Category Archives: Space Travel

The Space Travel Market 2023 research focuses on a global analysis of the data of the latest market trends. MarketQuest.biz objective is to provide clients with an accurate description of the market and to enable them to establish development strategies.

The Space Travel provides an estimate for 2023-2029 based on an insightful and proficient study. It discusses market drivers, opportunities, constraints, and issues. This research will assist business analysts by helping them in achieving growth in global and regional marketplaces. It gives a thorough analysis of current events and the characterization of high-growth regions, segmentation, and regional analysis, which will help the companies develop strategies.

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The Space Travel market study goes through the detailed segmentation of

The market also covers the segmentation of

It also emphasizes each regional division, particularly

Each aspect, and the income prediction analysis, are extensively discussed in the research. The research provides industry information, such as descriptions, classification, users, goods, and current market developments that may impact market participants. Throughout the market, some of the prominent companies are:

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A qualitative studys objective, on the other hand, is to provide descriptive data to the reports viewers. Porters Five Forces, PESTEL, SWOT, and feasibility analysis are the qualitative methods used in the study. It allows customers to understand the Space Travel markets position by its drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities. The research also includes essential information on product offerings and market suppliers and distributors. The report also briefly describes the end-user sectors and demand predictions.

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Space Travel Market 2023 to 2029 Industry Analysis, Growth ... - Cottonwood Holladay Journal

Virgin Galactic: The Future of Commercial Spaceflight

On Friday, SPCE stock opened at $4.06 on the NYSE, with a market capitalization of $1.11 billion and a significant PE ratio of -2.15. Virgin Galactic operates at the forefront of commercial spaceflight technologies and aims to offer affordable trips into space. Despite recent fluctuations in the companys stock price, it is captivating the attention of investors all over Wall Street.

Founded by renowned British entrepreneur Richard Branson, Virgin Galactic has taken a revolutionary step into advancing human technology. The concept behind their idea is genuinely out-of-the-box thinking designed to revolutionize humankinds future frontier space travel.

The company uses state-of-the-art technology to take tourists into outer-space for an experience of their lifetimes through its spaceflight system vehicles. But its not only about tourism; the firm proceeds with flight testing flying commercial research and development payloads into space.

Recently, many Wall Street analysts have issued target prices and ratings on SPCE shares. Four sell and four hold ratings make up the consensus for SPCE stock, which currently has an average rating of Hold on Bloomberg.com, along with a consensus price target of $5.08.

Starting its journey from under five dollars during 2020s global pandemic era, SPCE gave investors ample opportunities to capitalize on its regular swings in valuation range; however, these fluctuating prices afflicted some investors trust in its sustainability as well.

Overall it needs to be noted that Virgin Galactic reported greater revenue than expected this year as well as seeing an increase in net margin despite facing some challenges during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It remains a highly anticipated contender in making serious grounds towards commercializing space travel accessible globally.

In conclusion, Virgin Galactic represents the future of commercial human spaceflight ventures using cutting-edge technologies that were previously just science fiction concepts. While still struggling with financials including profitability since their IPO in 2019, the industrys growth potential fundamentally rests upon it. Investors will closely watch updates from this company as we move towards settling in space tourism and being able to strengthen global scientific understanding of space delivered by commercial R&D efforts.

Virgin Galactic Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:SPCE) has been receiving increasing attention lately, particularly from equities researchers at KeyCorp who have risen their Q2 2023 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for the company. M. Leshock, an analyst from KeyCorp, now forecasts that Virgin Galactic will post earnings per share of ($0.52) for the quarter, up from their prior prediction of ($0.53). This news is perhaps a glimmer of hope for investors after the recent slump in SPCEs stock value following its failed test flight in December 2020.

Despite this recent setback, a number of large investors have modified their holdings of SPCE in recent months, including Canada Pension Plan Investment Board which increased its position in shares of Virgin Galactic by 177.5% during the first quarter of this year. The firm now owns over two thousand shares worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 1,654 shares during that time. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC also acquired a new position in shares of Virgin Galactic during Q1 worth $34,000.

