splendour in the Grass in 2017, punching out a handful of Powderfinger tracks, but the last time the full band performed was in late 2010 for their Sunsets Farewell tour.

We really just want to bring a smile to some peoples faces ...

"The five of us have been meeting regularly over the past few months to organise some Odyssey Number Five anniversary releases," the band said in a statement. "The idea came up of playing together again in this unusual format, which we all thought would be fun. The past few months has been a very strange time for us all and difficult days for many. We really just want to bring a smile to some peoples faces and along the way raise some funds to help our music industry mates and people who are currently experiencing mental health issues."

Streamed on the band's YouTube channel, the performance will also help raise funds for Support Act and Beyond Blue and be the first time since their final hometown show on Brisbane's River Stage that they've rocked out songs from across their extensive catalogue, including debut album Parables for Wooden Ears and final album, Golden Rule, released in 2009.

After forming in 1989 the band broke through with their second album, 1996's Double Allergic, including the single Pick You Up. Two years later, Internationalist brought Powderfinger even wider acclaim, topping the ARIA album charts and winning the ARIA for album of the year.

Twenty years ago, Odyssey Number Five became the band's first album to chart in the United States and earned them another swag of ARIA awards, including 2001's album of the year and best rock album. Vulture Street (2003), Dream Days at the Hotel Existence (2007) and Golden Rule also topped the album charts, giving Powderfinger a total of five Australian number one albums in 11 years.

Powderfinger's One Night Only performance will be streamed live at 7pm on Saturday, May 23.

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Powderfinger gets the band back together - Sydney Morning Herald

End Taxation by Prosecution – Yahoo News

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NRPLUS MEMBER ARTICLE A sk most people what prosecution has to do with taxes, and youll be lucky to get an answer this side of Al Capone. Admittedly, other than the occasional tax cheat, the two do not appear to have much in common. So it may come as a shock to learn that local governments across this country not only expect prosecutors to generate revenue but also rely on them to make ends meet. It is taxation by prosecution, and it needs to stop.

The first half of this tax plan is as audacious as it is straightforward. Nobody wants a criminal record, let alone to find themselves in jail for any stretch of time. Meanwhile, every state has dozens of low-level, victimless crimes on the books think driving with a suspended license and disorderly conduct that prosecutors regularly get rid of without a conviction or public fanfare.Savvy government budget officials put two and two together and saw an opportunity to raise revenue.

The result is a network of fees in which defendants pay for the privilege of prosecutorial forbearance. One of the most common methods entailspayingto take part in a diversion program that erases the criminal charges. At hundreds or even thousands of dollars, the cost of such programs often far exceeds anything reasonably attributable to whatever services or programming the individual is required to complete. Plus,in many instances, prosecutors dismiss charges outright on payment of court costs or other colorfully named fees without the need for the defendant to take further action.

Those whose crimes or pocketbooks do not allow for such forbearance simply hit the other side of the revenue-generation buzzsaw. Plea bargains and sentencings generally lack the implicit financial quid pro quo present in diversion or dismissal. But the government nevertheless manages to insert money into the equation by attaching an assortmentof fines and fees to virtually every conviction. And, just like that, a prosecution can become profitable.

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Which does not, on its own, push these fines and fees into the realm of taxation. Monetary sanctions have a legitimate place in the criminal-justice system. Appropriately used, they can deter and make amends for wrongdoing. Indeed, to the extent that individual prosecutors think about fines or fees, these considerations tend to be the reason why. But an insatiable revenue motive has long since surpassed criminal-justice concerns for officials with the power to set fines and fees.

How do we know that money rather than justice is the aim? The government does a woefully inadequate job of hiding its intent. InOklahoma, for example, the legislature deliberately underfunds its district-attorney offices, counting on prosecutors to collect as much as half their operating budget through diversion and other fees.Other statessever the connection to the justice system entirely, using the money from fines and fees to supplement general funds and pay for other parts of the government.

This form of taxation in all but name does not work well for anyone involved. The sizable number of Americans charged with these low-level, irregularly enforced offenses end up paying costs that bear little relation to their transgressions. Prosecutors feel budget pressures that add uncertainty to long-term planning. This can stymie prosecutorial goals by reducing defendants ability to participate in effective diversion programs or get their lives back on track after a conviction. Even the officials responsible for these costs can become trapped, waryof adjusting laws and priorities in ways that undermine the often unnecessary enforcement of the low-level crimes that shore up so many budgets.

It is not too late for jurisdictions to pull themselves out of this quagmire. Whatever revenue they can raise in this manner is just not worth the costs. Instead, legislators and other officials in charge of budgets must downsize these fines and fees so that they once again reflect the needs of justice rather than those of government coffers.

Honest tax policy may force tougher discussions of government priorities and spending, but constituents deserve no less. And, in the end, if officials cannot make the case to fund the criminal-justice system at its current dimensions, then perhaps its time to cut it down to size along with the hidden taxes that support it.

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End Taxation by Prosecution - Yahoo News

‘We are sorry for the hurt caused to you’; Scouting Ireland issue apology to abuse victims – Echo Live

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SCOUTING Ireland has issued an "organisational apology" to the victims of sex abuse in scouting circles.

This morning, the chairman of Scouting Ireland, Adrian Tennant, issued the apology, saying: "As Chairperson of the Board of Scouting Ireland, as an adult volunteer and as a father, I wish to make an organisational apology to the victims and survivors of historical sexual abuse in Scouting who were failed."

He continued: "On behalf of Scouting Ireland, I unreservedly apologise to you. We are sorry for the hurt caused to you and the legacy of that hurt which many of you still live with today.

"We know we cannot take away that hurt. But we do want you to know that you have been heard. We want you to know that you are believed. We want you to know that we will support you.

The apology comes as garda in Cork are preparing a file for the Director of Public Prosecutions following the arrest in February of an elderly man, following complaints of abuse in scouting circles in Cork, made by more than 20 men over a 30-year period.

In December 2018, Scouting Ireland revealed that it had been made aware of 212 known and alleged perpetrators and of 317 alleged victims, over the last 70 years" in scouting circles across the country.

This morning's apology accompanies a report on Scouting Ireland's handling of abuse allegations.

Safeguarding expert Ian Elliott compiled the report, Historical Sexual Abuse in Scouting: A Learning Review.

In his conclusion, Mr Elliott said: "Any objective examination of the evidence presented to this Review, would lead to the conclusion that scouting failed to protect vulnerable young people and allowed risky individuals to operate for too long a period.

"There was a reluctance to hold people to account and to recognize the reason why the organisation existed at all which is to serve the needs of young people in a positive way."

Mr Tennant said: "This Learning Review is a milestone in Scouting Irelands determination to search for the truth.

"It exposes past failings, particularly in our legacy organisations.

"It enables us to learn from an appalling backdrop of abuse which was ignored and unfortunately, in some cases, actively covered up."

He added: We are determined that there is no place in Scouting for anyone who, by design or by omission, harms a child. Cronyism, looking away and covering up are not victimless crimes. They are enabling actions.

"We pledge to adopt and deliver the Learnings and Recommendations of this Report. It is a light pointing into a very dark corner but it is also a beacon for the standards, culture and structures we must have, and which must be resourced to ensure that Scouting is a safe place for young people.

* The Scouting Ireland Helpline is open Monday Friday 9.30am 5.00pm. Freephone 1800 221199 (ROI) and 00353 87 0934403 (NI).

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'We are sorry for the hurt caused to you'; Scouting Ireland issue apology to abuse victims - Echo Live

Somerset Churches Trust continues fight to prevent lead theft from church roofs – Somerset County Gazette

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NUMEROUS Somerset churches have had alarm installed as a charity continues to fight against a wave of lead thefts from church roofs in Somerset.

The Somerset Churches Trusts (SCT) campaign to stop lead thefts from churches has now ended but help is still available from a national scheme.

