Category Archives: Space Travel

A bottle of red wine that spent more than a year in space could end up being the most expensive wine ever sold.

Christie's is selling a bottle of Ptrus 2000 that was aged for 14 months aboard the International Space Station (ISS) before returning to Earth in January. And the British auction house estimates will ultimately fetch a price "in the region of $1 million."

That would make the space-aged vintage the most expensive bottle of wine ever sold. (The current record for a single bottle of wine came in 2018, when anonymous buyers paid $558,000 for a bottle of 1945 Romanee-Conti French Burgandy, sold by Sotheby's.)

A bottle of wine from Chateau Ptrus, a winery in France's Bordeaux region, from the year 2000 typically fetches more than $7,000, according to Wine-Searcher. And whoever buys the space-aged wine will also receive a bottle of the same vintage of Ptrus 2000 that was aged on Earth, in order to compare differences in how the two taste.

A dozen bottles of the Ptrus 2000 spent 14 months aging in zero-gravity aboard the ISS, orbiting the Earth while traveling 17,000 miles per hour. They were placed on the ISS by European research company Space Cargo Unlimited with the aim of studying the effects of space travel on the wine-aging process.

In March, a panel of wine experts and oenologists assembled by the Institute of Vine and Wine Sciences in Bordeaux conducted a taste test of the space-aged bottles of Ptrus 2000 that are not being sold. They compared the space-aged wines to bottles of the same vintage that had been aged on Earth, finding distinct differences in the wines' taste, color and aroma.

One panelist, a correspondent from Decanter magazine named Jane Anson, even said in March that the space-aged wine tasted as if it had been aged for two to three years longer than the wine aged on Earth.

The experts called the space-aged wine "great," according to Christie's, with the auction house writing in a blog post that some of the panelists said the space-aged wine's flavor "resembled rose petals, and that it smelled like cured leather or a campfire, and shone with a burnt-orange luster."

Meanwhile, bottles of Ptrus 2000 aged on Earth are typically known for having tasting notes of smoke, blackberries, cherries, licorice, and truffles, according to Wine.com.

Space biologist Michael Labert told website euronews that difference in taste happens at least in part because a particular reaction during the wine aging process on Earth, called convection, does not happen at zero gravity.

Space Cargo Unlimited, which also sent hundreds of wine grape vines along for the trip, hopes the experiment will aid research into the maturation process of wine, including how wine and grape vines adapt to new conditions. According to Christie's, the group found that the grape vines actually grew faster in space than on Earth, despite less access to light and water.

"It will be hugely exciting to see the data on how zero gravity, changing temperatures, humidity and radiation have affected the wine on a molecular level," Tim Triptree, the international director of Christie's Wine & Spirits Department, said in a statement. "And who knows, perhaps this will be the beginning of cosmic viticulture, or even a Martian Merlot."

Indeed, Space Cargo Unlimited says it will use the proceeds of the sale of the space-aged wine bottle to fund future space missions and additional research into how zero-gravity and low-gravity conditions affect agriculture and viticulture (the cultivation of grapes, specifically). The company says hopes to discover how to grow grape vine varietals that are more resistant to changes in climate and other growing conditions, as a way of "reinventing the future of agriculture" at a time when climate change is affecting growing conditions on Earth.

The wine will also come with a decanter, glasses and a corkscrew crafted from a meteorite, all of which is presented in a custom trunk handcrafted by Parisian art house Les Ateliers Victor that features celestial designs, including a miniature solar system.

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A bottle of wine aged in space could sell for $1 million how and why it tastes different than Earth-bound wine - CNBC

A mothership that emits power with a laser beam to manipulate a probe craft in deep space. A robot that extends its arms to climb in Martian caverns and grasp objects.

Sigrid Close and Marco Pavone. (Image credit: L.A. Cicero/Rod Searcey)

These are innovations you might expect to see in a science fiction movie one where the hero embarks on interplanetary travel across the solar system. But they are also are visionary ideas from the minds of Stanford University researchers that have already received funding from the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Program.

As 2021 NIAC fellows, Sigrid Close and Marco Pavone both associate professors of aeronautics and astronautics are being given the chance to prove the feasibility of their inventive concepts, known as SCATTER and ReachBot. Close and Pavone are among 14 other NIAC Phase I recipients who are receiving $125,000 to fund nine-month studies on their research ideas. Though their ideas might seem out of this world, should they succeed, theyd drastically impact space exploration.

Over the course of her funding, Close is working on proving her concept SCATTER, which stands for Sustained CubeSat/CHIPSat Activity Through Transmitted Electromagnetic Radiation. The idea is that a spaceship on a mission to deep space will be able to power and control a probe with a transmitter.

SCATTER focuses on a mission to Uranus, but according to Closes collaborator Nicolas Lee, a research engineer in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, it can be applied to other deep space missions as well.

Illustration of mothership and probe subsystems in the SCATTER concept. (Image credit: Sigrid Close)

In general, small spacecraft have been powered by either solar or batteries, said Lee. But on a mission to a planet far out in the solar system, like Uranus, using the Suns rays isnt feasible. In terms of the other options with batteries, you have limited life so you can use that for very short-term missions.