Still, not every investor is taking advantage of this opportunity to buy SPCE stocks at bargain prices Wipfli Financial Advisors LLC and Capital Square LLC both acquired new positions in Virgin Galactic during last years third and fourth quarters respectively but are yet to make any moves so far this year. Nevertheless, financial services provider Mackenzie Financial Corp lifted its position in shares of Virgin Galactic by 18.5% during last years final quarter and now owns over twelve thousand shares worth $42,000 after purchasing an additional 1,900 shares in the last few months.

It is clear that despite some investor caution surrounding Virgin Galactics latest stumble where they were unable to reach space altitude like previous successful flights shown back to back on Netflix Space Force TV show with the US flag on their path to being licensed for transporting humans, there is still interest from others in the market looking to make a play of the space-faring enterprise. With increased Q2 2023 earnings per share estimates and large institutional investors on board, SPCE may yet bounce back. Only time will truly be able to tell whether or not this trajectory will hold.

In conclusion, Virgin Galactic has seen some ups and downs in recent months but remains a popular investment opportunity for many experienced traders. The increase in KeyCorps Q2 2023 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for the company suggests that it still has some upward potential despite its recent setback. Additionally, the number of large investors who are modifying their holdings of SPCE emphasizes equity and institutional trusts placed on the company and bodes well for its future prospects. However, as always, it would be up to further testing and trials to accurately assess if these hopes can truly materialize into something tangible over time.

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Virgin Galactic: Revolutionizing Space Travel and the Future of ... - Best Stocks

After several setbacks that delayed the launch of its first commercial passenger flight, Richard Bransons Virgin Galactic announced it is targeting late May for the fifth-ever space-flight of SpaceShipTwo, also known as VVS Unity. If the flight succeeds, the space tourism company hopes to launch its first commercial flight in June. The mission will take off from Spaceport America in New Mexico, where Virgin Galactics recently-opened an operations hub.

Each flight performed by Virgin Galactics VSS Unity has been part of a test campaign. The upcoming flight in May, called Unity 25, is, expected to be the last test flight before the spaceplanes space tourism services go fully operational. If all goes according to plan, it would be the first flight of Virgin Galactics spaceplane since July 2021, when its founder Branson flew to suborbital space with three other crew members. Prior to the first private space trip, Virgin Galactic will send four Virgin Galactic employees Jamila Gilbert, Christopher Huie, Luke Mays, and Beth Moses to space. Mike Masucci and C.J. Sturckow will pilot Unity.

Unity 25 is the final assessment of the full spaceflight system and astronaut experience before commercial service opens in late June.

Virgin Galactic launches people into suborbital space for a brief window of time, so they can experience Earth from space. The space companys primary spacecraft, VVS Unity, is a reusable spaceplane designed to carry passengers and scientific payloads. It is launched from a carrier aircraft called WhiteKnightTwo, which takes it to a high altitude before releasing it. Once released, VVS Unitys rocket engines ignite, propelling it into suborbital space. Passengers on board would experience several minutes of weightlessness and get a view of Earth from space before the spacecraft glides back to Earth for landing.

As it seems, Virgin Galactic could be on the verge of beginning commercial space operations. Its main competitor, Blue Origin, has already flown several commercial crews to suborbital space, but its New Shepard rocket has been grounded since last year after an anomaly triggered its escape capsule system during an uncrewed scientific mission.

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Virgin Galactics first private space tourism flight to take off in June - Travel Tomorrow

NASAs Glenn Research Center will be flying an aircraft at various altitudes over roadways across greaterCleveland,Lodi,Mansfield, andMedinaareas in Ohio while testing aviation communications technologies.

The purpose of the flights, which will commence tomorrow Thursday, May 18, is to provide evaluations which form part of the development of new advanced air mobility (AAM) automated transport systems.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently released anupdated blueprintfor airspace and procedure changes to accommodate future air taxis and other Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) operations.

Under the blueprint, AAM operations will begin at a low rate with air taxis flying much as helicopters do today.

NASA researchers are evaluating commercial communications technologies that will allow highly automated transportation systems to operate and move passengers or cargo at lower altitudes within urban and suburban areas.

The aerial operations in Cleveland will be conducted by NASAs Pilatus PC-12which is outfitted with monitors to measure cell tower signal strength.

The impending NASA flights across the Cleveland region are scheduled during daylight hours startingThursday, May 18, untilSunday, June 25.