SCT trustee Chris Hawkings led the pioneering project, which was launched in March 2018.

The partnership used SCTs existing grant giving scheme to distribute funds to mainly rural churches in Somerset to enable them to install roof alarms.

Mr Hawkings said: The campaign had received wide publicity when it was launched including an item on the BBC Points West, local radio and newspapers across the county.

He added: The 30,000 Allchurches Trust fund, topped up by our own funds, has seen some 23 churches benefit from grants to install roof alarms, latterly providing up to 2,500 towards the cost of fitting alarm systems.

Now, as well as running schemes in conjunction with a range of dioceses and local historic churches trusts, Allchurches Trust welcomes applications direct from churches. You can find out more at http://www.allchurches.co.uk/roofalarmgrants .

SCT chairman, Dr Axel Palmer, said: Rural churches which have stood for 900 years are having their lead roofs stripped.

"This is serious and organised criminality where entire roofs are being stolen. These are attacks on our national heritage with a significant impact on victims and village communities.

These are not victimless crimes they go to the heart of rural communities and their dedicated parishioners.

"Thats why we were pleased to trial these grants in our county and are delighted that Allchurches Trust is now making the scheme available nationally.

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Somerset Churches Trust continues fight to prevent lead theft from church roofs - Somerset County Gazette

It is easier to succeed if you have failed 55 quotes from Indian startup journeys – YourStory

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Launched in 2014, StoryBites is a weekly feature from YourStory, featuring notable quotable quotes in our articles of this past week (see the previous post here). Share these 55 gems and insights from the week of May 11-17 with your colleagues and networks, and check back to the original articles for more insights. See also our special compilation of quotes related to Indias coronavirus responses here.

The best businesses are not about the best product or service, but the best customer experience. - Jagat Iyer, Vidphon

Customers want to experience and connect with the brand on a higher level than just purchasing products. - Toranj Mehta, Forevermark India

The focus is on more than selling and making revenue, it is to inspire people and add beautiful experiences to people's lives. - Surbhi Gupta, Kalakar Gift Studio

One way that groups cohere is through storytelling. - Daniel Pink, 'When'

The art of storytelling is an important attribute for a successful founder. - Shekhar Kirani, Accel

Reliability is the bedrock of any successful corporate relationship, and benefits businesses at every phase of their operations. - Pranshu Kacholia, ClickPost

Active involvement in your own learning has long been recognised as more effective than a more passive, spoon-fed approach. - Dorothy Leonard et al, 'Critical Knowledge Transfer'

The top athletes say they have achieved what they have because of their mind, this is the perfect testament to mind skills training. - S Badrinath, MFORE

Poker is a mind sport. Its more complex than chess. - Muskan Sethi

Traffic, pollution, safety concerns are all leading parents to prefer at-home solutions that are more convenient and cost-effective. - Sumedha Khoche, KinderPass

Even today, the food supply chain to a large extent is still manual and subjective. - Milan Sharma, Intello Labs

Most manufacturers have zero visibility across secondary and tertiary sales. They are totally dependent on third-party logistic service providers and distributors for product movement visibility. - Shreyans Sipani, O4S

The key to planning a wedding is patience, the ability to multitask, the ability to gauge and balance individual emotions, and having access to a large network of supportive suppliers from the industry. - Divya Chadha, A Klass Apart

With the ongoing pandemic, virtual happy hours have replaced stepping out, but that does not mean one cannot be their own bartender and make themselves a cocktail from the comfort of their homes.- Asmani Subramanian, DIAGEO

We will start seeing far more higher-end whiskies inside cocktail menus, as well as more refined Indian-produced whisky. - Brandon Toborg, DIAGEO

Communities and people are far more conscious about what they eat today. Supporting local farmers by eating local produce and farm-to-table meals are becoming a popular choice. - Vicky Ratnani, Vickypedia

While the fancy quinoa chips and avocados pinch the pocket, the other section of fad foods is even worse because of the hidden harmful ingredients lost in marketing communication done in the front of the pack. - Ridhima Arora, Namhya Foods

Connectivity is the lubricant for the engines of community, content, commerce, currency, and capital. - Sanchit Vir Gogia, Greyhound Research

It is important to create data points and insights with the technology you build. - Nitin Gupta, Milkbasket

Data-driven decision making is the critical need to impact the quality of learning outcomes. - Abhinav Tripathi, 22bate7

Every business - big or small - needs HQ images and videos to sell their products and services online. - Sanjay Kumar, Spyne

The unstructured data lying in the form of text and images within multiple sources is like raw cotton. - Rajit Bhattacharya, Data Sutram

For a marketing campaign which has a toll-free number component involved, one of the things you need to ensure the success of the campaign is a number that is easy to remember. - Karan Syal, WEBozINDIA

There is something called the consumerisation of the enterprise. This is largely led because everything is becoming digital. - Avnish Bajaj, Matrix Partners India

As innovation is the need of the hour, the requirement of digital clocks is more, especially in hospitals and companies. - Jayesh Shah, Sonam Clocks

Thousands of SMEs cannot afford ERP systems. - Ashwani Rathore, SpiderG

Today, the SME segment lacks capital finance and credit, infrastructure, technology, and marketing strategies. - Arjun Sethi, Tribe Capital

Property owners are not completely aware of all the properties in their preferred locations that are up for sale. - Yogesh Jaiswal, Le Classique Realty

We need 10 times the number of agritech startups that we currently have. - Siddharth Dialani, BharatAgri

While pharma companies spend a huge amount to market physicians in the traditional way, they are not able to tap the vast potential of the digital medium to grow their businesses. - Harshit Jain, Doceree

People suffering from chronic illnesses such as Alzheimers, cancer, stroke and asthma require a lot of care and attention. - Sridhar Pillalamarri, Ubiqare Health

Our society needs more heroes who are scientists, researchers, and engineers. We need to celebrate and reward the people who cure diseases, expand our understanding of humanity and work to improve peoples lives. - Mark Zuckerberg

Close to 70 percent of the rural population does not access the internet. This will further contribute to an increase in the overall internet population over the next few years. - IAMAI-Nielsen

India is one of the biggest leather manufacturers in the world, but all the top quality leather is imported because Indian makers dont have the pockets to spend so much. - Ambud Sharma, Escaro Royale

India is one of the top coffee-producing countries globally, with a vast variety available. It also is the fifth-largest exporter of coffee in the world. - Jai Ganesh Ramnath, Lavazza India

Coworking spaces can grow more than 10x in volume over the next five years. - Ashish Goenka, Redbrick Offices

Electricity continues to remain a problem in several villages and districts in India. People also face problems such as frequent load shedding, unstable power and high charges. - Akshay Gupta, AP Solar Works

India's wisdom and its independent voice will provide a much-needed balance in world politics. India will need to work towards specific goals in order to achieve the status of a world power. - Vamsi T Mohun, IFITRF

The work of an architect is all around us shopping malls, apartments, and the offices they work in. - Minal Dubey, Spaciux

A green space that is of significance to a whole city is very valuable, especially in a city with a population of several million. - Ratish Nanda, Aga Khan Trust for Culture

There is a perception that green buildings are expensive, and difficult to maintain. - Vijayadurga Koppisetti, Architude

The move from misuse to reuse of plastic can make a positive difference in all spheres of life. - Ujwal Desai, Lucro Plastecycle

Homes, and especially bed spaces, are meant to be created and cared for with the utmost love. - Chaitanya Ramalingegowda, Wakefit.co

Freelancers and soloists are the future of work. - Naman Sarawagi, Refrens

Harnessing the incredible talents and potential of women will create a stronger economy and a more peaceful, healthier, sustainable world for all. - Cherie Blair

If you are starting a business with other partners, it is advisable to make a founding agreement that has details of the roles and responsibilities of each founder. - Shonottra Kumar

Bootstrapping with your own money is quite important. It also signals to the investor that you're serious about your business. - Mudasar Mohamed, Ezyhaul

Embrace change, be metric-driven, test often and use innovation to stand out from the crowd. - Trish Kunath, Technopolis

There is an art to prioritising, sequencing, and deciding how well a certain task/component of the solution needs to be done. - Thiag Loganathan, Cardinality.ai

Don't lend your ears to rejection, follow your gut feeling, and you will get the results. - Chinnmaye Praveen, GeWinn Wachstum

Running a business is an art, like any other, which one masters only with time. - Monaz Irani, Plate & Pint

Patience is the road to wisdom. - Kao Kalia Yang

Work hard. There is no shortcut to success. - Mahavir Verma, Ethnic Rhythm

Ups and downs in life are very important to keep us going, because a straight line even in an E.C.G means we are not alive. - Ratan Tata

It is easier to succeed if you have failed. - Sanjay Kumar, Elior India

YourStory has also published the pocketbook Proverbs and Quotes for Entrepreneurs: A World of Inspiration for Startups as a creative and motivational guide for innovators (downloadable as apps here: Apple, Android).