By beaming a laser from the mothercraft onto a probe, which can then convert the energy from the laser into electrical energy, the team believes they can sustain long-term missions, especially with small, low mass probes.

A few years ago, we started thinking, Well, were always talking about protecting satellites from the space environment, said Close. Then, they wondered, What if we can harness some of that energy?

Even though its different from how it started, we started looking at different ways to power spacecraft using the space environment and then just kind of extended it from there, she explained.

In the coming months, Close and Lee will be working on figuring out how small and simple they can make the deployable spacecraft so that they can use the laser to not only power the spacecraft but communicate and control pointing with it.

According to Lee, the funding they receive will really allow the researchers to explore the mission concept side of SCATTER.

Its an honor, said Close. Im really grateful to NASA and the NIAC committee for giving us this opportunity.

When asked about the inspiration behind ReachBot, Andrew Bylard, a graduate student in aeronautics and astronautics who works in Pavones lab, is quick to cite an unlikely couple: Spider-Man villain Doctor Octopus and lovable Star Wars sidekick BB-8.

The idea of ReachBot was born from this kind of technological gap that exists in robotics today, said Stephanie Schneider, who is also pursuing her PhD in aeronautics and astronautics while a member of Pavones lab.

In microgravity environments like the International Space Station or when climbing under gravity on Mars or the moon, crawling robots have to grab anchor points to move and manipulate objects without floating away or falling. If anchor points are few and far between, the robots are limited by how far they can reach.

ReachBot increases its reach using extendable booms, which extend out from its sides, like measuring tape. The booms can be rolled up compactly and, when unrolled, they are sturdy cylinders with lightweight grippers on the ends which can grab objects, be used to anchor the bot to a certain point or push off of surfaces like a leg to move ReachBot around.

One compelling use for a bot like this is the exploration of Mars. While the Mars rovers are great at rolling along the surface, ReachBot would be capable of climbing on cliffs and through caves.

Right now, the team is in the early stages of working on a hardware prototype of the bot. Over the course of their NIAC Phase I funding, they plan to focus on proving the feasibility of ReachBot concept, including working with mechanical engineering professor Mark Cutkosky and geological sciences professor Mathieu Laptre to design new lightweight spiny grippers and to refine the science objectives for a climbing mission on Mars.

The biggest challenge to overcome will be working on the motion and maneuvering of ReachBots arms. But the rewards for a robot that masters mobile manipulation under such challenging gravity restraints are high.

The ultimate pay-off for space robotics is really to enable your science, said Pavone.

Not all NIAC fellows make it past Phase I. The projects are often described as high-risk, high-reward: ideas that may seem technologically out-there, but should they succeed, theyd have a huge impact on space exploration.

I think its really important that, as a community, we fund these kinds of cutting-edge ideas and take those risks, said Close, whose concept for a small satellite to characterize asteroid surfaces received NIAC Phase I funding in 2018.

Pavone, who was previously awarded a NIAC Phase I fellowship in 2011 for his concept of a hopping robot for navigating on asteroids and comets, thinks its important to have a different outlook on what failure means.

Even if we fail or in general one of these concepts fails typically what happens is that during the process you discover some other things, or some parts of the concept that you develop could be useful for other purposes, said Pavone.

So yeah, many of these concepts fail in the sense that the precise proposed mission is often never flown but if you look at the broader picture, I would actually argue that most of the concepts succeed.

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Bringing sci-fi concepts to real space exploration | Stanford News - Stanford University News

HOUSTON (CW39) When NASA Astronaut Jeff Williams looks up at the sky, he sees more than just bright stars. He sees his incredible past. He is one of less than 250 people on the planet, that have been to the International Space Station. Going just once is a remarkable accomplishment. But, he has been more than once, and is no stranger to accomplishing remarkable things.

Hes a retired U.S. Army Veteran Officer, he trained as a test pilot, and even served as commander of the NEEMO 3 mission aboard the Aquarius underwater laboratory, both living and working underwater for six days. With NASA, he has also been on numerous missions and spent hundreds of days in outer space.

CW39 Anchor Sharron Melton sits down to talk with Jeff Williams. In part one of her interview they talk about so many new projects and plans being made for NASA. They talk about what its like seeing everything thats happening with NASA. The Mars Rover Perseverance and Ingenuity Helicopter, and partnerships with Space X taking new Astronauts to the International Space Station, and more, keep NASA moving to the next frontier.

In Part two, Williams shares what he thinks this all means for NASA and the world.

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Veteran NASA Astronaut Jeff Williams talks about the future of space travel, Mars, and a Woman on the Moon - CW39

The majestic Milky Way above the four domes of the Very Large Telescope. Credit: John Colosimo (colosimophotography.com)/ESO

One of the great privileges of my role in external relations at theEuropean Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere(also known as ESO) is to represent the Organisation at the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS). The Committee wasestablished as a permanent bodyof the UN General Assembly in 1959 and developed the Outer Space Treaty, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1967. COPUOS is the only global policy forum at the highest political levels of the UN at which space science, and therefore astronomy, is discussed. One of my goals in attending the Committee is to champion the broader role of astronomyand particularly ground-based astronomyin space exploration.

