Daily Archives: June 8, 2017

How Are New Ecclesial Movements Changing the Church? – Commonweal

Posted: June 8, 2017 at 11:30 pm

Priests incardinated within new ecclesial movements would not be subject to local ordinaries, that is, diocesan bishops. For the Vatican this would mean acknowledging something about how these movements have evolved from around the time of Vatican II. Originally, they were supposed to have helped renew the laity. But with the substantial reduction in the number of diocesan priests and the shrinking of religious orders worldwide over the last three decades, they instead now seem to be a source of new priests. While this could help alleviate the shortage of clergy in the short term, it might also introduce a new set of problems.

The issue is not ideological, as there is a great diversity among these fraternities: seminarians and priests from SantEgidio, for example, are more conciliar and ecumenical than those from Communion and Liberation or the Neo-Catechumenal Way. Rather, its structural: in order to replace or replenish diocesan seminaries and diocesan parishes that are short on clergy, the territorial Churchthe bishops, including the bishop of Romeare making allowances for priestly vocations coming from non-territorial organizations: the movements.

This raises four interesting considerations. The first is Church politics: the movements are not, in the eyes of Francis, the special elites for the new evangelization as they were under John Paul II and Benedict XVI. Francis has been clearly critical of any sectarian tendencies he detects. But even he realizes that these movements are producing new, desperately needed priests in a Catholic Church that still needs the clergy to function. In this sense, the move, if approved, would signal that the Church finds it much easier to change the relationship between the territorial and personal dimension in the Church than to ordain married men to the priesthood (viri probati) or ordain women deacons.

Then theres the ecclesiological consideration. Reversing the relationship between the territorial or geographical dimension of Church aggregations (parish, diocese) to the personal dimension (membership in a group not defined by geographical location) would overturn a system that dates from the early centuries of Christianity (dioceses were the successors of the provinces of the Roman Empire) and that was solidified in the second millennium, especially by the Council of Trent (1545-1563). It would also pose a challenge to the ecclesial concept of the local church that is in dialogue and tension with the universal the Church.

The third consideration is theological. The whole idea of enculturation of the Christian message is connected to the ecclesiology of the local church. It remains to be seen what kind of formation (and where) priests from new movements would receive, or whether they would be priests for the entire Church (including Franciss peripheries) or only for their movement. This issue was raised by John Paul II in the apostolic exhortation Pastores Dabo Vobis (1992), the apostolic letter Tertio Millennio Adveniente (1994), and the apostolic exhortation Vita Consecrata (1996). The relationship between some movements and the local churches has in many cases been less than collaborative; for example, local bishops have long complained to Rome about the modus operandi of the Neo-Catechumenal Way in their own dioceses and even on a national level.

Finally, theres a historical consideration. In 1513, prior to the council of Trent and the Reformation, the Venetian Camaldolese monks Paolo Giustiniani and Pietro Querini presented to Pope Leo X Libellus ad Leonem X, the most important set of reform proposals in the immediate pre-Reformation period. Giustiniani and Querini proposed, among other things, a radical reduction in the number of religious orders (with just three typologies of rules for religious life: Augustinian, Benedictine, and mendicant) and a more centralized, reformist church under the leadership of the pope and the bishops. But what happened after Trent was exactly the opposite: a proliferation of new religious orders (Capuchines, Barnabites, Jesuits, etc.).

Something similar has unfolded since Vatican II, which envisioned a Catholic Church under the leadership of the bishops and the pope, and less autonomy for religious orders and personal, non-territorial Church structures. Instead, theres been a crisis in the episcopacy bishops now function more as CEOs than as pastors; they are called on to act collegially with the pope and synodally with their flock; and they face a fixed retirement age seventy-fiveand a shift in how it is expected to work alongside a successful papacy. This comes along with the spread of ecclesial groups and movements tied to intentional communities that claimand obtainautonomy from local ordinaries. It all would seem to be yet another example of how the living body of the Church undoes the best-intentioned and most well-thought-out reform projects of enlightened theologians.

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Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation 2.3 update adds a new campaign today – PC Gamer

Posted: at 11:28 pm

Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation, Stardocks gargantuan RTS, has a new update out today. Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation v2.3 fattens up the game with a new campaign, new ships and tweaks to improve game balance.

The update chucks a pair of Juggernaut-class bruisers into the fray, both of which can level up indefinitely, getting bonuses to health and damage every time that they do. The Leonidas is a PHC ship that boasts an incredibly powerful weapon that can tear Dreadnoughts apart. The Substrate get The Nest of the Queen, a vessel capable of summoning a fleet of frigates to lend it a hand.