How has the coronavirus outbreak disrupted your life? And how are you dealing with it? Write to us or send us a video with subject line 'Coronavirus Disruption' to editorial@yourstory.com

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It is easier to succeed if you have failed 55 quotes from Indian startup journeys - YourStory

Kerbal Space Program Gets A New Update With Real Space Missions – Bleeding Cool News

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Kerbal Space Program is getting a new cool update in July as the game will be getting real space missions from the ESA. For clarification, this ESA is the European Space Agency, which have partnered with Private Division to include a number of their real-life programs and missions into the new update, which is being called Shared Horizons. According to the info released about the update, Shared Horizons features all the stages, engines, and systems of Europe's Ariane 5 launch vehicle. Which will give you the chance to construct a perfect replica, recombine stages in whatever creative way you see fit, or build an imaginary hybrid to shoot yourself into space. From there, you'll do what the ESA has been doing for a while now, which is exploring our own solar system and getting a better understanding of what's in our neighborhood. The update will be added on July 1st, 2020. In the meantime, here are a couple quotes from the ESA about the partnership.

"Here at ESA, many of our engineers and scientists are very familiar with the Kerbal Space Program," commented Gnther Hasinger, ESA's Director of Science. "Both Rosetta and BepiColombo are highly complex missions which have specific challenges but prove to be very rewarding for ESA and the global scientific community. Because of this, I am very happy that these ground-breaking science missions can be experienced on Kerbin as well as on Earth."

"Kerbal Space Program has already been an inspiration for an entire generation of future engineers and scientists, so introducing this level of realism will really take it to the next level," added Daniel Neuenschwander, ESA's Director of Space Transportation. "And the creative element of being able to build so freely is such a fantastic aspect. I really look forward to seeing the innovative ways in which players will approach designing their new space transportation services."

Gavin has been a lifelong geek who can chat with you about comics, television, video games, and even pro wrestling. He can also teach you how to play Star Trek chess, be your Mercy on Overwatch, recommend random cool music, and goes rogue in D&D. He also enjoys hundreds of other geeky things that can't be covered in a single paragraph. Follow @TheGavinSheehan on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Vero, for random pictures and musings.

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Ethics of Space Exploration: Exploring to Sustain? – EuroScientist

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Space.

The final frontier.

For as long as many of us can remember space has been at the forefront of the minds of most of the global population. Whether this fascination has to do with scientific exploration, resource extraction, or the desire for the fame and glory that comes with being one of a handful of people who have left the planet, there is little doubt that at some point or another nearly everyone has looked up at the nighttime sky and wondered what else is out there.

This desire has driven incredible feats of physics and engineering in our lifetimes. Weve put satellites and telescopes in the sky, rovers on other planets, and people on the moon. Within the subsequent generation, these ambitions will take their next major step forward with the potential for a constructed station on the moon and a manned trip to Mars.

As exciting as all of this (we all feel that inner-child giddiness), it begs the question at what cost?

Any scientist or engineer could tell you that getting to space is no easy feat no matter how many times it has been done. There are all sorts of logistics that have to be worked out for each aircraft ranging from the weight of the supplies that it will carry, to how it will be fueled, to how food and human waste will be handled in space for months on end. None of it is cheap in fact, space exploration is spendy and we as a society put a lot more money towards it than some of the lesser-known yet essential parts of our own planet like the oceans.

Creating equipment that will survive in space over the long-term isnt easy either. Things such as robots that are used widely in space exploration have to be made strategically in order to survive the harsh conditions. After all, they have to survive debris traveling at incredible speeds, extreme high and low temperatures, and have the battery life to last. Much of this essential testing and retesting adds up and frustrates politicians who hold the purse strings and want results quickly.

Outside of funding, many experts in space programs are also worried about the shrinking list of qualified professionals who have the experience and expertise to push the global space program to new boundaries. In the United States, for instance, the number of students seeking STEM degrees that are essential for space exploration is quite low and it is hoped that increased space funding will inspire more young adults to pursue those types of valuable degrees.

Establishing a presence on the moon and manning a trip to Mars are amazing scientific feats, things every global citizen should be proud of. The tools developed to make these happen will be creative and amazing. Take for instance the idea of creating a swarm of droid insects that could travel the surface of a planet like Mars, taking photos and samples as they go.

However, science is not where it will stop. Rather, space exploration is poised to go much the same way as any other exploration in our human history has. Resource extraction for personal gain is likely to be a priority with no real plan for dealing with any unforeseen consequences until much later. There is already an estimated $700 billion billion worth of valuable mineral resources in the asteroid belt alone.

These include all sorts of valuable minerals such as tungsten, which is actually used in space travel because of its high melting point and strength. Other valuable minerals that many entrepreneurs already have their eyes on include things like nickel, iron, gold, and platinum to name a few. Many make the valid argument that most of the mining for these metals done on Earth is hazardous, unethical, and heavily polluted. Moving these types of industries to outer space could be a real benefit for the planet.

Space exploration tugs at all of our heartstrings and is one of the few things that really brings the world together. Though exciting exploration is expensive and has some significant time and personal limitations. If this is something we manage to master in the near future, things like mining and other extractive industries will be quick to follow. The real question is: are we actually ready?

Indiana Lee is a writer and journalist from the Pacific Northwest with a passion for covering workplace issues, environmental protection, lifestyle improvements and more. In her off time she enjoys exploring the wilderness with her two dogs. You can reach her at indianaleewrites (at) gmail.com

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Ethics of Space Exploration: Exploring to Sustain? - EuroScientist

‘Kerbal Space Program’ teams up with European Space Agency for ‘Shared Horizons’ expansion – Space.com

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The European Space Agency is joining the "Kerbal Space Program."

Space gamers and die-hard "Kerbal Space Program" fans will soon be able to recreate some of the biggest missions from the European Space Agency (ESA) in the free update "Shared Horizons" from developers Private Division and Squad.

The update, which launches July 1, requires the base game and will add ESA's workhorse Ariane 5 rocket, BepiColombo mission to Mercury and Rosetta comet mission to the roster of missions Kerbal players can try in the popular space simulator game. There'll also be an ESA spacesuit for the game's intrepid Kerbals to wear, new rocket components and science experiments to pursue.

"Here at the European Space Agency, many of our engineers and scientists are very familiar with KSP," ESA Director of Science Gnther Hasinger said in a statement. "Both Rosetta and BepiColombo are highly complex missions that have specific challenges; however, each prove to be very rewarding for ESA and the global scientific community. Because of this, I am very happy that these ground-breaking science missions can be experienced on Kerbin as well as on Earth."

Kerbin is the Earth analogue that Kerbals launch into space from in "Kerbal Space Program." The game's Mercury equivalent is Moho, while the moon is simply Mun.

