Monthly Archives: August 2021

Computer-generated view depicts part of Mars at the boundary between darkness and daylight(REUTERS/NASA/JPL-Caltech/Handout via Reuters)

To kick-start Mars exploration, use a money prize to incentivize enterprise.

Americas public-sector space program recently had a rough couple of weeks that perfectly exemplify why it desperately needs a free-market overhaul.

On July 29, the International Space Station (ISS) suffered a serious loss of control after a Russian spacecraft docked with it, accidentally causing the station to make a full 540-degree rotation and a half before coming to a stop upside down, when the astronauts got it under control.

Like most NASA programs, the ISS is massively over budget. Costs were initially projected at $12.2 billion, but the bill ultimately reached a stunning $150 billion. American taxpayers paid around 84 percent of that. What happened to the American dream of human space exploration? Put simply, the government happened. NASA devolved into a jobs program to bring home the space bacon.

Then, on August 10, NASAs inspector general released a report deeming plans to send astronauts back to the moon in 2024 unfeasible because of significant delays in developing the missions spacesuits. Right now the suits are being built by 27 different companies that successfully lobbied the government for a piece of the action. SpaceXs Elon Musk has rightly noted that NASA has too many cooks in the kitchen. The difference between NASAs cumbersome designed-by-committee suits and SpaceXs suits created by a single contractor is remarkable, even to the naked eye.

The report unconvincingly blames NASAs failure to develop a new spacesuit over the last 14 years solely on shifting technical requirements. It recommends ensuring technical requirements for the next-generation suits are solidified before selecting the acquisition strategy to procure suits for the ISS and Artemis programs.

Instead of dealing with the problem, the Biden administration is trying to distract attention from the space agencys mismanagement by announcing plans to land the first person of color on the moon . . . even though NASA has been incapable of sending astronauts of any color into space under its own power since July 2011. NASA has been reduced to begging the Russians for a ride. The agencys troubled Constellation program, meant to replace the Space Shuttle fleet, was canceled after tens of billions of dollars had already been spent.

But NASAs troubles are, depressingly, likely to get even worse.

In November the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will finally launch, after taxpayers have forked over $9.7 billion. It was originally supposed to launch in 2007 on a budget of $500 million. That means the project is over a decade behind schedule and costing almost 20 times its initial budget. Perhaps the telescope, meant to locate potentially habitable planets around other stars and perhaps even extraterrestrial life, could instead search for a calendar . . . or fiscal sanity . . . in the stars?

JWST isnt the first NASA space telescope to suffer cost overruns and setbacks. The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) was originally intended to launch in 1983, but technical issues delayed the launch until 1990 because the main mirror was incorrectly manufactured.

JWST is very likely to fail because it is supposed to unfold itself origami style in space in an extremely technically complicated process. If difficulties arise, JWST lacks HSTs generous margin for error because of its location far beyond earths orbit at the Sun-Earth L2 LaGrange point. NASA currently lacks the capability to send a team of astronauts out that far to fix any problems. Even if NASA could get out to JWST, the telescope doesnt have a grappling ring for an astronaut to grab onto and thus could potentially kill astronauts attempting to fix it.

It is hard to imagine a better example of the private sectors amazing ability to outcompete government bureaucracy and mismanagement than NASAs planned Shuttle replacement, the Space Launch System. It is estimated to cost more than $2 billion per flight. Thats on top of the $20 billion and nine years the agency has already spent developing the vehicle. Contrast that with the comparatively inexpensive $300 million spent by SpaceX to develop the Falcon 9 in a little over four years, and the fact that each Falcon 9 costs around $62 million. One SLS launch could pay for over 32 SpaceX launches.

Private ventures such as SpaceX are more efficient because they have a lot more incentive to avoid excessive costs and focus on solutions: Their own money is at stake, and people spend their own money more carefully than they spend taxpayer dollars collected from others. Multiple private American space firms are currently pursuing accomplishments beyond those of NASA, and they are more advanced and ambitious than the entire government space programs of China and the European Union combined. So one possible solution to NASAs woes would be to greatly increase its reliance on commercial launch providers. And one way to do that would be to return to the system that made civil aviation great: prizes to reward private-sector innovation.

Charles Lindbergh flew across the Atlantic Ocean in pursuit of the privately funded Orteig prize, valued at almost $395,000 in todays money. Another famous example was the X Prize, which rewarded Burt Rutans company Scaled Composites with over $14 million in todays money for becoming the first nongovernmental organization to launch a reusable and manned space vehicle, SpaceShipOne. The X Prize succeeded in creating over $100 million in investment by private corporations and individuals.