All flights will be conducted at appropriate altitudes to safeguard the public, wildlife, or infrastructure. The aircraft will fly no lower than 500 feet in rural areas, and no lower than 1,000 feet in populated areas.

A Pilatus PC-12 aircraft will take on a key role in the agencys investigation of how to manage the emerging advanced air mobility ecosystem.

After retiring two aging aircraft in the last year, Glenns flight operations experts conducted a detailed study to find the perfect replacement.

The new PC-12 offers the versatility NASA Glenn needed. This 2008 turboprop has a pressurized cabin and can fly at altitudes from 4,000 to 30,000 feet for long flights at a cruising speed of 322 miles per hour. This allows it to go long distances for testing in many environments.

The PC-12 can land on short, unpaved runways if necessary. It is so versatile that the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia uses it in the punishing extremes of the Outback.

NASA have made modifications to the interior to accommodate teams of researchers and their equipment, and the aircraft is used for a variety of aeronautic research missions.

Initially, the aircrafts primary research will evaluate commercial communications technologies that will allow highly automated transportation systems to operate and move passengers or cargo at lower altitudes within urban and suburban areas.

This work supports theNASA Advanced Air Mobility missionsplan to map out a safe, accessible, and affordable new air transportation system alongside industry and community partners and the Federal Aviation Administration.

These new capabilities would allow passengers and cargo to travel on-demand in innovative, automated aircraft across town, between neighboring cities, or to other locations typically accessed today by car.

NASAs Glenn Research Center, located in Cleveland, Ohio, is one of NASAs ten major field centers. It was established in 1941 as the Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory and was later renamed in 1999 to honor astronaut and former director John H. Glenn Jr.

The center focuses on a wide range of research and technology development activities to advance aeronautics and space exploration.

The primary mission of NASAs Glenn Research Center is to develop innovative technologies and conduct cutting-edge research to enhance aviation and space travel.

The centers expertise spans various disciplines, including aerodynamics, propulsion, materials science, microgravity science, and space systems.

Glenns work has contributed significantly to the advancement of aviation and space exploration throughout its history.

Glenn Research Center plays a vital role in NASAs aeronautics research, working on improving aircraft efficiency, reducing environmental impact, and enhancing safety.

The center conducts research in areas such as advanced propulsion systems, including electric and hybrid aircraft propulsion, and explores new concepts for future aviation, such as supersonic and hypersonic flight.

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NASA PC-12 to conduct aerial flights over Cleveland roadways - AviationSource News

There's more to Florida's 'Space Coast' than the space travel scene.

Courtesy of Space Coast Office of Tourism

With 72 miles of scenic shoreline, Florida's Space Coast provides visitors with classic Sunshine State surf and sand. It's all accompanied by one particularly fascinating local industry: space travel.

Since 1962, the region has been a prominent base for NASA operations, with the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex drawing roughly 1.5 million visitors each year. While the wonders of the cosmos are a major draw for tourists, theres no shortage of incredible attractions and activities here, too, like kayaking, wildlife-watching, and surfing.

Courtesy of Space Coast Office of Tourism

For newcomers looking to discover the activities available across the Space Coast shore, Cocoa Beach offers a wealth of accommodations, dining venues, and attractions all packed into one scenic city. Visitors can stroll along the pier or play a few rounds of mini-golf, while The Dinosaur Store museum features a spectacular collection of prehistoric fossils and statues.

But when it comes to outdoor adventure, its best to head straight to the sparkling shore. Theres no better teacher than the School of Surf. Operating just a few steps away from the sandy shoreline, this local academy provides an array of different courses for visitors to enjoy, with itineraries targeting anyone from first-time participants to seasoned surf aficionados. It offers both one- and two-hour lessons, and even seasonal week-long camps.

Courtesy of Space Coast Office of Tourism

For a more relaxed perspective on the surrounding region, a leisurely paddle along the Cocoa Beach shoreline is the perfect activity a fact that local tour operator Fin Expeditions knows all too well. The excursions invite guests to experience the abundant natural beauty of the Banana River firsthand. The river is home to a variety of native marine creatures, with Fin Expeditions highly educated staff at the ready to point out dolphins, manatees, and all sorts of native birds. While a daylight tour of the areas tangled mangrove forests is an incredible way to spend the afternoon, the company also specializes in evening and night excursions ranging from sunset paddles to bioluminescence tours.