There are many exciting things happening now in the space domain from SpaceXs and other companies efforts to build large constellations of communications satellites, to NASAs reinvigorated plans to return humans to the Moon. These developments are attracting greater attention from governments and funding agencies, resulting in a boost and possiblyreallocation of fundingto support space exploration and development. While personally I believe that astronomy and other fundamental sciences are justified and important to society on their own merits, its nevertheless important to define and translate these benefits for those policymakers focusing on the immediate goals of developing a space economy. The basic conclusion of this article is that astronomys critical role in space exploration and space issues can be considered as an important spin-off benefit from investment in fundamental astronomy research. Here are five reasons why space agencies and industry should care about astronomy.

1. Astronomy facilities support many critical functions of space exploration and space science.

Did you know that many aspects of space exploration and space capabilities are dependent upon the role of ground-based astronomical observatories? Certain space assets require their three-dimensional position to be known to very high precision. The European Space Agencys (ESA) Gaiasatellite, launched in 2013, is observing over one billion stars in the Milky Way to determine their proper motions and positions. To achieve this astrometry data for target stars requires Gaias velocity to be known to within 2.5 millimetres per second, and its position in the sky to within 150 m a significant challenge given that it operates at 1.5 Million kilometres from Earth! To overcome this challenge, the mission concept included a regular observing campaign by anetwork of optical ground-based telescopes, includingESOs VLT SurveyTelescope (VST) to determine with high precision Gaias location against background stars.

Essential data forspacecraft positions and trajectoriesare also obtained from optical and radio ground-based observatories to determine ephemeridesthe positions of solar system bodies. This involves dedicated observing campaigns of solar system bodies over long periods of time. Similarly, star tracker guidance systems for satellites rely on high precision locations for background stars, which are provided by data from both ground and space observatories. Just recently,ESAannounced the launch contract for its Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE), which includes a further test of thePlanetary Radio Interferometry and Doppler Experiments (PRIDE). This experiment uses Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI): a network of radio telescopes to measure the difference in Doppler shift and signal arrival time from a distance spacecraft to the Earth in order to determine its position very precisely. This gives important information about the trajectory of spacecraft which can be used in turn to inform us about the gravitational field and composition of a planetary body. VLBI is also usedhere on Earthto measure the motions of tectonic plates and provide important validation to satellite global positioning systems.

Another important role of ground-based observatories is to allow detailed characterisation of solar system objects to support space mission design and also to provide complimentary scientific findings. Saturns moon, Titan, wasextensively studied using ground-basedtelescopes prior to and during ESAs Huygens probe landing on the surface. ESOs Very Large Telescope and many others were used tocharacterise Comet 67P/ChuryumovGerasimenkobefore the Rosetta probe arrived with its Philae lander. In addition to this preparatory work, the contribution of ground-based telescopes is crucial to give the context to spacecraft observations. For instance, ground-based observations were able to observe thefull coma of comet 67Pwhile Rosetta was deep within its cloud, collecting exquisitely detailed images of the comets surface.

As the rate of space missions in our solar systems increases, the requirements for ground-based astronavigation and observation will substantially increase. We need a pool of astronomers skilled in the required observational techniques and instrumentation, both to conduct the work of space exploration but also to innovate in the sector. We know that ofteninnovations resultfrom solving challenging observational problems in fundamental astronomical science.

2. The best science requires both space and ground astronomy facilities.

Space and ground assets operate in a synergistic manner, based on each capabilitys complementary strengths. In terms of astronomy and planetary science, space-based observatories are free from the optical disturbances and absorbing properties of Earths atmosphere and can view all wavelengths of light, yet it is usually either impossible or very costly to repair or change instrumentation once they are launched. Consequently, space observatories are generally higher cost and are subject to morestringent design-mission trade-offs. On the other hand, ground-based observatories rely on computer-controlled and laser-assistedadaptive opticssystems to mitigate for the atmospheric turbulence, and cannot see all wavelengths, but their instrumentation packages can be rapidly and flexibly adjusted and maintained to meet new scientific requirements.

Astronomical observations are coordinated between ground and space observatories to provide maximum scientific return by monitoring faint and/or time-sensitive objects, and allowing more rapid deployment of specialist instruments. NASAsKeplerspace mission launched in 2009 observed thousands of stars to detect drops in brightness due to transiting planets orbiting around the star. Each planet candidate requireddetailed follow-up observationfrom ground-based telescopes using specialised instruments to determine whether the light curves may be due to another factor such as a binary star system or variable stellar activity. Similarly, the scientific goals of many otherplanned exoplanet space missionsdepend strongly on the supply of a wide range of ground-based facilities at different wavelengths.

3.Astronomy is an important source of technology and capacity development for a global space economy.

The first way in which many potential scientists and explorers in developing countries experience exploration of the cosmos is through ground-based astronomy, often by using small commercially available telescopes, building and operating small ground-based observing facilities, or using publicly available archive data. This builds capacity, increases the visibility of space as a vehicle for development and often acts as a gateway to develop a national capability in space science. The International Astronomical UnionsOffice for Developmentplays a key role in facilitating this goal. Many of the national delegates from developing countries sitting at the United Nations COPUOS are former astronomers, and the astronomy sector in the country is often one of the driving forces for establishing a space sector.