We're really excited to introduce the Juggernauts," writes Stardock CEO Brad Wardell. "Fans of the game have been asking about them since we teased them several months ago, and we know these won't disappoint them. These warships are pricey to buildyou won't see them in quick matchesbut the cost is worth it. It takes some serious firepower to stop one of these guys once they hit the field."

The new campaign, Genesis, continues the Ashes story and comes with six missions. Stardock says that its increased the challenge of the higher difficulty level to please more advanced players, so that probably doesnt include me.

Stardocks also tweaked the previous campaigns. Ships and orbitals that previously werent available have been added to missions, while the maps have been tweaked and AI improved.

The update is free and available to all owners of Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation today.

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Deloitte and Singularity University Extend Their Relationship To … – PR Newswire (press release)

Posted: at 11:28 pm

A prime example of the strong collaboration between Deloitte and SU is this week's Exponential Finance Conference taking place in New York City. Over 700 global executives, entrepreneurs, financial advisors, insurance and banking executives, and venture capitalists are convening over three days in New York City to explore and create the future of the financial services industry. Participants will learn how disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence, Blockchain, robotics, nanotechnologies and crowdfunding, among others, can be leveraged for exponential growth, and to help address the global challenges the world is facing.

Deloitte and SU continue to expand their alliance to empower a global community with the mindset, skillset and network to embrace exponential opportunities, including topics of global importance such as Smart Cities and the Future of Work.

"We live in a time where unprecedented change is disrupting nearly every way we work and live. Our personal and professional lives are shifting in response to new technologies and business models that are changing what's possible and calling for us to respond and adapt, or fall behind. Since 2014, over 1,300 Deloitte clients have participated in SU programs around the world, empowering them to envision and realize significant exponential growth and efficiency opportunities," said Andrew Vaz, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited's Global Chief Innovation Officer. "The Deloitte/SU alliance is critical to our joint mission of helping organizations recognize and embrace opportunities to grow and differentiate themselves during an era of significant disruptions, while making the world a better place."

"We are gratified that our long-term alliance with Deloitte is being renewed and welcome their expanded involvement in new global events and programs," said Rob Nail, CEO and Associate Founder of Singularity University. "Together we bring the technical expertise, global networks, business acumen, and future vision to help organizations of all sizes innovate and grow exponentially."

To learn more about any of the SU programs and events and Deloitte innovation resources, go to http://www.su.org and https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/strategy/topics/innovation-consulting.html.

ABOUT DELOITTE Deloitte provides industry-leading audit, consulting, tax and advisory services to many of the world's most admired brands, including 80 percent of the Fortune 500 and more than 6,000 private and middle market companies.Our people work across more than 20 industry sectors to deliver measurable and lasting results that help reinforce public trust in our capital markets, inspire clients to make their most challenging business decisions with confidence, and help lead the way toward a stronger economy and a healthy society.

Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee ("DTTL"), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. DTTL (also referred to as "Deloitte Global") does not provide services to clients. In the United States, Deloitte refers to one or more of the US member firms of DTTL, their related entities that operate using the "Deloitte" name in the United States and their respective affiliates. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting. Please see http://www.deloitte.com/about to learn more about our global network of member firms.

ABOUT SINGULARITY UNIVERSITY (SU)Singularity University is a global learning and innovation community using exponential technologies to tackle the world's biggest challenges and build an abundant future for all. SU's collaborative platform empowers individuals and organizations across the globe to learn, connect, and innovate breakthrough solutions using accelerating technologies like artificial intelligence, robotics, and digital biology. SU was founded in 2008 by renowned innovators Ray Kurzweil and Peter H. Diamandis and has partnered with leading organizations including Google, Deloitte, Genentech, and UNICEF. To learn more, visitSU.org, join us onFacebook, follow us on Twitter @SingularityU, and download our SingularityU Hub mobile app from theApp Store.

MEDIA CONTACTS Anna Roubos, singularityu@ogilvy.com 774-232-2460 Jodie Stern, jodiestern@deloitte.com 414-702-0167

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/deloitte-and-singularity-university-extend-their-relationship-to-foster-innovation-worldwide-300471082.html

SOURCE Singularity University; Deloitte

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Quantum Computers Will Analyze Every Financial Model at Once – Singularity Hub

Posted: at 11:28 pm

In the movie Office Space, Peter Gibbons has a stroke of genius. Confronted with the utter mundanity of a life slaving away at his office park software company, he convinces his friends to make a computer virus to skim a fraction of a cent off transactions into a shared bank account.