Aerospace experts expect that establishing a $10 billion prize for successfully landing a crew on Mars and returning it safely to earth could very well lead to a successful landing. Thats a bargain compared with the $500 billion cost estimates NASA puts out for the same objective. And of course in the worst-case failure scenario for a prize program, taxpayers would pay nothing until the mission was complete. A system based on private enterprise incentivized by a fixed prize would end government cost overruns and waste.

The cause of space exploration is simply too important to leave to the public sector.

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Private Firms Are the Key to Space Exploration - National Review

BLUE BELL/POTTSTOWN Once their feet were planted firmly back on the ground after having reached a comfortable cruising altitude of about 1,300 feet, twin brother and sister Zoe and Zaire Gryga, of Norristown, shared their thoughts on their first time ever flying in an airplane.

It was awesome, said Zoe. I want to go again. The turns made me nervous. I thought I was going to fall out.

It was cool, said Zaire. My favorite part was when the pilot went up and down.

The two rising sixth-graders at Eisenhower Middle School in Norristown were among a group of 31 children who took flights inside a single-engine airplane flown by pilots from the EAA Chapter 1250at KPTW - Heritage Field Airport in Pottstown on July 29.

Campers also learned about aviation and aircraft by talking to pilots and aircraft owners. The trip was organized as part of Janets Planet STEAM/Astronaut Academy Summer Camp hosted by Montgomery County Community College.

MCCCs Cultural Affairs Department hosted Janets Planet during the weeks of July 19-23 and July 26-30 for youth ages 7-14. Each day, the campers experienced a new mission with expert guests from the scientific community, conducted experiments and learned about science and space.

MCCC collaborates with Janet Ivey to bring these educational, enriching summer camps to the communitys youth. Janets Planet presentations have been a favorite of Montgomery County Community Colleges Young Arts Explorer Series for numerous years as part of the Lively Arts Series.

Ivey, an award-winning science educator, is the creator and CEO of Janets Planet, a dynamic series that focuses on science, space, history and exploration. The series, which aired on 140+ public television stations nationwide, has won 12 Regional Emmys and five Gracie awards. She also serves as the president of Explore Mars, is an active NASA JPL Solar System Ambassador and serves on the Board of Governors for the National Space Society.

Ivey said shes always amazed at how much campers know about space exploration and science at the beginning of each camp but the focus is on educating children to be the best version of themselves.

The best kind of astronauts are kind and compassionate, she said. And goodness and compassion is what makes people great.

Iain Campbell, program coordinator for MCCCs Cultural Affairs, praised Iveys connections to the NASA community, by having astronauts and related guests talk to campers virtually.

Space has so many possibilities and its what engages kids imaginations, said Campbell. They talk about this being a STEM camp, science, technology, engineering and math, and its all of those things. But its also imagination. And getting that collective want to do something. Shes really great at tapping into that. Its a lot of hands-on activities and what educators would call active learning.

Children who attend the Janets Planet Astronaut Academy have the opportunity each year to visit the U.S. Space and Rocket Centerin Huntsville, Ala., for a weeklong experience there. Former campers-turned-volunteers Alexander Kreitz, 15, of Blue Bell, and Sachita Upadhya, 14, from Plymouth Meeting, were selected to go this year.

Alexander, a rising sophomore at Souderton Area High School, attended Janets Planet during the summer of 2019 and was scheduled to visit the space museum last summer. Due to the pandemic, the experience was put on hold until this past June. In the meantime, last year he volunteered for Ivey during an online version of Janets Planet.

It really actually kind of paved my way to meeting a lot of people in the STEM community, he said. Without having joined the camp, without having met Ms. Janet, I probably wouldnt be anywhere near where I am right now.

Sachita, a rising freshman at Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School, likewise, credits Ivey for helping make last summers quarantine a little brighter through the online camp.

It was like the best five days of the whole summer, she said. She sent all of the materials home. We got to build bristle robots, parachutes with our own materials and we got to build fizzy rockets and videotape it and send it over to Ms. Janet.

Ivey praised both students for their leadership during camp and intelligence.

Both of them are such incredible minds, said Ivey. Alex will probably be making the rocket propulsion systems to go to Mars and beyond. And Sachita will be the astronaut on there.

Janets Planet is just an example of how MCCC continues to lead the way in innovative, STEM-based, educational experiences for students. Earlier this year, the college announced the official launchof The Challenger Learning Center at Montco in Pottstown.