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If youd like to keep the physical activity at a minimum, Canaveral Tours offers excursions ranging from airboat rides to voyages highlighting the regions most iconic lighthouses. And for animal lovers, in particular, the Wildlife Group Tour is the way to go. This six-hour excursion brings guests into the heart of Floridas Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, a sprawling seaside preserve thats renowned for its diverse ecosystems. The parks many marshes serve as a paradise for birders, packed full of eye-catching species like wood ducks, surf scoters, and roseate spoonbills. Alligators and even the occasional bobcat can also be found along the way.

Courtesy of Space Coast Office of Tourism

Once youve enjoyed a successful excursion with Canaveral Tours and maybe a quick stop at Playalinda Brewing Company to toast to the trip visitors can find a particularly idyllic birding destination back in Cocoa Beach in the form of Manatee Sanctuary Park. In spite of its small size, this 10-acre coastal preserve is home to a treasure trove of creatures. During a stroll along the central pond, guests can marvel at great blue herons, cormorants, and the peculiar-looking Florida softshell turtle, while the sparkling waters just past the park are a haven for sea ducks, saltwater fish, and, of course, Floridas native manatees.

Visitors can gain further insight into the states biodiversity with a trip to Brevard Zoo. Opened in 1994, this AZA-accredited attraction is a major force for wildlife conservation in the region, operating breeding and species preservation programs for native Floridian creatures like the Perdido Key beach mouse and the frosted flatwood salamander. While guests can look at the resident African lions, the Brevard Zoo is also known for its kayaking tours that offer visitors a fascinating perspective on the local giraffes, lemurs, and rhinos along the parks river.

Courtesy of Space Coast Office of Tourism

When it comes to dining, Floridas Atlantic shoreline is home to a spectacular seafood scene, and the Space Coast is no exception. For old-school Florida flavors, Fish Camp Grill has catfish bites, fried gator tail, and jambalaya all served inside a massive space complete with taxidermied wildlife and baby alligators on display.

That said, Florida is far from the only state represented across Cocoa Beach. Further south, Jazzys Mainely provides diners with a more New England spin on dining. Think northeast classics like clam chowder, whole-bellied clams, and two different varieties of lobster rolls. And if youre in need of a break from seafood, the family-owned La Catrina has mastered the art of Mexican cuisine, with green chile burritos, Mazatln-style quesadillas, and shrimp fajitas all gracing the menu.

While Space Coast visitors are welcome to explore Floridas rich legacy of spacefaring and even catch a rocket launch in real-time, no trip is complete without discovering the spectacular natural beauty found all across the region.

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Florida's 'Space Coast' Has Incredible Beaches, Food, and Dolphins Here's How to Plan a Trip - Yahoo Life

The sky was the limit in 2021's F9; having seemingly run out of exotic locales to ship the franchise's revolving roster of rev-heads off to you can really cover a lot of ground in 20 years, especially if you've got a souped-up ride F9's co-writer and director, Justin Lin, hazarded a trip to space.

The result was a kind of zero gravity self-parody which raised the question: Where was left for these car-jackers-turned-secret-agents to go?

Fast X is not short on answers: Rio, Naples, Rome, London, Antarctica no Lonely Planet guidebook is safe. No more space travel, admittedly, but even so, this latest and nominally 'last' instalment (in fact merely the first in a tripartite finale) still feels like an overreach.

The mandate to up and up the ante has seen the so-called Fast Saga turn from dumb, hyper-stylish fun into something meaner and more airless.

That there were competing visions for this home stretch is clear from the directorial changeover that took place a week into production: Lin, who had returned for another round at the helm, reportedly clashed with Vin Diesel, aka Dominic Toretto, the devoted patriarch whose steady heartbeat is the metronome of the franchise. Diesel is also one of Fast X's producers. (The scramble to replace Lin culminated in the hiring of Louis Leterrier, most notable for his work on the first two films in the Transporter trilogy, the launchpad for Fast's own Jason Statham.)