This, of course, goes horribly wrong. But the concept is actually pretty solid.

In the real world, where there are literally billions of transactions crisscrossing the globe every day, you can make a big profit buying and selling securities whose prices barely differ.

But heres the key. You have to be fast. Inhumanly so. Enter physics and computers.

Computerized high-frequency trading was born from a collision of rapidly growing computing power and an influx of math and physics PhDs into finance. These wonks worked out complex quantitative buy-sell strategies, built them into algorithms, and set their software loose.

While the practice is nothing if not controversialand there are quantitative strategies that work over longer time frames tooits impact on the market is undeniable. In any given year, high-frequency trading is responsible for up to half or more of all trades. And of course, notoriously, such algorithmic trading was also involved in 2010s infamous Flash Crash.

But all this is only the beginning of how physics and computers can flip finance upside down.

At Singularity Universitys Exponential Finance Summit this week, Andrew Fursman said quantum computers, which harness natures most basic laws, are coming sooner than you think. And while digital computing was an evolution, quantum computing will be a revolution.

Fursman is CEO and cofounder of 1Qbit, a quantum computing software startup focused on making quantum computing applications practical for industry.

Quantum computing, he said, is just in its earliest stages, more akin to the hulking special-purpose computers of the 40s and 50s instead of the sleeker personal digital machines of recent decades. But he thinks its about to get practical, and itll pay dividends to those paying attention.

In finance, computing power is really a bit of an arms race, Fursman said. And as you all know, in many of these situations, it's winner takes all.

The next revolution has been a long time coming. It began with physicist Richard Feynman.

When modern digital computers were just gaining momentum, Feynman looked far down the roadhe was a genius theorist after alland noted the most powerful computers would not be digital, theyd be quantum. That is, theyd harness the laws of nature to compute.

Its counterintuitive to think of the world as a computer, said Fursman, but its an instructive analogy if you want to grasp the speed and simultaneity of quantum computers.

Complexity is nothing to nature. Just imagine how quickly and effortlessly glass breaks, he said.

In far less time than it takes to blink your eye, the laws of nature instruct the atoms in the glass to fracture into a massively complex spider web. Not unlike a computer, the laws of physics are the underlying logic allowing the glass to compute its complex demise in an instant.

Quantum computers similarly harness natures power to compute. Instead of using 1s and 0s to calculate things, they use the rules of quantum mechanics to compute with 1s, 0s, and both simultaneously. This means they can rapidly solve massively complex problems.

[Go here to learn more about how quantum computers work.]

But todays machines, like D-Waves adiabatic quantum computers, arent like your laptop, which is whats called a universal computer due to its ability to do many tasks. Instead, quantum computers today are specialized, complicated, difficult to program, and expensive.

Fursman thinks well get universal quantum computers in future, but well before then, in something like three to five years, he thinks early quantum computers will get practical. And because they can do things no other computer can, theyll be powerful.

In finance, its often about optimization. And todays quantum machines excel at optimization.

Consider building a portfolio out of all the stocks in the S&P 500, Fursman said. Given expected risk and return at various points in time, your choice is to include a stock, or not. The sheer number of possible portfolio combinations over time is mindboggling.

In fact, the possibilities dwarf the number of atoms in the observable universe.

To date, portfolio theory has necessarily cut corners and depended on approximations. But what if you could, in fact, get precise? Quantum computers will be able to solve problems like this in a finite amount of time, whereas traditional computers would take pretty much forever.

The work is already underway to make this possible.

Fursman noted a paper written by Gili Rosenberg, Poya Haghnegahdar, Phil Goddard, Peter Carr, Kesheng Wu, and Marcos Lpez de Prado in which they outline a new way to solve for an optimal portfolio. Instead of finding the best portfolio at discrete times in the future, they outline a way to find the best portfolio overall through time. Such a portfolio would reduce the transaction costs of rebalancing portfolios and potentially save the industry billions.

To be clear, this isnt ready for prime time yet. But Fursman thinks it will be shortly. The key? Their proposed portfolio optimization method is compatible with existing quantum computers. Specifically, they looked at D-Waves adiabatic machines, and according to the paper, they believe it can scale up in complexity as the underlying technology improves.