"We are excited to partner with the ESA to bring their actual missions and spacecraft to Kerbal Space Program for the first time," Private Division executive producer Michael Cook said in the statement. "It is an honor to work hand-in-hand with such a world-class space organization, and we cannot wait for fans to experience these monumental missions with the Shared Horizons update."

ESA's Rosetta comet mission launched in 2004 and visited Comet 67P/ChuryumovGerasimenko. Rosetta dropped the lander Philae on the comet and spent nearly two years studying the icy wanderer before intentionally crashing into the surface.

The BepiColombo mission, meanwhile, is a partnership between ESA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency to explore Mercury with a pair of spacecraft: the Mercury Planetary Orbiter and the Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter. That mission launched in 2018 and will arrive in orbit at Mercury in 2025. BepiColombo's mission is tricky because it includes nine planetary flybys: one of Earth (which occurred April 10), two of Venus and six of Mercury itself.

"Shared Horizons" isn't the first time that "Kerbal Space Program" has incorporated real-life space exploration into its gameplay. The game's "Making History" expansion in 2018 allowed players to recreate iconic missions from space history, while its "Breaking Ground" expansion added planetary rovers and other surface exploration features to the mix.

"Kerbal Space Program has already been an inspiration for an entire generation of future engineers and scientists, so introducing this level of realism will really take it to the next level," ESA Director of Space Transportation Daniel Neuenschwander, said in a statement. "I really look forward to seeing the innovative ways in which players will approach designing their new space transportation services."

Last week, Private Division and NASA challenged "Kerbal Space Program" players to recreate SpaceX's upcoming Demo-2 Crew Dragon launch and submit entries on social media using the hashtag #LaunchAmerica. Demo-2 is SpaceX's first astronaut launch on a Crew Dragon and will mark the first U.S. crewed orbital spaceflight from American soil since NASA's space shuttles were retired in 2011.

Private Division is currently developing a sequel to the physics-based space simulator. That game, "Kerbal Space Program 2," will include wild technologies for interplanetary travel and is expected to launch in 2021.

Today's best Kerbal Space Program deals

Email Tariq Malik attmalik@space.comor follow him@tariqjmalik. Follow us@Spacedotcom, Facebook and Instagram.

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Struggling with isolation? Astronauts have been there, done that – The Detroit News

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Deana Weibel and husband Glen Swanson review a recent artice in 'Space Review' magazine. Weibel, a professor of anthropology at Grand Valley State University and Swanson, former chief historian at NASA's Johnson Space Center, conduct research on space exploration and practical lessons learned from astronauts in isolation.(Photo: Chris duMond, Special to the Detroit News)

When astronauts from NASA were first isolated in space, from 1961 to 1963 in Project Mercury, they were away from Earth on flights lasting from Alan Shepard Jr.s 15 minutes to L. Gordon Cooper Jr.s 34 hours.

Butas the country reached for the moon, Project Gemini began requiring a far more burdensome, considerably extended period of social isolation, at a considerable physical distance.

Doctors and scientists say the efforts more than half a century ago may provide lessons for livingthrough today's pandemic, when the major remedy is staying hometo stay safe.

In Gemini, you have guys in pairs being sent out for weeks at a time. Andit was stressful, said Deana Weibel, a professor of anthropology, at Grand Valley State University, whose research focus includes space exploration.

Glen Swanson, former chief historian at NASA's Johnson Space Center, works in his home office above his garage in Grand Rapids.(Photo: Chris duMond, Special to The Detroit News)

One of the descriptions was that they were in a space about the size of the front seat of a VW Bug, Weibel said.

Very limited space, small couches, and youre stuck like that for two weeks.

Sotrying to get along with another person for that amount of time is probably better than being completely by yourself. Butit is certainly something where by the time they landed, they were ready to get away from each other! she said.

Weibel recently wrote a piece for The Space Review, a 17-year-old online publication, about social isolation in space. Among her conclusions: Even though a lot goes on in space, diversions are crucial for tolerating social isolation.

Schedules create structure, provide mental stimulation and break up the day.

Andcommunication with others outside the bubble is a godsend. Whether it is the folks at Mission Control, the presidentof the United States or members of the family, who could sometimes pipe in. Especially during the flightslater, in Project Apollo, hearing from others outside of the bubble helped astronauts maintain proper frames of mind.

Deana Weibel pauses to gaze out the window while reading in her home office in Grand Rapids. Dr. Weibel, a professor of anthropology at Grand Valley State University, conducts on space exploration, applying practical lessons learned from astronauts in isolation.(Photo: Chris duMond, Special to the Detroit News)

Al Worden, who is from Michigan, and who died just March 18, has the Guinness Book of World Records record for being the most isolated human being thats ever existed, Weibel said.

Worden, an astronaut and engineerborn in Jacksonwho attended the University of Michigan,spent three days alone in the command moduleduring the Apollo 15 missionin 1971, becomingthe most socially distanced person, in history.

When he was orbiting the moon, and David Scott and Jim Irving were on the surface of the moon, (he was) farther than anyone on Earth could possibly be from any other human on Earth, she explained.

Andwhen he talks about it in his memoir, he dealt with it mostly just by staying really, really busy. They had an extremely rigid schedule that he was supposed to follow.

He actually enjoyed the isolation, a bit, after being involved with the other guysfor a while, Weibel said.

A.W. Tony England, dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, is a former astronaut who served as mission scientist for Apollo 13 and 16 and space station program scientist from 1986 to 1987.

England said NASA draws on the history of exploration, which often involved extreme physical distancing and social isolation.

A.W. (Tony) England, Dean of College of Engineering and Computer Science at University of Michigan, Dearborn, in front of his Ypsilanti home, Friday, May 15, 2020, The former astronaut talks about lessons learned from social isolation in space. (Photo: Clarence Tabb Jr., The Detroit News)

What NASA did for the early scientist astronauts, seven us of which eventually flew in something, theway they approached us is that they had found in the military that establishing common experiences and understanding how teams have to work under pressure convinced them that the thing to do for us was to give us the same experiences, he said.

A submarine crew is out for months without contact outside of the submarine. In the old sailing ships, the whalers were gone for years, mostly at sea, he said.Sothere is a long history of people working in a strange environment, without access to family or access to normal recreation.

While he had an eight-day space flight, England said, he also was in Antarctica with field teams, twice, for two-and-a-half months and only shortwave radio communication, without seeing so much as a contrail.

Unlike the coronavirus, which appeared suddenly and relentlessly for many people, without seeking volunteers, exploration and the accompanying isolation is often the fondest desire of those exploring.

Unlike COVID-19, astronauts and other explorers want to be where they are, and have trained.

I guess my experience would say that people who would accept the challenge as something they really want to invest themselves in, really dont have that much of a problem in extended living situations where its not normal life, England said, of his varied experiences.

The other thing that is really important in a situation like that is an understanding and an acceptance of your responsibilities, he said.

Being isolated in close quarters with a unit of people places a premium on everyone knowing their roles and fulfilling them, in a spirit of teamwork.

It was interesting. On our flight, the commander, Gordie Fullerton had been a test pilot of heavy airplanes, and so he was used to working with large crews, England said. It made it a delightful experience for us.

Some of the commanders, who were from fighters or single-pilot airplanes, didnt adjust to the idea of working with a crew. Andtheir crews have come back down, you know, not really close friends.

The astronauts' experiences, and the information culled from them, are of significant interest to doctors, especially at the Space Medicine Innovations Laboratory at the Geisel School of Medicine, at Dartmouth Collegein New Hampshire.

In the lab, doctors and scientist research behavioral approaches for people in confined spaces, to devise strategies for handling stress, depression and conflict that can come from confinement, not unlike those associated with a pandemic.

Especially pertinent in the time of coronavirus, the Dartmouth PATH Program provides a series of self-help tools designed for astronauts coping with confinement in small spaces for extended periods.