For as long as we've known him, Dom has lived by a moral code consisting of a single principle: "Without family, you're nothing," as he puts it in this latest film. Of course, the Toretto clan goes beyond blood: It includes almost anyone who's sat round the table for a barbecue lunch with a Corona in hand, raised in celebration of another triumph in the realm of pedal-to-the-metal hijinks.

This idyll of community is precisely what's at stake in Fast X.

Making his Fast debut, Jason Momoa plays Dante Reyes, a swishy sociopath seeking to avenge the death of his father, Hernan Reyes, the Brazilian drug lord last seen dead on a sun-baked Rio de Janeiro bridge in 2011's Fast Five. Somewhere between Heath Ledger's Joker and Captain Jack Sparrow (no, it's not a good mix) and swathed in lavender silk, Dante also operates according to a succinct moral code: "Never accept death when suffering is owed."

Consequently, he's made it his mission to torment Dom, whom he holds responsible for his father's murder and to that end, to torment his family: Dom's beloved Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) and his siblings Mia and Jakob (Jordana Brewster and John Cena), as well as his impossibly resourceful crew (Tyrese Gibson as Roman Pearce, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges as Tej, Sung Kang as Han Lue, and Nathalie Emmanuel as Ramsey). All are toy mice to Dante's devil-cat. (There are plenty of other familiar faces and names back in play including one or two that shouldn't be spoiled, though no seasoned viewer should really be surprised to see any legacy character crop up in these films, alive or dead.)

Dom's son Brian (Leo Abelo Perry), now an adolescent, is also due to get batted around. Happily, being extremely level-headed runs in the family.

For a film so steadfast in its family values, the departure of Lin the director of five Fast films, including Fast Five, the first film in the series to attract critical appreciation feels perhaps more glaring than it should.

Though he retains a co-writing credit on X and stayed on as a producer, his decision to vacate the driver's seat is a sign that the Fast family is not immune to in-fighting. Diesel, it seems, is committed to his character's mantra only so far.

There's a lot at stake, certainly, both on-screen and off: With a budget of $US340 million ($512 million), Fast X is one of the most expensive movies ever made. To put that in perspective: The jackpot for which Toretto and co are willing to attempt to steal an entire bank vault from a Brazilian prison in Fast Five is a mere $100 million.

That film which, under Lin's guidance, began the series' shift away from racing for pink slips and towards Mission Impossible-style heists is the primary touchstone here. Fast X opens with a retread of the vault-theft escapade, now seen from Dante's perspective though the snazzy mustard suit he's sporting in the flashback, together with the use of a film-grain filter, suggests the 70s more than 2011.

The retroactive shoehorning-in of the Dante character is indicative of a franchise getting tangled in its increasingly cumbersome lore. In two-plus decades, enough siblings have been invented and characters brought back from the dead to suggest that there's more of a resemblance between The Fast and the Furious and The Bold and the Beautiful than merely their titles.

Lin's departure aside, the mandate to leave no family member behind may actually be getting in the way of putting on a good show. (Even Brian O'Conner, the character played by the late Paul Walker, remains alive in the Fast family-verse, and happily married to Mia.)

With so much reverence for its players, these films have started to feel more like a CGI-augmented meet-and-greet; we're shunted from one gorgeous backdrop to another, lingering just long enough to witness our heroes barrel through the cobbled alleyways and ancient piazzas, leaving a simulated, rubble-strewn trail of destruction in their wake.

Fast X is in cinemas now.

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Fast X adds Jason Momoa to the Vin Diesel-driven franchise for the first instalment of a series finale that already feels like its spinning its wheels...

Few brands symbolize the Great American Road Trip like Airstream. On the outside, its iconic aluminum travel trailers have changed little since the last century, and for our money, thats a very good thing. Across the lineup, however, the interiors have evolved into something altogether different. Theyre more polished, more luxurious even downright swanky and were not talking about just the flagship models that sell for well north of $150,000.

The new Airstream Caravel 16RB offers many of the same upscale features and specs of its pricier brethren in one of the companys most compact footprints ever. But dont let the diminutive size of this Airstream camper fool you. Airstream managed to pack all the amenities of a modern luxury apartment into just under 17 feet hows that for van life?. That has us seriously reconsidering our current living situation.