Astronomy has traditionally been at theforefront of providing open-accessdata, developing techniques and policiesadopted now by other scientific fields. Many observatories provide their data to the public. After a proprietary period for the principal investigators, ESO provides all data taken on its telescope through its publicly-accessiblyESO Science Archive. TheESASkyinitiative is an amazing facility catering to both generalist and specialist uses. With right skill set, anyone in the world can access data and perform research. The UN Office of Outer Space Affairs recently sponsored theOpen Universeinitiative, which raises awareness of the critical role of publicly and globally available data sources for astronomical science.

The development of sensitive astronomical instruments for satellite- and ground-based observatories relies on common technologies in optics, detectors, and cryogenics, and draws from the same pool of technical and scientific expertise.Astronomy capacity is not only relevant to space exploration. The quest to expand our knowledge continually pushes the technical limits of scientific instruments to higher precision, sensitivity and efficiency. This requires a large pool of technological expertise that both feeds and draws from industrial needs. In the case of astronomy, scientific and technical needs generate many industry-relevant and transferable skills in data science, data visualisation, computer programming, mathematics, optics, electronics, mechanics, control systems and energy production and conservation. The need, and ability, to coherently integrate so many different and diverse disciplines is a particular hallmark of astro-technology. Universities are now supporting this synergy through the inclusion of industry skills units in astronomy curricula.

Science and innovation have a beginning: a spark of curiosity about the natural world, or a pressing problem that drives the creation of innovative solutions. Yet science and innovation cannot occur without a technically and scientifically competent mind, and this begins with education. Astronomy and space sciences are important because they attract the attention of, andstimulate interestin, young people all over the world. They are akey driverfor student uptake in academic and industrial science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. Astronomy may be the only scientific field with its own category of public outreach centre the planetarium which takes advantage of the awe-inspiring imagery from the cosmos. Under the guidance of professional scientists, astronomy projects have involved millions of amateurs and a worldwide community, which engages in ambitious and fruitfulcitizen science projects.

4. Astronomers may one day save humanity on Earth, and then the Moon.

From climate change to nuclear war, humankind faces many mostly self-inflicted threats, yet one from which we are completely free from blame is that posed by asteroids or comets, collectively termed near-earth objects (NEO). One only has to look at thehighly cratered surface the Moon, which lacks the protective envelope of the atmosphere, to understand the problem. Earthwill likely be impactedby at least one rocky / iron asteroid of 100 metres in size on thetimescale of 10 millennia, causing devastating regional effects or global tsunamis. Yet given the incomplete knowledge about the local population of NEOs, we dont know exactly when such an impact could occur. Thankfully, due to the work of astronomers we can rest safely.

As a result of the scientific interest about understanding how our solar system formed, planetary scientists and astronomers have studied asteroids and comets. The practical benefit of this study is that we know a great deal about the composition of such objects. Many high profile space missions have visitedasteroidsandcomets. A number of agencies and observatories participate in the UN-mandatedInternational Asteroid Warning Network(IAWN) to detect, track, and physically characterise NEOs to determine which are potentially dangerous to Earth. Another international body, theSpace Missions Planning Advisory Group(SMPAG) works with IAWN but focuses on the planning and future coordination of an international response to a threatening asteroid.

A recent exercise led by theNASA Planetary Defence Officetook advantage of the close approach of the binary asteroid1999 KW4to rehearse the global response to the discovery of a threatening asteroid. A wide variety of optical, infrared, millimetre wave and radio telescopes were used to track and refine the orbit and determine objects chemical and physical composition, includingESOs Very Large Telescope. This exercise andothersbefore it have shown the ability of the worlds astronomy community to collaborate and rapidly characterise a potentially threatening object, providing vital information to space agencies who would be charged with designing a mission to redirect the object. This work is not only important on Earth. If humankind is to create large-scale, permanent settlements on the Moon and then Mars, asteroid monitoring and defence must be a component of these plans, especially asthe Moon(and to some extent, Mars) lacks the relatively thick and protective atmosphere of our home planet.

5. Astronomy has playedand continues to playa foundational role in driving humankinds passion for space exploration.

Humankind has looked to the heavens for millennia in search of meaning and understanding about how the Universe works. The endless frontier of the cosmos has spurred our curiosity to explore and to develop scientific methods to do so, with wide-ranging impacts on our society. Astronomy has given us essential knowledge about the fundamental forces of the Universe in addition to multiple technology spin-offs and a large body of skills and technologies in optics, detectors, radio receivers and communications, which are essential to space travel. There is no reason to doubt that further discoveries from the nature of the solar systems rocky bodies to a fundamental understanding of gravity, will contribute to further possibilities in exploring space. In turn, improved capabilities in space exploration will open the door to new possibilities in astronomical research. A robust human presence on the Moon, for example, would allow foramazing astronomy projects.

After the great astronomer, planetary scientist, and public communicator, Carl Sagan, convinced the operators of the Voyager 1 probe to take a photograph of Earth from six billion kilometres, he distilled the ultimate message of astronomical science in his book, The Pale Blue Dot [1]:

It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-building experience. There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home weve ever known.