Our work is focused on providing people with self-directed, anonymous tools that they can use,in the moment, to help them with these kinds of things, said Dr. Jay Buckey, a professor of medicine at Dartmouth, director of the Space Medicine Innovations Lab, and a former astronaut.

Sotheyre online. Its at path.dartmouth.edu, and its a research project, so you have to sign a consent form.

Mobile devices are not currently supported.

The program highlights coping with stress, depression and conflictin isolation and confinement.

These are self-help tools, said Buckey, a former astronaut. The individual is doing the work. The tools offer practical things that people can do in any environment.

Buckey flew aboard the space shuttle Columbia in 1998. He and research colleagues at Dartmouth, Harvard and UCLA developed the tools over more than decade.

Deana Weibel and husband Glen Swanson watch 'Dr. Stangelove' at their home in Grand Rapids. Weibel, a professor of anthropology at Grand Valley State University and Swanson, former chief historian at NASA's Johnson Space Center, conduct research on space exploration and practical lessons learned from astronauts in isolation.(Photo: Chris duMond, Special to The Detroit News)

In the conflict area, it gives you some different ways to think about conflict, he explained.

Why is when you say something, people responded in a totally different way than you expected? You think youre saying something really innocuous, and it gets a big response.It helps you understand, sometimes, what is going on there, Buckey said.

It also gives you some tips on being a good negotiator that keeps the relationship in mind. For a lot of us, now, being in isolation, where we're close to family and friends and roommates, people who we probably want to maintain or relationships with. But, we still got to negotiate things; were going to have some disagreements.

Sothe inter-space negotiation is kind of a skill on how to do that better, he said.

Glen Swanson, a former chief historian at the Johnson Space Center in Houston and a former physics instructor at Grand Valley State University, said the significant difference between space exploration and life in a time of pandemic is that NASA missions come with anend date.

The crew members, they have a flight plan, said Swanson, Weibels husband. There is great comfort in knowing when this is going to be over.

I know when Im going to come back, Im going to see my family and friends. I am prepared for this three-month, six-month stay, or whatever the duration, ahead of time.

When I signed up for this gig in advance, I knew what was going to happen.

COVID-19 is a different gig, Swanson said.

The big difference here is we just dont have that. We dont have that splashdown. We dont know when things are going to come to an end, and theres a lot of uncertainty.

And uncertainty is something that NASA tries to avoid."

gkrupa@detroitnews.com

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Struggling with isolation? Astronauts have been there, done that - The Detroit News

They Came From Earth IP Rights in Outer Space – JD Supra

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Sixty-two years ago today, on May 15, 1958, the Soviet Union launched the Sputnik 3 satellite from a spaceport in Kazakhstan with a mission to conduct geophysical research of the upper atmosphere and near space.[1] Although an extraordinary step toward exploration and understanding of space at the time, its launch was not as ground-breaking as that of its predecessor Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite to orbit Earth.[2] Weighing in at just 183.9 pounds[3], less than heavyweight boxers of the day, Sputnik 1 nonetheless punched well above its weight class by setting in motion many defining events in politics, science and the law: the Space Race[4], the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958[5], and the creation of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).[6]

The National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 (Space Act of 1958) was drafted by the United States House Select Committee on Astronautics and Space Exploration and was signed into law by President Eisenhower on July 29, 1958.[7] The Space Act of 1958 charged NASA with planning, directing, and conducting the aeronautical and space activities of the United States.[8]

Section 305 of the Space Act of 1958 titled, Property Rights in Inventions made extensive modifications to patent law and provided that both employee inventions, as well as private government contractor innovations, may be subject to government ownership.[9]

The Space Act of 1958 is now codified in Title 51 of the U.S. Code titled, National and Commercial Space Programs. Specifically, 51 U.S.C. 20102 provides that the aeronautical and space activities shall be conducted so as to contribute materially to one or more of the following objectives:

51 U.S.C. 20102.

Section 20135 of 51 U.S. Code, which is directed to intellectual property rights in inventions, remains largely unchanged from the Space Act of 1958 and grants the same broad authority of ownership to the government over both employee inventions as well as private government contractor innovations.

In particular, 51 U.S.C 20135 provides that an invention shall be the exclusive property of the United States if it is made in the performance of any work under any contract of NASA and if NASA determines that

51 U.S.C. 20135.

These provisions and NASAs authority to enter into contracts with third parties under 51U.S.C. 20113 can pose challenging issues of ownership and enforcement for those who wish to commercialize their space technology-related inventions.

We will explore these and other issues in our upcoming posts but for now we leave you with a suggestion to listen to Chris Hadfields poignant cover of David Bowies Space Oddity[10] while on board the International Space Station featuring out of this world shots of Earth.

[1] Melanie Whiting, 60 years ago, Soviets launch Sputnik 3 (May 15, 2018), https://www.nasa.gov/feature/60-years-ago-soviets-launch-sputnik-3.

[2] Steve Garber, Sputnik and the Dawn of the Space Age (October 10, 2007), https://history.nasa.gov/sputnik/.

[3] Id.

[4] Id.

[5] Steven J. Dick, Why We Explore (March 28, 2008), https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/whyweexplore/Why_We_29.html [hereinafter Why We Explore].

[6] Id.

[7] Why We Explore, supra n.5.

[8] NASA, National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 (Unamended) (July 29, 1958) https://history.nasa.gov/spaceact.html

[9] Id.

[10] Chris Hadfield, Space Oddity https://chrishadfield.ca/space-oddity/ (last visited May 7, 2020).

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The food and water systems astronauts will need to travel to places like Mars – Horizon magazine

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On the International Space Station (ISS), astronauts are able to get resupplies from Earth from cargo spacecraft visiting the space station, taking just six hours to get there. But the journey time to Mars is eight months minimum. And if youre on the Red Planet, you need to go it alone.

Scientists have been working to address this problem. Theyve been looking at ways for astronauts to produce their own clean water and grow their own food. And just as importantly, theyre making sure any risk of contamination is reduced, to keep astronauts as safe and healthy as possible on long-duration missions.

Clean water

Drinking water is something many of us take for granted on Earth, but on space missions it is harder to come by. The ISS recycles much of its water using chemicals, but it still relies on sizeable shipments of water from Earth to give its astronauts access to clean water.

A project called BIOWYSE hoped to find a solution to the water problem for long missions. The project looked at ways to store water for extended periods of time, monitor it in real time for contamination from microbes, and then dispense clean drinking water whenever needed by decontaminating the water with UV light rather than chemicals.

We wanted a system where you take it from A to Z, from storing the water to making it available for someone to drink, said Dr Emmanouil Detsis, the coordinator of BIOWYSE. That means you store the water, you are able to monitor the biocontamination, you are able to disinfect if you have to, and finally you deliver to the cup for drinking.

The end result was a fully automated machine that could perform all of these tasks. When someone wants to drink water you press the button, said Dr Detsis. The water is checked, decontaminated if necessary, then delivered. Its like a water cooler, he said.

The machine could even analyse samples from wet surfaces inside a spacecraft to see if they had been contaminated and were dangerous to astronauts. Inside the closed habitat, you start having the humidity build up and you may have corners or areas where they are not clean, said Dr Detsis. So we developed something that could check these areas in a fast way.

The project developed a prototype of this machine on Earth, measuring about a metre long, with the idea that a smaller version could be used somewhere like the ISS. Ultimately, however, the thought was that a system like BIOWYSE could be useful for future exploration, and the prototype remains available for any applicable missions in the future.

The system is designed with future habitats in mind, said Dr Detsis. So a space station around the moon, or a field laboratory on Mars in decades to come. These are places where the water may have been sitting there some time before the crew arrives.

Self-sustainability

Water is hard to come by, but it is not scarce in the solar system. The moon and Mars both have ice that could theoretically be turned into drinking water. But a more difficult prospect for self-sustainability is food any food for astronauts needs to be brought from Earth.