It's something that has real ability to impact what's possible within your industry and to make money doing all the things you already dobut in completely new ways, Fursman said.

Exponential Finance, according to Fursman, is a bit ahead of the curve. The event has focused on the possibility of quantum computing in finance for the last several years.

But now, its poised to make an impact. Google recently announced they expect to achieve quantum supremacy by the end of this year. That means theyll have shown a quantum computer capable of solving a problem no conventional computer can.

Fursman thinks the slowing of Moores Law may be lulling some into complacency. Whereas at one point you could barely keep pace, even if you bought a new computer every year; these days, the computer you bought four years ago is basically stillable run whatever you want today.

But for businesses, the pace of progress is about to speed up again.

The quantum computing industry [today] is just [the] spark. Its just the very, very beginning of whats going to be possible, Fursman said. Those sparks are going to turn into a huge explosion, and all of a sudden, youre going to be faced with incredible amounts of computing capabilities that directly tackle the types of problems most relevant to what youre doing.

This isnt going to take 20 years, he said, or even ten years. Itll be here in three to five years. So, now is the time to start thinking about what quantum will do for you.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

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The body electric – Arkansas Times

Posted: at 11:27 pm

At the gym, The Observer understands the utopian optimization of surveillance. Each day, The Observer goes and thinks back to videos consumed on how to move the arm (locked at the elbow) to locate the muscle, and then we do our three sets of 12. Then, like the scientist with his rat, we record the data.

Though in other parts of life, The Observer freaks out a bit about the constant uploading of the self to the cloud, still we think how nice it would be to have a theoretically benevolent electronic overlord biologically monitoring all of our movements. It could track The Observer's exact flailings and calculate their burn, their productivity and their production. It would weigh this against The Observer's eating and give a clean regression of whether or not we are, or not, a fatty. Our little ombudsman. Can knowledge eradicate the sin of sloth? More importantly: Wouldn't it be nice, sometimes, to not have a body?

By uploading, The Observer can put the most basic human annoyances of the body's needs into a system. For example, The Observer keeps a log of our exercise in a phone application that is combined with a food diary. To track the food, The Observer takes photos of the bar codes of items (for example, sandwich: photo of Swiss cheese code, photo of turkey code) to create nutrient and caloric tabulations. Throughout the day, The Observer will check the caloric count, from which is subtracted calories burned by the exercise The Observer logs, to see whether we're in spitting distance of our goals. Or, The Observer will slide over to a section titled "Macros" that via pie chart lets us know if we are consuming the proper percentages. As in, is our diet 20 percent protein? All of this satisfies the part of The Observer that grew up playing video games and enjoys the setting of goals and making of lists.

Not that it's really about production. The hope is to be happy. Which is simple to say, but so inherently biological and personal that you have to figure out how your brain chemistry ticks and tocks until it hits joy. Some people really want to go all robot, go past their humanity to felicity. The Observer shares this dream only sometimes, mainly when finding the body disappointing. Or, after being grumpy all day and then running for 10 minutes and feeling calm sweep over us almost immediately.

A recent essay in the magazine n+1 talks about "transhumanism." The idea is that there will be a singularity where we, as humans, merge with technology to become "posthuman: immortal, limitless, changed beyond recognition."

Generally, The Observer is fearful of such talk, having watched the Edward Snowden documentaries and seen Facebook rants after someone reads "1984." Also, it's mostly touted by strange Silicon Valley-types like Peter Thiel (who, no joke, talks about transfusing blood from the young to live longer). The Observer has no twinkle in our eye about living to 120.

But, the essay reminds us all that these ideas about transhumanism "are a secular outgrowth of Christian eschatology." What happens after we die? Well, what if technology lets us be born again? Born better ... that's something every Bible reader can understand. If The Observer goes to the gym every day, tracks the food every day, and is persistent, can The Observer be born better, too? It's a nice thought to be able to hack happy, but probably just a thought.

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Revisit historical sites in Ascension – Gonzales Weekly Citizen – Weekly Citizen

Posted: at 11:24 pm

If you're a history buff, Ascension Parish has no shortage of historical sites to visit. According to the National Register of Historical Places database, the Parish has 20 landmarks, ranging from churches to plantations to schools. Over the next two weeks, we will explore each of these sites. Whether your looking for something to do for the day, or wanting to take a historical tour of the parish, Ascension has much history to offer.

Evan Hall Slave Cabins: La. 405, three miles west of Donaldsonville in McCall. Built in 1840, the remaining structure includes a single cabin and double cabin.