As humankind expands throughout the solar system, astronomy will continue to give us a collective knowledge of where we fit in the vastness of the cosmos. Astronomical discoveries have taught us that we are not the centre of the world, that the laws of physics are the same throughout the Universe, that the Universe had a beginning and started with the Big Bang, that our current understanding can only explain approximately 5% of the matter in the Universe, and that there are other planetary systems, some of which include habitable planets. Our notions of time, seasons, nature, navigation, and agriculture originated from close study of celestial objects. Astronomical knowledge about our place in the cosmos has yielded several transformationalparadigm shifts, with sometimes dramatic societal consequences, by giving us an objective picture of our existence, location, and importance.

Building from thousands of years of observations of the heavens from scholars around the world, Galileo, Kepler, Newton, and others developed the first physical explanations underlying the movement of planetary objects, thus laying the foundations for exploration of space. The modern era of astronomy and space science is now culminating with the exploration of worlds outside our own solar system. In the near future, ground and space observatories will be built that allow direct imaging of exoplanets, and detailed analysis of the chemical make up of exoplanet atmospheres, which could yield the answer to the ultimate question are we alone?

As humanity takes its first tentative steps from the comfortable boundary of Earths atmosphere, itis paramount that the global vision for space exploration remains founded in its peaceful scientific origins to understand our surroundings for the purpose of knowledge for all.

Authors note: I am indebted to multiple colleagues from ESO and many other astronomy organisations who provided comments and suggestions. Parts of this work began life as a document I wrote forASTRONETand also anESO statement for the UNISPACE+50event.

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#SpaceWatchGL Opinion: Five reasons why astronomy is important to our future in space. - SpaceWatch.Global

The National Air and Space Museum holds some of the most hallowed objects of the aerial age.

Visitors can marvel at the 1903 Wright Flyer that skimmed over Kitty Hawk, N.C., the bright red Lockheed 5B Vega that Amelia Earhart piloted alone across the Atlantic Ocean and the bell-shaped Friendship 7 capsule that made John H. Glenn Jr. the first American to orbit the Earth.

Now, the museum said, it will display a spacecraft that has flown only onscreen, in an entirely fictional galaxy where good and evil seem locked in eternal battle.

Thats right: An X-wing Starfighter will grace the museums newly renovated building on the National Mall sometime late next year, the museum said on Tuesday, which was celebrated by Star Wars fans as a holiday because it was May 4 (May the 4th be with you).

The Hollywood prop, with a wingspan of 37 feet, appeared in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker in 2019 and is on long-term loan from Lucasfilm, the movies production company.

While air and space purists may grumble about precious exhibition space being turned over to a pretend craft that played no role in advancing actual space travel, the exhibition is not the first time the museum has allied itself with the franchises crowd-pleasing power. In the late 1990s, it presented Star Wars: The Magic of Myth, a show based on the original Star Wars trilogy; that show went on tour across the country.

Despite taking place a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, Star Wars introduced generations of fans here on Earth to outer space as a setting for adventure and exploration, Margaret Weitekamp, the museums space history chairwoman, said in a statement. All air and space milestones begin with inspiration, and science fiction so often provides that spark. She added that the X-wing displayed amid our other spacecraft celebrates the journey from imagination to achievement.

Designed as the nimble fighter that Luke Skywalker used to destroy the Death Star in the original 1977 Star Wars movie, the X-wing was named for the distinctive shape of its strike foils when in attack position, the museum said.

Artists at Industrial Light & Magic, the special-effects studio founded by George Lucas, the movies creator, depicted X-wings and other Star Wars spacecraft with miniatures as well as full-size models and cockpits, enhanced with visual effects, the museum said.

This particular X-wing will undergo conservation also known as cleanup and prep work in the Restoration Hangar at the museums Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va., where it will be visible to the public before it goes on display at the museum next year.

While this will be the first Star Wars prop on long-term display at the museum since the Magic of Myth exhibit in 1997, the museum has also displayed a studio model of the starship Enterprise from the original 1960s Star Trek series as well as a Buzz Lightyear toy, from the animated Toy Story films, that was flown to the International Space Station in 2008.

A photo released by the museum showed the orange X-wing in a hangar next to a real twin-engine bomber, nicknamed Flak-Bait, that survived more than 200 missions over Europe, more than any other existing American aircraft during World War II.

Look whats arrived in the shop for a tune up, the museum said on Twitter. If you see Poe Dameron around, let him know work on his X-wing is coming along nicely, and itll be ready for display soon.

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Smithsonian Will Display Star Wars X-Wing Fighter - The New York Times

A 15,000-foot-long (2.83 miles) runway at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida that used to be the touchdown site for NASA astronauts returning from the International Space Station will soon be used again by a private space company for the first time since NASA retired its space shuttle program.

Nevada-based Sierra Nevada Corporation announced Tuesday that it had entered into a use agreement with Space Florida to land its future space plane Dream Chaser at the Kennedy Space Centers Launch and Landing Facility (LLF). The runwayfacilitated 78 space shuttle missions from 1981 to 2011.