There are some developing ideas of how to grow food without constant resupply missions. For several years on the ISS, astronauts have been using machines like the European Modular Cultivation System (EMCS), launched in 2006, to research the growth of plants such as thale cress. The ECMS was replaced by a similar machine called Biolab in 2018.

Dr Ann-Iren Kittang Jost from the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Space (CIRiS) in Norway, was the project coordinator on TIME SCALE, a project that looked at ways to develop a new system to grow plants that are safe to eat in space. When Dr Kittang Jost started the project, the EMCS had already been in space for a decade and it was time to upgrade it, she says.

We (need) state of the art technologies to cultivate food for future space exploration to the moon and Mars.

Dr Ann-Iren Kittang Jost, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Space, Norway

TIME SCALE aimed to produce a method to recycle water and nutrients inside a future cultivation machine, and also monitor the health of the plants more easily, to develop an idea for a greenhouse in space.

We (need) state of the art technologies to cultivate food for future space exploration to the moon and Mars, she said, as well as new ideas. We took (the ECMS) as a starting point to define concepts and technologies to learn more about cultivating crops and plants in microgravity.

TIME SCALE envisioned a machine that would have a larger space to grow plants than the suitcase-sized EMCS, with more functionalities. We built a prototype demonstrating that we could recycle the nutrients and we could grow salad or lettuce in there, said Dr Kittang Jost. We could produce them, and monitor the nutrients in the water. We proved the concept.

As with Biolab and the ECMS, the prototype was designed to use a spinning centrifuge to simulate gravity on the moon and Mars to measure the plants uptake of nutrients or water, for example. Such ideas could not just useful for space travel, but for people on Earth too. Its important to find synergies with the challenges we have on the ground, said Dr Kittang Jost. And that includes finding ways to reuse nutrients and water in our own greenhouses, for example by improving sensor technology and developing better ways to monitor nutrients and plant health.

Worlds

In order to travel to and even live on worlds like the moon and Mars, technologies like these will be crucial allowing astronauts to be self-sustainable when they are far from Earth. And making sure any water stored at these locations is decontaminated and safe to drink is very important.

It will not be like the ISS, said Dr Detsis. You are not going to have a constant crew all the time. There will be a period where the laboratory might be empty, and will not have crew until the next shift arrives in three or four months (or longer). Water and other resources will be sitting there, and it may build up microorganisms.

Dr Kittang Jost says that in terms of producing safe food, we are nearing the goal of having a system that can be used on future missions. Were quite close, she said. Its a challenge of course. But building a greenhouse should be feasible.

The research in this article was funded by the EU. If you liked this article, please consider sharing it on social media.

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The food and water systems astronauts will need to travel to places like Mars - Horizon magazine

NASA moves to resume SLS testing ‘Next great era of space exploration’ still on horizon – Yellowhammer News

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NASA this week resumed Green Run testing activities on the first Boeing-built core stage of its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, with the return of limited crews to perform work at the agencys Stennis Space Center in Bay St. Louis, MS.

While some progress has continued remotely on the core stage, NASA in March suspended operations at Stennis and Michoud Assembly Facility in Louisiana in response to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

This is an important step toward resuming the critical work to support NASAs Artemis program that will land the first woman and the next man on the south pole of the Moon by 2024, Stennis Center Director Rick Gilbrech said in a Thursday statement.

Though Stennis remains in Stage 4 of NASAs COVID-19 Response Framework, we assessed state and local conditions and worked with agency leadership to develop a plan to safely and methodically increase critical on-site work toward the launch of the next great era of space exploration, he continued.

Stennis moved to Stage 4 on March 16, with only personnel needed to perform mission-essential activities related to the safety and security of the center allowed on site.

Alabamas aerospace industry has led the effort to build the SLS, which stands 212 feet high and 27.6 feet in diameter..

Boeing isthe core stage lead contractor, and Aerojet Rocketdyne is the RS-25 engines lead contractor. The SLS program is managed out of NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville,while Boeings Huntsville-based Space and Launch division manages the companys SLS work.

SLS is the most powerful rocket in world history and the only rocket that can send the Orion spacecraft, astronauts and supplies to the moon in a single mission.

Marshall Space Flight Center and New Orleans Michoud Assembly Facility, which has spearheaded the physical construction of SLS, also are in Stage 4.

Before NASA suspended SLS operations at Stennis in response to COVID-19, Boeing and the agency had been putting the first core stage through a months-long series of Green Run tests in Mississippi. The stage, designated for the uncrewed Artemis I mission, includes the largest rocket propellant tanks in existence, new computers and new flight software.

The Stennis team had been approaching avionics power-on a test of the computer, routers, processors, power and other boxes and software that control the stages functions and communications.

The test facility has been in standby mode, so we allotted two days to reestablish some facility support of mechanical and electrical systems that will also assist the vehicle contractors in performing their operations, explained Barry Robinson, project manager for the B-2 Test Stand SLS core stage Green Run testing at Stennis.

NASA in a release outlined that reestablishing, or waking up, the Stennis B-2 Test Stand systems in the days ahead includes restoring facility power and controls, as well as ensuring pressurized gas systems are at proper levels for SLS operators to proceed with testing activities.

Michoud has been cleaning and preparing the rocket manufacturing facility for critical production restart of the SLS core stage and the Orion capsule, advised Michoud Director Robert Champion.

According to Julie Bassler, SLS stages project manager responsible for the core stage work at Stennis, Michoud and Marshall, Marshall also is resuming critical flight software and hardware testing.

Returning workers were trained on general safety procedures, personal protective equipment requirements and self-monitoring. Site personnel also installed signs and markings to indicate where employees should stand and sit during upcoming activities.

We want to make sure employees are armed with the appropriate information to be effective on the job and return safely to their families, Robinson added.

All sites are closely following CDC guidance to safely operate and protect the health and welfare of all employees. Michoud plans to transition to Stage 3 and operate in that stage for 30 days, in coordination with local government plans. Marshall remains at Stage 4 at this time.

Stennis plans for 30 days of limited crew activity on site in anticipation of the centers transition from Stage 4 to Stage 3. Once that transition occurs, increases to on-site work will continue slowly and methodically. The focus then will shift to preparing for the avionics power-up test.

According to Robinson, it is still too early to calculate a precise schedule for the various test milestones.

Like so many others, in so many places, were operating under a new normal. Were working now to determine exactly what that looks like, he stated. The virus, and our knowledge of safety as it relates to the virus, will dictate any changes we consider and implement. We will adjust tasks based on the most current information and guidance.

Green Run represents the first top-to-bottom integrated test of all flight core stage systems prior to its maiden Artemis I flight. All testing will be conducted on the B-2 Test Stand in the coming months and will culminate with an eight-minute, full-duration hot fire of the core stage with its four RS-25 engines, as during an actual launch. This will come beforethe stage is refurbished and delivered to Kennedy Space Center in Florida. There, it will be integrated with its Interim Cryogenic Upper Stage and NASAs Orion spacecraft for a mission around the moon and back.

SLS is part of NASAs backbone for deep space exploration, along with Orion and the Gateway in orbit around the moon.

North Alabama also will play a leading role in some of these other components of Artemis, including the lunar Gateway and the new Human Landing System. Historic contributions to Americas space prowess are being made by several private sector partners in the Yellowhammer State, such as United Launch Alliance (ULA), Boeing and Dynetics.

RELATED: Alabamas Dynetics to design Human Landing System for NASA

Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn

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NASA moves to resume SLS testing 'Next great era of space exploration' still on horizon - Yellowhammer News

Covid 19 Pandemic: AI in Space Exploration Market Analysis with Market Size, Industry Share, trends and Forecast to 2025 – News Distinct

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An Up to Date Report on AI in Space Exploration Market size | Industry Segment by Applications, by Type, Regional Outlook, Market Demand, Latest Trends, AI in Space Exploration Industry Share & Revenue by Manufacturers, Company Profiles, Growth Forecasts 2025. Analyzes current market size and upcoming 5 years growth of this industry.