The first of its kind in Pennsylvania, this state-of-the-art classroom at Pottstown Campus will allow students to explore the far reaches of space, engage in hands-on learning and pursue careers in high-demand fields.The Challenger Learning Center is expected to open in fall 2021 inside MCCCs Sustainability and Innovation Hub building.

Beyond Challenger Center Missions, the facility will host summer camp programs, elementary school programs, professional development, teacher training, corporate missions, and more. To learn more, visit Challenger Center or email challenger@mc3.edu.

For more information about Janets Planet, visit MCCCs landing pageathttps://www.mc3.edu/for-the-community/summer-camps/janets-planet-steam-space-camp.

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Janets Planet Astronaut Academy inspires a love of air travel and space exploration - The Times Herald

THIS PAST APRIL marked 60 years since Soviet cosmonautYuri Gagarin became the first human in space, successfully circling the Earth aboard Vostok 1 and changing history forever.

The USSR-US space race is credited with advancing technologies and furthering our understanding of space but some six decades later, what can we expect the future of space exploration to look like?

The pace of advancement has already begun to increase thanks to falling costs, new technologies, and more nations entering the fray such as China and India. Entrepreneurs and companies have also emerged many working in connection with national agencies that are promising to provide new tourism options and better communications.

Already, there is talk of establishing mining and fueling outposts on the Moon, Mars and beyond but where would you like the future of space exploration to head?

Should we move away from commercial space exploration to a joined-up approach among nation-states? Or do you think the current model helps fuel competition?

Are you concerned about the growing amount of space debris in our orbit? And now that space tourism is closer to becoming a reality would you like to go yourself?

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Share your ideas in the comments below or reach out to us onFacebook or Whatsapp.Well use your responses to guide our output on this topic.

As part of The Good Information Project, were looking to find out where do Ireland and the EU fit into the current space race. Whether youre an amateur astronomer, an expert in the field, curious about the future of space exploration, or anything in between, we want to hear from you.

This work is co-funded by Journal Media and a grant programme from the European Parliament. Any opinions or conclusions expressed in this work is the authors own. The European Parliament has no involvement in nor responsibility for the editorial content published by the project. For more information, see here.

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Open thread: What should be a priority in space exploration? - TheJournal.ie

Bangalore Watch Company has grown through the years with exciting watch models to its name. The company doesnt sky from experimenting with celebratory timepieces; it has options like the MACH 1 inspired by the Indian Air Force and the Cover Drive watch designed to celebrate the story of Indian Cricket in the ranks already.

Bangalore Watch Company is now adding a new series dubbed the Apogee, which is designed to celebrate five decades of the Indian space program. The collection starts at under $1000 and is a futuristic watch that made to make some heads turn in awe.

The India-based Bangalore Watch Company is known for telling stories through its watches, and the latest one carries on the tradition by telling the story of the work of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). ISRO has many stories the most commendable of which is the organizations Mars landing in the maiden attempt, which is the first-ever in the world.

A tale of such a fantastic organization is well told in the Apogee. The watch is made from grade 2 aluminum in a construction process called unibody, which comprises two distinct pieces the case and the caseback. The 40mm case and crown of the Apogee are treated with micro-bead blasted finishing for the darker appearance of the watch.

The fum effect watch dial which mimics the space theme is graced with rhodium-plated indices and hands and filled with Super-LumiNova. The watch feature a bi-directional rotating bezel which functions as the second time zone and it operated using a screw-down crown at 2 oclock.

The company logo sits under 12 oclock while the date window is at 6 oclock. Slightly above which is the longitude-latitude position of Sriharikota, ISROs satellite launch center in Andhra Pradesh.

The Apogee is powered by the Swiss Sellita SW200 movement, which offers 38 hours of power reserve. The watch has a screwed on caseback that like most other Bangalore Watch Company watches depicts a story. The caseback features 3D-embossed satellite orbiting the Earth, an image of Aryabhatta first Indian indigenous satellite along with text celebrating five decades of Indian Space Exploration.

The Apogee comes in three dial variations called the Horizon (blue dial), Supernova (green dial) and Deepspace (gray dial). There is also a special edition batch of Meteorite dial called the Extraterrestrial. The watches are water-resistant to 100m and come on a black leather strap with titanium buckle.

The price for these watches starts at $925 (INR 68,600). The pre-orders for the Apogee collection were opened on August 15, which is ISROs founders day also. The watches will be available globally starting November this year.