Sierra Nevada has a NASA contract to fly at least six cargo missions to the ISS with Dream Chaser. The maiden flight is expected in early 2022. A Dream Chaser will launch atop a United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur rocket from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, right next door to LLF.

This is a monumental step for both Dream Chaser and the future of space travel, Sierra Nevada CEO Fatih Ozmen said in a statement. To have a commercial vehicle return from the International Space Station to a runway landing for the first time since NASAs space shuttle program ended a decade ago will be a historic achievement.

The use agreement makes Sierra Nevada the first commercial user of Space Floridas Federal Aviation Administration Re-entry Site Operator License, the statement said. Sierra Nevada still needs to apply for its own FAA re-entry license before flying its first Dream Chaser mission.

Sierra Nevada was a contender against SpaceX and Boeing competing for a NASA contract to regularly fly astronauts to the ISS under the agencys Commercial Crew Program. NASA ended up selecting SpaceX and Boeing for the project in 2014, prompting Sierra Nevada to focus on developing uncrewed cargo spacecraft.

However, the company hasnt completely given up on human spaceflight.Sierra Nevada recently announced that it will spin off its Space Systems Group as an independent company called Sierra Space. The unit is developing an expandable space habitat called the Large Integrated Flexible Environment (LIFE). If successful, the habitat could be expanded into a commercial space station in low Earth orbit, a concept increasingly explored by governments and private companies around the world.

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NASAs Defunct Space Runway Will Be Used By a New Spaceplane in 2022 - Observer

Astronaut Alan Shepard is helped out of his spacesuit aboard the aircraft carrier USS Lake Champlain after a successful sub-orbital flight on May 5, 1961. ( AP Images)

On May 5, 1961, astronaut Alan Shepard became the first American and the second man to travel in space when he launched a 15-minute, sub-orbital flight aboard NASAs Mercury spacecraftFreedom 7. (Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin had completed one orbit of the Earth on April 12, about three weeks earlier.) Shepard, whose mission ushered in the age of Americanhuman spaceflight, also became the first space traveler to manually control the orientation of his craft, as Gagarins milestone flight was largely automated.

The Mercury-Redstone rocket that transported Alan Shepard is launched into space on May 5, 1961. ( AP Images)During his flight, which was televised live around the world, Shepard glimpsed the Earth from space, remarking: What a beautiful view. Ten years later, as the commander of NASAs Apollo 14 mission, he would become the fifth astronaut towalk on the moon. He even hit golf balls on the lunar surface.

By demonstrating the feasibility of space travel, Shepard began a journey that would ultimately lead to theexploration of Mars. According to NASA, the peaceful, international exploration of space began with a single step in 1961 and continues today.

By U.S. Mission Italy | 3 May, 2021 | Topics: News | Tags: NASA, Space

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60 years ago, Alan Shepard became the first American in space | US Embassy & Consulates in Italy - US Embassy Rome

Super-fast-charging batteries, neurofeedback, space hummus, flexible solar panels, duckweeds growing systems and eye-tracking tech to combat micro-gravity induced sickness are among 44 Israeli research projects headed to the International Space Station as part of the Ramon Foundation and the Israeli Ministry of Science and Technologys Rakia Mission, as announced by the ministry this week.

The Rakia Mission includes Israeli businessman and former fighter pilot Eytan Stibbe, who is set to be the countrys second astronaut after Ilan Ramon, who perished in the Columbia Space Shuttle accident in 2003.

SEE ALSO: Israel To Send Its Second Astronaut To Space

Stibbe, who is also one of the founders of the Ramon Foundation, is set to fly to the International Space Station (ISS) in early 2022, as part of the Axiom Space Ax-1 Mission, pending NASA and Axiom approvals. This first mission to the Space Station, manned entirely by private astronauts Stibbe, mission commander Michael Lpez-Alegra, investor Larry Connor and philanthropist Mark Pathy was announced in November of last year.

Stibbe is expected to spend 200 hours on the International Space Station and is set to carry out the locally developed technology experiments.

If theres going to be a country that is going to be a leader in the upcoming burgeoning space market, its natural that it should be Israel, a country known for its startups, military prowess and space industry, Glen (Itamar) Doniger, Scientific Director at Myndlift, a company with one of the 44 projects headed for space, tells NoCamels.

This is an adrenaline shot there are no other words to describe what this mission does to the Israeli space community. This is an extraordinary opportunity on every scale, Prof. Moran Bercovici of the Technions Faculty ofMechanicalEngineering said on behalf of the three Technion projects chosen for the mission.

Bercovicis lab hopes to demonstrate the first-ever fabrication of optical components in space. The experiment onboard ISS will investigate the ability to leverage the microgravity environment to produce liquid lenses.If successful, it could pave the way for the fabrication of advanced optical components in space, including the creation of extremely large telescopic lenses.

The other Technion projects will test gamma ray bursts and miniature satellites.

The schedule is crazy, the challenges are immense, but we will make it; this is in our Israeli DNA, this is what were good at, Bercovici said in a university statement. I want to thank all partners: the Ramon Foundation, the Ministry of Science and Technologys Israeli Space Agency and Rakia Missions scientific-technological committee. And a special thank you to Eytan Stibbe for his choice not to content himself with a personal experience, but to devote to science this amazing journey, on which he is taking us all.