Report Covers Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, CAGR, Trends, Forecast And Business Opportunity.

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AI in space exploration Market is valued approximately USD 2 billion in 2018 and is anticipated to grow with a healthy growth rate of more than 7.25% over the forecast period 2019-2026. Machine learning and AI leave their imprints on various fields including construction, automation, image analytics, and space exploration along with many others. Many applications of AI in space is being researched on various domains which includes relative positioning, communication and many others. Various spacecraft and space vehicles including satellites that are operating in the space may generates large amount of data owing to the complexity of the research missions. With AI in space exploration enables the data transmission over large distance with ease. Many organization and government agencies are collaborating on machine learning solutions for detection of new planets, space weather using magnetosphere and atmosphere measurement. With rapid technological development and increasing investment in R&D sector, space exploration is experiencing rapid technical development owing to the integration of AI and the space vehicles which are developed for space exploration. The factor leading to the growth of AI in space exploration is the development of AI-based robots that can perform highly complex tasks over a longer period without human inference and for enhances mobility and manipulation benefits. AI offers high flexibility, accuracy and control owing to the development of 3D perception and proximity GNC in AI robots. Moreover, robotics arms in space exploration is witnessing high demand due to the high weightlifting and handling capabilities that are offered to astronauts.

The regional analysis of AI in space exploration market is considered for the key regions such as Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, Latin America and Rest of the World. North America is expected to dominate the market share of AI in space exploration market owing to the presence of space organizations such as NASA and CSA working effectively towards the development of AI in space exploration. Moreover, U.S. and Canada are investing in the R&D sector and technological innovations to explore deep space. Whereas, Asia-Pacific is also anticipated to exhibit highest growth rate / CAGR over the forecast period 2019-2026 owing to the factors due to various ongoing and upcoming space programs in developing countries such as India and China.

Major market player included in this report are:Orbital ATKDARPANeuralaDescartes LabsKittyHawkIris AutomationFlyby NavPrecisionHawkPilot.aiMRX Global Holding Corp.Oceaneering InternationalMaxar TechnologiesNorthrop GrummanAstrobotic TechnologiesMotiv Space SystemsThe objective of the study is to define market sizes of different segments & countries in recent years and to forecast the values to the coming eight years. The report is designed to incorporate both qualitative and quantitative aspects of the industry within each of the regions and countries involved in the study. Furthermore, the report also caters the detailed information about the crucial aspects such as driving factors & challenges which will define the future growth of the market. Additionally, the report shall also incorporate available opportunities in micro markets for stakeholders to invest along with the detailed analysis of competitive landscape and product offerings of key players. The detailed segments and sub-segment of the market are explained below: By Product Type:Robotic armsRoversSpace probesOthers By Applications:GovernmentCommercial By Region:North AmericaU.S.CanadaEuropeUKGermanyAsia PacificChinaIndiaJapanLatin AmericaBrazilMexicoRest of the World

Furthermore, years considered for the study are as follows:

Historical year 2016, 2017Base year 2018Forecast period 2019 to 2026

Target Audience of the AI in space exploration Market in Market Study:

Key Consulting Companies & AdvisorsLarge, medium-sized, and small enterprisesVenture capitalistsValue-Added Resellers (VARs)Third-party knowledge providersInvestment bankersInvestors

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Table of Content:

Market Overview:The report begins with this section where product overview and highlights of product and application segments of the global AI in Space Exploration Market are provided. Highlights of the segmentation study include price, revenue, sales, sales growth rate, and market share by product.

Competition by Company:Here, the competition in the Worldwide AI in Space Exploration Market is analyzed, By price, revenue, sales, and market share by company, market rate, competitive situations Landscape, and latest trends, merger, expansion, acquisition, and market shares of top companies.

Company Profiles and Sales Data:As the name suggests, this section gives the sales data of key players of the global AI in Space Exploration Market as well as some useful information on their business. It talks about the gross margin, price, revenue, products, and their specifications, type, applications, competitors, manufacturing base, and the main business of key players operating in the global AI in Space Exploration Market.

Market Status and Outlook by Region:In this section, the report discusses about gross margin, sales, revenue, production, market share, CAGR, and market size by region. Here, the global AI in Space Exploration Market is deeply analyzed on the basis of regions and countries such as North America, Europe, China, India, Japan, and the MEA.

Application or End User:This section of the research study shows how different end-user/application segments contribute to the global AI in Space Exploration Market.

Market Forecast:Here, the report offers a complete forecast of the global AI in Space Exploration Market by product, application, and region. It also offers global sales and revenue forecast for all years of the forecast period.

Research Findings and Conclusion:This is one of the last sections of the report where the findings of the analysts and the conclusion of the research study are provided.

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Covid 19 Pandemic: AI in Space Exploration Market Analysis with Market Size, Industry Share, trends and Forecast to 2025 - News Distinct

Isaac Asimov: ‘How We’ll Live on the Moon’ – Popular Mechanics

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In March 1988, Popular Mechanics ran an article, written by sci-fi legend Isaac Asimov, exploring humanity's future on the moon. With NASA's plans to return to the moon in the coming years and President Trump's recent executive order clearing the way for companies to start mining the moon, Asimov's vision is more relevant than ever.

Reprinted here is the original article in its entirety.

Absolute silence.

The Lunarian stood in the eternal dark within the crater at the Moons south pole, and thought that silence was so characteristicand soothingand, yes, frighteningabout the Moon. He was not a true Lunarian, of course. He had come from Earth and when his 90-day stint was over, he would return to Earth and try to readjust to its strong pull of gravity.

There was no motion anywhere, no sound of living things. There was light along the crater top, as perpetual as the dark at this portion of the crater floor. Farther along the gently rolling floor, in the direction of the opposite side of the crater, was sunlight, too.

The Lunarian looked in that direction, and the photosensitive glass of his faceplate darkened at once.

The Lunarian thought: It is the year 2028 and the Moon has become our second world.

The line between dark and light swung slowly toward him and away in a 4-week cycle. It would never quite reach the point where he was standing, nor ever quite recede out of sight. If he were to move a few miles into the light, he would see the Sun skimming the crater edge along the horizon, but, of course, the faceplate grew virtually opaque if he accidentally looked in the Suns direction. At intervals, he could see the Earth, or a portion of it, edging above the crater wall. His heart would always melt at that sight. He tried not to think of Earth.

Pat Rawlins

For now, he was on the Moon. He could make out the line of photovoltaic cells in the sunlight and he knew that solar energy, never ending, was powering the world beneath his feetwhich was, as yet, very small. Already, dozens of human beings were housed there and in his lifetime it might well rise to hundreds. An experimental farm existed there, plus a chemical laboratory for the study of lunar soil, a furnace for baking out the small but precious amounts of volatile elements from appropriate ores.

This was not the only Moon base. A much larger one existed near the lunar equator, where the soil was mined and hurled into space to be used as a construction material. A much more specialized one existed on the Moon's far side where a huge radio telescope, insulated from Earth's radio interference by 2000 miles of solid Moon, was being completed.

The Lunarian thought: It is the year 2028 and the Moon has become our second world.

But it is now 1988. We have visited the Moon six times between 1969 and 1972, and 12 men have trod its surface. But those were visits only. We came, lingered and leftso that the total time human beings have spent on the Moon is less than two weeks.

But we have been sharpening our space abilities, and when we return to the Moon, it will be to stay. A day will come in the future after which there will never be a time when human beings will not be living on the Moon.

NASA is already planning Moon bases. In recent years, scientists, engineers, industrialists and scholars have met to discuss scientific, industrial and sociological issues in connection with living on the Moon. Former astronaut Dr. Sally K. Ride, America's first woman in space, recently produced a report outlining this nation's space goals. Satellite studies of the Earth will remain an important priority, along with the lofting of unmanned spacecraft to explore our solar system.