Landry Tomb: Located in the cemetery of the Ascension of Our Lord Catholic Church in Donaldsonville. The family tomb was built in 1845 by James Dankin and has 24 vaults, one of which is U.S. Representative Joseph Landry who died in 1814 and was relocated in 1845.

Tezcuco: La. 44, Burnside, one mile north of the Sunshine Bridge. The Greek Revival architectural style plantation was built in 1855, but burned down in 2002. All that is left is a few columns.

Robert Penn Warren House: 16381 Old Jefferson Highway, Prairieville. The Colonial Revival architectural style home was built in 1941 as the private residence of author Robert Penn Warren.

The Hermitage: La. 942, one mile south of Marchandville and 1.75 miles east of Darrow. The Greek Revival mansion was built in 1812 as a wedding gift for Marius Pons Bringier's son Michel Dourdou. It is said Andrew Jackson and his wife visited the house in the 1820's.

Palo Alto Plantation: 33534 La. 944, Donaldsonville. The Greek Revival plantation was built in 1850 and is a one-and-a-half story building on more than 6,000 acres.

Fort Butler: Mississippi River levee in Donaldsonville. A Civil War site, it was built to guard the Mississippi River and Bayou Lafourche. It is now used for an annual re-enactment and open to guided tours by appointment.

St. Emma: 1283 S. La. 1, Donaldsonville. Built in 1847, the plantation was originally owned by Charles A. Kock, one of the biggest sugar planters in the state. It is opened by appointment only.

St. Joseph's School: La. 75 and 44 in Burnside. It is now the Cabin Restaurant. The school was established in 1867 by the Roman Catholic Church to provide elementary school to newly freed slaves. It was originally located in Convent, though was relocated to Ascension in 1985.

Ashland: La. 75 two miles south of Geismar. Also known as the Belle Helene or Ashland-Belle Helene Plantation. Built in 1841, the antebellum Greek Revival architectural style building served as a former sugar plantation. It is owned by Shell Chemical Company.

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Ascension economic development group hopes to move forward on MegaPark site – The Advocate

Posted: at 11:24 pm

DONALDSONVILLE Ascension Economic Development Corp. officials said Wednesday they hope an upcoming meeting with the landowners of 17,000 acres on the west bank of the parish will lead to a mixed-use development there one day.

Over the last two years, 75 percent of the more than 100 landowners have signed letters of intent indicating their interest in working with any future developers of what would be called the Riverplex MegaPark, the potential home of heavy, medium and light industrial uses, as well as limited commercial and residential uses.

The property is 17,000 acres of contiguous, undeveloped land, with more than 9 miles of Mississippi River frontage.

A dock and rail feasibility study funded by the AEDC, the Baton Rouge Area Chamber and the Louisiana Economic Development Department also has been completed.

The next step would be a massive marketing campaign, but it's time to regroup with landowners, AEDC officials said at their second-quarter board meeting Wednesday.

The letters of intent a majority of the landowners signed earlier "wasn't a stringent document, but indicated their interest in working with us," said Dwight Poirrier, the chairman of the AEDC board.

Most of those documents have expired, he said.

"You don't have anything unless you get the land locked down," Poirrier said.

"Hopefully, we'll be able to get a more binding agreement" from landowners, with more information on per-acre prices they'd consider, said Kate MacArthur, president and CEO of the AEDC.

Poirrier said after the meeting with landowners, scheduled for July 10, the AEDC will have a better idea of whether the pursuit of a Riverplex Mega-Park on the west bank of the parish "is a viable use of our resources and our partners' resources."

Also at the board meeting Wednesday, MacArthur said the AEDC, which works to promote and assist business development in the parish, is working with several active projects looking to come to Ascension Parish.

They include an approximately $500 million phase III of a production facility in Geismar; a new $1 million project by an existing major employer in Geismar and a potential $100 million additional unit for a current Geismar manufacturer.

Follow Ellyn Couvillion on Twitter, @EllynCouvillion.

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

Posted: at 11:23 pm

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

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

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

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

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

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

In orbit

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

Astro printing (Barry Wilmore/NASA)

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

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

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

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

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

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Belarus’ drive for peaceful space exploration underlined – Belarus News (BelTA)

Posted: at 11:23 pm

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Space Matter: The Trouble with Spacesuits – Paste Magazine

Posted: at 11:23 pm

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Top photo by NASA

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

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Space Matter: The Trouble with Spacesuits - Paste Magazine

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