See the article here:

Apogee by Bangalore Watch Company celebrates fifty years of Indian space exploration - dlmag

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has announced that it has successfully demonstrated the operation of a rotating detonation engine for the first time in space. The novelty of the technologies in question is that such systems obtain a large amount of thrust by using much less fuel compared to conventional rocket engines, which is quite advantageous for space exploration.

On July 27, the Japanese agency launched a pair of futuristic propulsion systems into space to carry out the first tests. They were launched from the Uchinoura Space Center aboard the S-520-31, a single-stage rocket capable of lofting a 220 lbs (100 kg) payload well above 186 miles (300 km). After recovering the rocket from the ocean, the JAXA team of engineers analyzed the data and confirmed the success of the mission, which put the new system at an estimated altitude of (146 miles) 234.9 km.

The rotating detonation engine uses a series of controlled explosions that travel around an annular channel in a continuous loop. This process generates a large amount of super-efficient thrust coming from a much smaller engine using significantly less fuel which also means sending less weight on a space launch. According to JAXA, it has the potential to be a game-changer for deep space exploration.

The rocket began the test demonstrations after the first stage separated, burning the rotating detonation engine for six seconds, while a second pulse detonation engine operated for two seconds on three occasions. The pulse engine uses detonation waves to combust the fuel and oxidizer mixture.

When the rocket was recovered after the demonstration, it was discovered that the rotary engine produced about 500 Newtons of thrust, which is only a fraction of what conventional rocket engines can achieve in space.

According to JAXA engineers, the successful in-space test has greatly increased the possibility that the detonation engine will be used in practical applications, including in rocket motors for deep space exploration, first-stage, and two-stage engines, and more. The engines could indeed allow us to travel deep into space using a fraction of the fuel and weight, which will be critical in interplanetary journeys.

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Japan tests rotating detonation engine for the first time in space - Inceptive Mind

NASAs Advanced Exploration Systems division has announced that 10 proposals led by early career employees at eight NASA centers have been selected for two-year projects that will enable new capabilities for deep space human exploration.

Teams submitted proposals to Project Polaris, a new initiative to help NASAs workforce meet the challenges of sending humans to the Moon and Mars. Project Polaris seeks to fill high-priority capability gaps on deep space missions likeArtemis, and introduce new technologies into human exploration flight programs. The program also aims to create opportunities for early career employees across NASA centers to gain experience building and testing flight hardware while developing technologies and reducing risk for future human exploration missions.

Two of the selections came from Marshall Space Flight Center.

The Bioremediation of Microgravity Biofilms and Water Processor Health proposal is led by J.P. Wilson and includes three early career employees. Robust life support systems, especially those that operate without the need for component replacement during a mission, are necessary for continued human space exploration. However, one of the main issues is the risk of biofouling and clogging.

Similar to the gene drive approaches to stop the spread of the Zika virus, this team proposes developing methods that cause the splitting of essential genes for biofilm formation. Results from ground testing will be compared to results in microgravity, and then compared to other technologies.

The Data Planning and Control Tool proposal is led by Mason Hall and includes six early career employees. As NASA missions and technologies evolve, ground operations will move away from 24/7 manual support, emphasizing the importance of autonomy in ground operations.

The tool will automate planning by merging telemetry, flight control, and procedures into a seamless interface for mission operators. It will also reduce workload, lower the risk for human errors, and provide modularity across programs, such as Gateway and Lunar Surface Ops.

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Deep space human exploration gets proposed boost | Technology Today | theredstonerocket.com - Theredstonerocket

Brittany Cronin/Brittany Cronin

Brittany Cronin/Brittany Cronin

Space travel is in the news lately, with individuals like Jeff Bezos going on rocket ships. With all that chatter, a decade-old question resurfaces again. Who owns the moon, the other planets, and space in general?

Christopher Lamar is the CEO of the Lunar Embassy. His father claimed the ownership of the moon and all of the solar system planets and Pluto four decades ago, using the space treaty from United Nations and the U.S. Homestead Act. Since then, millions of people bought stakes of the moon and other planets.

In addition to the Lunar Embassy, NASA is also getting involved in space ownership. The government agency signed contracts with space exploration companies to collect lunar "dirt" for a small amount of money. Journalist Atossa Araxia Abrahamian says NASA's goal is to establish a precedent for property laws in space.

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The Lunar Real Estate Market, What You Can Get And Is It Legal? : Planet Money : The Indicator from Planet Money - NPR

The creator of Star Trek once said humanity must appreciate its own differences before its ready to meet aliens, who will undoubtedly be more diverse than what we find on Earth.