A majority of the research projects could impact the next generation of space travel, and especially the health of future astronauts.

Home urinalysis medical device company Healthy.io, is set to try and to detect possible kidney malfunctions in real-time aboard the ISS. Keeping astronauts aboard longer space missions is critical especially as NASA moves forward with its Moon mission in 2024 and Mars mission shortly after.

Meanwhile, local company Myndlift, which uses neurofeedback a non-invasive methodology that measures brainwave activity and trains the brain using visual and auditory cues to measure brainwave activity and train the brain using visual and auditory cues, hopes its software can help Stibbe function at his best during the mission.

We believe that neurofeedback is an under-utilized tool due, in most part, to its expense and the cumbersome equipment, said Aziz Kaddan, Myndlift CEO. By creating a remote-first neurofeedback tool and platform, we have enabled people worldwide to use this training methodology from their homes, and now from space.

If Myndlift proves effective, it could have the potential to help astronauts optimize their performance in space and sustain attention for longer, expeditionary missions.

In terms of feasibility, its pretty easy to take the device up to space and to use it in space, Doniger tells NoCamels. In addition to the feasibility objective, theres also the assessment and the neurofeedback. And if all of those are shown to be favorable in this study, then the idea would be that astronauts could potentially take our system with them on expeditionary missions to the Moon, to Mars. NASA is looking for solutions to reduce risk of adverse cognitive or behavioral conditions and psychiatric disorders in that context.

Doniger adds that astronaut time is quite expensive, and praises the Ramon Foundation for enabling local research projects to look beyond the ozone layer.

Separately, Israeli battery tech companyStoreDot, a developer of extreme fast charging (XFC) battery technology (the aim is five minutes), announced that it got the OK from NASA to conduct the first space-based research and development program into new battery materials. The company is working together with the Israeli Electric Company (IEC) on the mission.

StoreDots XFC technology will undergo two weeks of testing in zero gravity conditions and the results are expected to pave the way for a new generation of advanced lithium-ion batteries. The company indicated it will use the experiment to gain new insights into the chemical reactions that cause silicon to expand during the fast-charging process.

This is an extraordinary opportunity for Israeli researchers and entrepreneurs to examine the feasibility and viability of initiatives, and to advance space research and products designated for the aerospace industry in diverse fields renewable energy, water and air purification technologies, agriculture, medical instruments, astrophysics, materials engineering, biology, psychology, quantum communication, remote sensors and more, reads the Ramon Foundations statement about the scientific mission.

Vision technology used and modified by Bar-Ilan University to help astronauts combat neuro-ocular syndrome is another project headed for the ISS.

Together with Dr. Eran Schenker, chief medical innovation officer at the Israel Aerospace Medicine Institute, Prof. Uri Polat, Head of the School of Optometry and Vision Science and Prof. Yossi Mandel, Head of the Ophthalmic Science and Engineering Lab, modified digital tablet software technology to monitor astronauts vision during space missions.

The technology is based on an application that can be downloaded to any tablet. During Eytan Stibbes time in space, we will remotely examine his vision and understand at what point in time changes occur. The results will allow us to draw conclusions about neuro-visual damage in space and may constitute a breakthrough in treatment, said Porat.

I have no doubt that this research will greatly contribute to understanding microgravity and vision function that will be of great use even during long-term missions to Mars and space, saidSchenker.

Nutrition is also key for astronauts.

Four local agriculture tech projects will experiment aboard the ISS. GreenOnyx is set to grow a water-based lentil plant under microgravity conditions; a multidisciplinary team of plant scientists from numerous institutes will try to control and analyze crops grown on the space station; Aleph Farms, together with SpacePharma, the Indian Space Applications Centre, and European space agencies and scientific high-tech startup accelerators, will try to grow cow cells for cultured meat in space; and researchers at Stanford University in collaboration with the Strauss Group, Moon2Mars Ventures, D-Mars Analog Center, and the Yeruham Science Center, will study plants extracellular optogenetics using light in chickpea plants.

One of the researchers at Stanford University is none other than Yonatan Winetraub, one of the co-founders of SpaceIL, the non-profit organization that attempted to land Israels Beresheet, the first private interplanetary robotic mission, on the Moon on April 11, 2019.

Its not by chance that the chickpea plant was chosen not only is it a sturdy plant but chickpea, in Hebrew, is hummus and it is the main ingredient of the nationally popular hummus dish eaten by93percent of the population every week, according to2020 statistics.

When I heard NASA will be sending astronauts to the moon the Jewish Mother in me had to ask, what are they going to eat?I hope that one day we can grow chickpeas on the moon, it has a very interesting science behind it, Winetraub tells NoCamels.

Viva Sarah Press is a journalist and speaker. She writes and talks about the creativity and innovation taking place in Israel and beyond.www.vivaspress.com

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44 Israeli Research Projects Headed For Space On Rakia Mission - NoCamels - Israeli Innovation News

E

lon Musk, who has a talent for memorable sound bites, has gone on record as saying that his ambition for spaceflight is likely to involve killing a whole bunch of people. Some in his audience may have been shocked but spaceflight has always been risky and in some respects thus far we have been lucky. During the space shuttle programme, Nasa lost two crews of seven astronauts really abruptly and quite a few others lost their lives on the ground.