The Caravel name isnt new. In fact, it was released alongside the beloved Bambi way back in the 1960s when Airstream began toying with the idea of lighter, single-axle RVs. But Americans wanted much, much bigger campers back then, and so the models fizzled out. Fast forward a few decades, when most of us are planning our travels (and our lives) with the environment and minimalist living in mind, and Airstream re-released both of these compact RVs in 2019.

On an initial walk-around of the latest Caravel 16RB, it doesnt appear to have changed much since Kennedy was in office. Its true that Airstream kept the handsome and timeless look of its popular riveted aluminum design. Its all wrapped in 10 large windows that bathe the interior in sunlight. Plus, at around 3,500 pounds, its light enough for most medium-sized SUVs to tow it.

Inside, however, the tiniest Caravel feels like an ultra compact studio apartment on wheels. The raw aluminum cladding carries through, giving it a clean, modern industrial feel. Airstream makes clever use of space to delineate between the sleeping, dining, and cooking areas. Theres a full-sized memory foam mattress with a hanging closet the dinette converts into an additional sleeping area (for a total of four adults) and the kitchen boasts a sink and two-burner cooktop all impressive considering its 16.5-foot length. Theres even a separate bathroom with a standing shower.

What truly sets the Caravel (and most other Airstreams) apart is the attention to detail. Theres a long list of tech convenience features baked into this latest model. That includes dimmable, energy-efficient LED lighting and a QuietStream climate control system. Plus, digital nomads will dig the integrated four-speaker JL audio system and TV with an omnidirectional antenna. There are plenty of places to plug in, too, via multiple USB ports and standard 110-volt power outlets throughout. You can keep it all topped up with an optional 100-watt solar package for going off-grid.

The entry-level Caravel 16RB starts at $74,000, making it one of the most affordable full-featured Airstream models on the market. Really, only the pared-down Airstream Basecamp is significantly cheaper, but its a whole different animal, so its impossible to compare the two. If youre looking for a little extra legroom and even more amenities, the Caravel model lineup also includes 19-, 20-, and 22-foot models. Whichever model you opt for, just promise to take us with you. Well bring the snacks.

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Airstreams new travel trailer fits a swanky studio apartment into less than 17 feet of living space - The Manual

If theres one living stand-up legend whose jokes are perfect for Twitter, its Steven Wright. Not only are they concise (Lost a buttonhole) but so meticulously absurd (I like to reminisce with people I dont know) that rapid shifts of context dont distort their meaning.

So it was a surprise that when he started an account in 2011, he didnt use it to try out punch lines, but to write a novel very slowly. It almost sounds like a Steven Wright joke. But more than a decade later, this larky experiment has turned into a book, Harold, abouta meandering, bizarrely charming day in the life of a 7-year-old boy.

In an almost stream-of-consciousness style from the boys point of view, Harold, which takes place in the 1960s when Wright was a kid, pingpongs from musings on a third-grade teacher to a daydream about going to the moon. Plenty of its sentences would not be out of place in Wrights standup: All art is modern art at some point.

Sitting in the Manhattan office of Simon & Schuster last month, Wright, who has been telling jokes in front of audiences for more than 40 years, explained in his signature gravelly drone that stand-up provided him a very narrow window of creativity. Not a criticism, hes quick to add, just a description of the appeal of the new, more expansive form. I wanted to put a funnel on Harolds head and pour everything I think about being aliveinto it, he said. Lawyers, religion, space. Everything.

Asked why he would focus on a boy, Wright shrugged. But he believes children notice things thatadults miss. He sounds almost jealous when he describes the uncluttered mind of a young person. A kid, he said, is like an alien who just got off a spaceship and is looking around.

Wright can resemble an alien himself. He seems as laconic and lyrical as he is onstage, except warmer and quicker to laugh. Metaphors pour from him like a Bob Dylan song come to life. When asked to describe Wright, Marc Maron texted me: Poet. Happens. Rarely. In. Comedy.

Theres no more storied example of Johnny Carson making an overnight star than when his booker, visiting colleges for his son, stumbled upon an unknown Steven Wright performing in a Chinese restaurant in Boston. Wright killed on The Tonight Show in 1982, when the studio audience alone was his biggest crowd yet. Three years later, Wright released I Have a Pony, a classic of modern stand-up.