But the "Ride Report also stresses a manned permanent presence on the Moon before we embark on a manned mission to Mars, hoping to fully exploit the Moon's resources and scientific opportunities while boosting our own interplanetary learning curvebefore engaging in a Mars space spectacular.

Whether or not we choose to follow the Ride recommendations, the Moon will probably play an important role in man's future space explorations. But why bother? The Moon is a dead, desolate world, without air or water. It is a large super-Sahara. So what is there to make us want to go there, let alone live there?

Super-Sahara or not, the Moon would be useful, even vital, to us in many ways. Some of those ways are not material in nature. For instance, there is the question of knowledge. The Moon has not been seriously disturbed after the first half-billion years of the existence of the solar system (something that is not true of the Earth). We have been studying 800 pounds of Moon rocks astronauts retrieved, but merely bringing them to Earth has contaminated them, and the astronauts were only able to investigate isolated landing areas. If we can investigate the Moon's substance on the Moon, over extended periods and over every portion of its surface, we might learn a great detail about the early history of the Moon-and, therefore, of the Earth as well.

Unlike man's initial forays to the lunar surface, future trips to the Moon will be greatly aided by a space station positioned in low Earth orbit, by orbital transfer vehicles and by expendable lunar landers. It's envisioned that early lunar pioneers will reside in pressurized modules and airlocksnot unlike the modules currently being designed for the space station but with a significant difference. Because the Moon has no protective atmosphere, early settlers will cover their modules with up to 2 meters of lunar soil, or regolith, to protect them from solar radiation. These modules may give way to larger structures positioned beneath regolith archways or buildings made of lunar concrete as requirements change. Indeed, lunar building materials may one day be a principal lunar export.

Pat Rawlins

Solar collectors, photovoltaic systems and small nuclear powerplants positioned well away from lunar habitats would supply the power needs of an early Moon base. The resulting energy would support not only human explorers but a broad array of science and industrial activities, principally lunar mining and astronomical observation. Wheeled lunar rovers powered by the Sun would provide close-in transportation and cargo handling. Vertically launched rocket vehicles would aid in mapping and distant exploration. Some tasks may be performed by intelligent robots already on the drawing board.

After humans become established on the Moon, some visionaries foresee a complex of habitable dwellings and research labs for geochemical, physical and biological research. A life-giving atmosphere "manufactured on the Moon would promote ecological and agricultural pursuits, helping to make a Moon base self-supporting. Turning to the heavens, special detectors would analyze rays from astrophysical sources, and Moon-based particle accelerators would give new insight into the nature of matter. Spe cial units would process oxygen and refine new ceramic and metallurgical materials. "Moonmovers," adapted from Earthmovers, would excavate building and mining sites.

Think of the nuclear power stations we could build...where safety considerations did not bulk so large. Think of the efficiency of the solar power stations we could build on a world without an interfering atmosphere...

To what purpose? First, but not necessarily foremost, the Moon is a marvelous platform for astronomical observations. The absence of an atmosphere makes telescopic visibility far more acute. The far side of the Moon would allow radio telescopes to work without interference from human sources of light and radio waves. The Moon's slow rotation would allow objects in the sky to be followed, without interference from clouds or haze, for two weeks at a time. Neutrinos and gravity waves, together with other exotic cosmic manifestations, might be detected more easily and studied from the Moon than from the Earth. And, in fact, radio telescopes on the Moon and on the Earth could make observations in combination, allowing us to study in the finest detail the active centers of the galaxies, including our own Milky Way.

The Moon can also be used for experiments we would not wish to perform in the midst of the Earth's teeming life. Think of the genetic engineering we could perform, of the experimental life forms we could devise. We could obtain energy in copious quantities for use not only on the Moon, but for transfer to space structures and even to the Earth. Think of the nuclear power stations we could build (both fission and, eventually, fusion) where safety considerations did not bulk so large. Think of the efficiency of the solar power stations we could build on a world without an interfering atmosphere to scatter, absorb and obscure light.

Pat Rawlings

From the Moon's soil, we would obtain various elements. The Moon's crust is 40-percent oxygen (in combination with other elements, of course). This can be isolated. A common mineral on the Moon is ilmenite, or titanium iron oxide. Treatment with hydrogen can cause the oxygen of ilmenite to combine with the hydrogen, forming water, which can be broken up into hydrogen and oxygen.

But where would the hydrogen come from? Those portions of the Moon we have studied are lacking in the vital light elements: hydrogen, carbon and nitrogen. That makes it seem that these "volatiles will have to be imported from Earth (which has plenty), but there may be places where they can be found in small amounts on the Moon, especially in the polar regions where there are places where the Sun rarely shines. Lunar hydrogen can then be used to obtain oxygen, and lunar nitrogen can be used to dilute it. There you have an atmosphere.

Other elements, particularly iron, aluminum and titanium, all very useful structurally, are common in the lunar crust and can be smelted out of the soil. In addition, silicon can be obtained for making computer chips. The Moon will be an active mining base to begin with. Quantities of lunar soil can be hurled off the Moon by a "mass-driver, powered by an electromagnetic field based on solar energy. This would not be difficult because the Moon is relatively small and has a gravitational pull much weaker than that of Earth. It takes less than 5 percent as much energy to lift a quantity of matter off the Moon than it would to lift the same quantity off the Earth.

Pat Rawlings

To build observatories, laboratories, factories and settlements in space, it would make sense to use lunar materials, especially since Earthly resources are badly needed by our planet's population.

Because of the Moon's feebler gravity, it would be a particularly useful site for the building and launching of space vessels. Since far less power would be required to lift a vessel off the Moon's surface than off the Earth's, less fuel and oxygen would be needed and more weight could be devoted to payload.

Eventually, when space settlements are constructed, they may be even more efficient as places where space vessels can be built and launched, but the Moon will retain certain advantages. First, it will be a world of huge spaces and will not have the claustrophobic aura of the space settlements. Second, a lunar gravity, though weak, will be constant. On space settlements, a pseudo-gravitational field based on centrifugal effects may be as intense as Earth's gravitation in places, but will complicate matters by varying considerably with change of position inside the settlement.

The Moon, as an independent world, will represent a complete new turning in human history. Humanity will have a second world.

Then, too, since the Moon exists and is already constructed, so to speak, it can surely be developed first and be used to experiment with artificial ecologies.

Once the lunar colonists discover how to create a balanced ecology based on a limited number of plant and animal species (which may take awhile) that knowledge can be used to make space settlements viable.

Finally, of course, our Moon, with its enormous supply of materials, may eventually become a self-supporting, inhabited body in the solar system, completely independent of Earth. Surely this will become possible sooner than much smaller settlements elsewhere in space can achieve true independence.

The Moon, as an independent world, will represent a complete new turning in human history. Humanity will have a second world. If Earth should be struck by an unexpected catastrophe from without, say by a cometary strike such as the one that may have possibly wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years agoor if humanity's own follies ruin Earth through nuclear war or otherwise then a second world will exist on which humanity will survive and on which human history, knowledge and culture will be remembered and preserved.

Asimov's Dream Coming True?

But when will this colonization take place? Naturally, we can't tell because so much of it depends not on technological ability but on unpredictable economic and political factors.

If all goes well, there is no reason why work on the project cannot be initiated in the 1990s. By 2005, the first outpost could be established, and by 2015, a permanently occupied Moon base may be in existence. After that, it may be that the Moon settlers will have developed their world to the point of being independent of Earth by the end of the 21st century.

On the other hand, if affairs on Earth are so mismanaged that there seems no money or effort to spare for space, or if humanity concentrates its efforts on turning space into a military arena and is not concerned with peaceful development or expansion, or if humanity ruins itself forever by means of a nuclear war in the course of the next few decades, then clearly there will be no Moon base, and perhaps no reasonable future of any kind.

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Isaac Asimov: 'How We'll Live on the Moon' - Popular Mechanics