The whole show was an attempt to say that humanity will reach maturity and wisdom on the day that it begins not just to tolerate but to take a special delight in differences in ideas and differences in life forms, Gene Roddenberry said in 1976. We tried to say that the worst possible thing that can happen to all of us is for the future to somehow press us into a common mold where we begin to act and talk and look and think alike.

Star Trek and its spinoffs were (and are) about space exploration: to boldly go where no man has gone before. But in many ways, the show sought to inspire a better future. Star Trek: The Original Series aired in the late 60s with characters that included an African American woman, a Russian man and a man of Japanese heritage. One episode became famous for its interracial kiss.

BATTLE OF THE BILLIONAIRES: Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos' space race is heating up, and Texas gets a front-row seat

This representation during the civil rights movement and not long after the Cuban Missile Crisis was ahead of its time.

Roddenberry, who was born in El Paso, died of a heart attack in 1991. He was 70.

Thursday would have been his 100th birthday. To celebrate, NASA used its Deep Space Network of radio antennas to broadcast Roddenberrys 1976 remarks toward star system 40 Eridani, which is home to the planet Vulcan in the Star Trek universe.

NASA also aired a prerecorded virtual discussion where Roddenberrys son Rod Roddenberry, Star Trek actor George Takei (he played Sulu) and a group of NASA employees discussed how Star Trek had inspired them and how the agency could continue advancing the shows vision by improving its diversity.

What Star Trek has always been about, you guys are doing it for real, Rod Roddenberry said. Not just going into space and not just getting people into space. Star Trek was more than just sci-fi. It was about humanitys future.

NASA employee Tracy Drain was raised on sci-fi because her mom used to watch Star Trek with her sisters. Nyota Uhura, the African American character portrayed by actress Nichelle Nichols in Star Trek: The Original Series, looked like one of her moms sisters.

Drain liked the idea of humans exploring different places. At NASA, shes a flight systems engineer for Europa Clipper, designed to travel to Jupiters icy moon, Europa, and investigate whether it could have conditions suitable for life.

Swati Mohan, lead for the guidance, navigation and controls operations on the Mars 2020 mission that sent a rover to the Red Planet, also watched Star Trek as a kid. She enjoyed how each episode took what she knew about the universe and turned it upside down. She realized theres more out there than humanity can comprehend.

However, she said NASA needs diverse mindsets and thoughts to solve some of its biggest challenges. That requires a pipeline of diverse students.

Diversity in the science, technology, engineering and math pipeline is nowhere near as equal as it could be, Mohan said.

Curating a future pipeline thats diverse will require the agency to increase its diversity today, said Hortense Diggs, director of the Office of Communications and Public Engagement at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. She said NASA needs to attract a more diverse workforce now because people are inspired by other people who look like them.

DINO KILLER: Researchers identify source of dinosaur-killing asteroid

And its not as if these people dont exist. She said there are people from diverse backgrounds who majored in STEM fields, and there is no excuse for why NASA has been unable to attract them.

For whatever reason, we are not being creative enough to go get them and bring them to us, Diggs said, so that we can then inspire future generations to follow in our steps. Its something that we have to be intentional and work hard and dont give up on doing it.

NASA astronaut Jonny Kim recalled having a picture of the Apollo 11 astronauts over his bed. Yet Kim didnt think he could become an astronaut.

When we dont see someone that we can relate with in the places we want to be or the things that were striving to do, we just dont think about doing it, Kim said. Its just the way it is.

He said NASA strives toward that representation and to do bold things and to do them together.

In an interview with the Houston Chronicle, Rod Roddenberry described his father as someone who lived intellectually in the future.

Gene Roddenberry could look to the past and consider previous societal faux pas that were acceptable in his present day, his son said. Then he could look to the future and think about what uncomfortable present-day controversies would be acceptable in the next 100 years.

He put white, Black and Asian characters together because, in his future, they would work side by side without any issues.

Regarding todays tensions around issues such as race and sexuality, Rod Roddenberry believes his father would have acknowledged societys improvements and recognized that theres still a long way to go.

He would often say that we are a child species. Were in our adolescence, and when youre kids you always fight and you do dumb things, Rod Roddenberry said. But eventually we are going to grow up, and one day were going to be spectacular.

andrea.leinfelder@chron.com

twitter.com/a_leinfelder

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'Star Trek' was a beacon for space travel - and for diversity - Houston Chronicle

Earlier this month, the US space agency Nasa began accepting applications for four posts of volunteers. The unusual job profile involves living in a simulated Mars environment on Earth for a yearin Mars Dune Alpha, a 1,700 sq. ft Martian habitat, created using a 3D printer, and located inside a building at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.