First and foremost, its nothing new. One could even argue that the modern era is simply unable to cope with the concept of loss. Our spoon fed, air-conditioned lives have become so comfortable that we cannot yet envisage the sort of attitude space exploration might soon require.

The Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan is usually cited as the first man to circumnavigate the world in a sailing ship. This isnt quite true. He died before his mission could be completed and it was his first officer, Juan Sebastian Elcano who brought the ship home in 1522. Only 18 men survived the voyage.

Read the rest here:

Elon Musk is right about the inevitable risks and rewards of space travel - The Independent

DISCOVERY+ DOCUMENTS BACKYARD ENGINEERS PURSUING THEIR DREAMS OF SPACE FLIGHT IN ALL-NEW LIMITED SERIES "HOMEMADE ASTRONAUTS"

'Homemade Astronauts' to Stream Thursday, May 13, on discovery+

(LOS ANGELES) - Although we've been living in the space age for over half a century, very few people have experienced space for themselves. For some, space travel is the ultimate mission - exploring our universe beyond the Earth's atmosphere to discover the unknown. HOMEMADE ASTRONAUTS streaming Thursday, May 13, on discovery+, will document three self-financed teams who dream of becoming some of the first private citizens to launch themselves into space.

Each year, civilians from across the country and around the world set out on their own backyard space race - using nothing but grit, determination and self-taught skills to create their own home-built rockets and spacesuits. HOMEMADE ASTRONAUTS follows the journey of three groups of dreamers who pave their own paths, each with a different approach to space travel.

The four-episode series, filmed over the course of two and a half years, documents the rarely seen world of home-made space travelers and the extreme lengths these teams take to reach their goals.

These pursuits of big dreams come with big risks. And no one took bigger risks or had bigger dreams than lifelong daredevil Mike "Mad Mike" Hughes. He and his build partner Waldo Stakes set out with the ultimate goal of propelling Mike 62 miles above the earth, all the way to the Karman line, the border between Earth's atmosphere and outer space. Their plan is to raise enough money to build a "Rockoon" - part rocket, part balloon - as a cost-effective way to make the journey.

Cameras document their progress as Mike first makes three bold attempts to reach up to one mile above the earth in a steam-powered rocket. His goal: to garner publicity and fundraising for his rockoon. In March 2018, Mike launched himself nearly 1,875 feet into the air in the Mojave Desert. On the heels of this successful launch and landing, Mike tweaked his design and aimed for a full mile above ground in February of 2020.

In taking this big step towards his ultimate dream of reaching 62 miles above the earth, Mike met a tragic end when his launch did not go as planned. Sending shockwaves throughout the rocket-building community and all who knew and loved him, Mike's friends and supporters gathered in July of 2020 in tribute to the man who pursued his dream, and paid the ultimate price.

Separately, in Minnesota, the real-life "Rocketman," Ky Michaelson, is the first civilian to build and launch an unmanned rocket into space. He's working together with his son, Buddy, and entrepreneur Kurt Anderson - "The Rocketboys" - to take his skills to new heights. Ky hopes to become the first amateur to build and launch a fuel-powered, manned space rocket. Along the way, Ky and the Rocketboys build a rocket sled, in which Kurt attempts to break the land/ice speed world record.

Finally, in Oregon, anthropology professor Cameron Smith takes matters into his own hands to pursue his dream of space flight, after finding out years ago that his vision did not meet NASA standards. Now, he is creating a spacesuit that can withstand all the elements of space travel, with the ultimate goal of taking himself to the Armstrong line, 60,000 feet above ground. Using supplies as unexpected as a crockpot, he crafts a space-worthy suit that he tests on himself for safety on an airplane flight. With that success, Cameron designs a specialized hot air balloon, and comes up with an ingenious plan to float himself to the highest height.

In addition to streaming HOMEMADE ASTRONAUTS on discovery+, viewers can join the conversation on social media by using #HomemadeAstronauts and following @Discovery on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tiktok and @discoveryplus on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more updates.

HOMEMADE ASTRONAUTS is produced by World of Wonder. Executive Producers for World of Wonder are Jeremy Simmons, Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato and Tom Campbell. Executive Producer for Science Channel is Caroline Perez. Lindsey Foster Blumberg is Supervising Producer for Science.

About discovery+

discovery+ is the definitive non-fiction, real life subscription streaming service. discovery+ features a landmark partnership with Verizon that gives their customers with select plans up to 12 months of discovery+ on Verizon. discovery+ has the largest-ever content offering of any new streaming service at launch, featuring a wide range of exclusive, original series across popular, passion verticals in which Discovery brands have a strong leadership position, including lifestyle and relationships; home and food; true crime; paranormal; adventure and natural history; as well as science, tech and the environment, and a slate of high-quality documentaries. For more, visit discoveryplus.com or find it on a variety of platforms and devices, including ones from Amazon, Apple, Google, Microsoft, Roku and Samsung.

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Breaking News - discovery+ Documents Backyard Engineers Pursuing Their Dreams of Space Flight in All-New Limited Series "Homemade...