The idea is to prepare for a Mars mission. These volunteers will work in a simulated Martian exploration mission: experiencing everything from spacewalks, limited communication with home, ready-to-eat space food and resources to equipment failures. The space agency is planning three such experiments, with the first one starting in fall next year, according to an Associated Press report.

Also read: How is life on the International Space Station? Ask an astronaut

If there is anyone who knows what its going to be like, its 20-year-old Akshat Mohite from Maharashtra. An astronaut in training, Mohite is one of the few people in the world to have participated in a citizen-science astronautics training programme with Project PoSSUM, or Polar Suborbital Science in the Upper Mesosphere.

The programme is associated with the US-based International Institute for Astronautical Sciences (IIAS) that specialises in operational science, flight test engineering and bioastronautics. Kellie Gerardi, the American science communicator who is set to travel to space through Richard Bransons Virgin Galactic, is one of the popular names associated with Project PoSSUM.

Next year, Mohite hopes to take forward his training with PoSSUM and IIAS by undertaking the advanced egress and post-landing space suit evaluation course, also known as BIO 104.

Project PoSSUM, which is also supported by Nasa through its flight opportunities programme, offers individuals a unique chance to train like a citizen-science astronaut. The month-long programme Mohite took part in in 2019 is called Astronautics, or AST 101he did everything from G-force training in an Extra 300 aircraft to understanding the effects of low oxygen on our body at certain altitudes, Mohite says on the phone.

To participate, Mohite explains, an individual needs medical clearance and certifications, including one from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation in India and the Federal Aviation Administration in the US. Mohite also has the mandatory scuba-diving certification from PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors).

The PoSSUM Scientist Astronaut programme that Mohite completed is focused on suborbital noctilucent cloud science missions. Noctilucent clouds are the highest in Earths atmosphere and are of special interest to researchers because they are sensitive to both global climate change and to solar or terrestrial influences. They were first recorded in 1885. In the years since, both satellite and ground-based observations have indicated that these clouds have become more frequent, and brighter.

The PoSSUM Scientist Astronaut programme that Mohite completed is focused on suborbital noctilucent cloud science missions (Courtesy: Project PoSSUM)

Scientists now know that these clouds are sensitive indicators of what is going on in the atmosphere at higher altitudes. These clouds in the mesosphere are really opaque, says Mohite, who calls this the scientific part of his training. Our mission is totally related to noctilucent cloud tomography, studying their composition and how they are formed. All this information about these clouds plays a major role during the re-entry of a space vehicle, he adds.

Astronautics training is physically tough. The hypoxia awareness and mitigation training, for example, sees the candidates go into a vacuum chamber with low levels of oxygen. Three individuals participate in this test at a time; they must be seated and follow instructions to fly a computerised aircraft simulation. The idea behind this test is to see if you are receptive and following instructions correctly even with a lack of oxygen, Mohite explains. You have to work as a team here. It does get tough towards the end when the pressure is stabilisedyour ears start hurting.

The other physically taxing activity involves space suit donning and doffing training, where an individual gets into a pressurised intra-vehicular spacesuit. Once its pressurised, you practise physical movements and operate a spacecraft simulator. Its almost like locomotor training, explains Mohite, who travelled to Melbourne and Daytona, in Florida, during training.

It was in school that Mohite decided he wanted to be a scientist. He enjoyed chemistry and physics and developed an interest in space exploration, spurred by his father Avinash. In 2018, he submitted a research paper to the Nasa Ames Centre on space settlements.

Today, he is studying mechanical engineering at the AP Shah Institute of Technology in Thane, Maharashtra, and is the chief technology officer for Spaceonova, a Mumbai-based space educational startup founded in 2020. Planning real-life analogue missions, Mohite is currently working with citizen-science astronauts around the world, as well as the Colorado-based company Space Nation, to plan a mission in 2022, with Ireland or the Utah desert in the US as possible locations. He is unwilling to say much about the project as of now.

As Nasa plans for Mars, Mohite too is dreaming big. Hoping to work with the Indian Space Research Organisation one day soon, he says: I want to become the first Indian to be launched in space from Indian soil. I am working towards that.

Also read: From Richard Branson to Jeff Bezos, space tourism takes flight

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What does it take to be a citizen-science astronaut? - Livemint