If you came to it young, as many did and still do, it could rejigger your entire sense of humor. The comic Anthony Jeselnik told me Wright influenced everything about my comedy. Bobcat Goldthwait called him human pot, explaining, Listen to him long enough and you feel stoned and see the world as absurd and amused as he does.

Wright described his background as resolutely ordinary: middle-class, all-American, Norman Rockwell stuff. Sensitive, a little quiet, he didnt tell his family that he had been doing comedy for years. Wright calls his break a fluke.

Dont be fooled by this fairy-tale story. Wright not only had a gift for old-fashioned joke construction but also a rare discipline and taste that he remained stubbornly faithful to. Take one example: Ive always hated puns, he told me with a rare flash of passion that he chuckled at. It would be funnier if you dropped a dish.

Early on, he set up rules for his comedy that might have hurt him in the short term but have allowed his work to age as well as any comedians. He avoided anything topical. He also did not curse. I didnt want to get a bigger laugh because of that, he said. I wanted it to be pure.

Wright usually waves away any grand intent behind his work, saying his deadpan style is just how he talks. His old friends back this up. But maintaining a singular view of the world requires effort.

After living on both coasts, he moved back to New England to a rural spot one town over from Walden Pond. You can see your life better, he said of living near nature. At one point, he likened city life to being constantly pelted with candy. You cant think because youre just trying to get through the Raisinets.

Wrights monotone one-liners remain a touchstone for a comedy subgenre, along with the other master of deadpan, Mitch Hedberg, who died in 2005.

The biggest difference between Mitch and Steven is that when you saw an hour of Mitch, you got an idea of who he voted for, what he was about, said Goldthwait, who, like Wright, emerged from the Boston comedy scene of the 1980s. You watch Steven for an hour and have more questions about him than before you saw him.

This is why Harold holds a particular fascination for comedy fans. What more can we learn about the elusive Wright?

Theres a romantic streak mostly absent from his comedy. The Apollo mission to the moon looms large in the story, and Wrights father, an engineer, worked for a company that helped build parts for NASA. Seeing a camera wrapped in plastic that was heading for space at his dads workplace fired his imagination and was at one point a scene in the book. That was cut, but the thrill of space travel remains.

There is also more talk of love. Sometimes lustful, other times weary. Being in love was like being on a seesaw where one side contained nitroglycerin, he writes. When you first get on no one knows which side has it.

When Harold talks about a beautiful, intense New York girlfriend in his future, this sounds like something from the authors life. Wright said that was true but kept it oblique in the book and was loath to discuss his personal life. He never married (Romance is gambling, he told me) and, asked why he didnt have kids, he sounds like a bystander to his own life. Didnt think about it, then it didnt happen, he said. It wasnt decided. It just happened.

The most revealing thing Harold captures about Steven Wright is the way he thinks about thinking. Described by the author as a wondering machine, the boy ponders whether its possible to be in your 70s and have the perspective of a 5-year-old without being nuts? Steven Wright is 67 and says he performs less these days.

The books central metaphor is a description of Harolds thought process as a room with one window and a riot of birds flying around. Occasionally one flies out. That represents an idea. Its a view of creativity that is random and unpredictable. Isnt it a bit scary? What happens if the birds stop flying out?

Wright released relatively few specials in his career because, he said, I can only think of so much stuff. But he looked at ease with the idea that some things are out of our control. You can try to think of ideas, but your mind is running on its own. Or at least my mind, he said. Its mostly chaos, but youre organizing a lot of it.

Then he paused to smile and toss out one last metaphor: You have to stay on the road when you drive.

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Steven Wright, Master of the One-Liner, Tries His Hand at a Novel - The New York Times

MINNEAPOLIS --"It's a bird, it's a plane ... nope, it's poop!"

On May 15, residents of Burnsville, Minnesota were waiting in line at a Caribou Coffee drive-thru when their windshield was splattered with what they call "brown rain."

"The odor was so strong that the woman who was handing me my coffee noted how much it smelled," said Burnsville resident, Carisa Browne. "I mean, my cat had something similar to it this morning, so I've had a lot today with the poop."

"I had my A&P license, I went to school to be an aircraft mechanic, and I didn't know if there was even a way to release it mid-flight, so that's why I'm a little confused, I'm gonna look into it," said Browne. The Metropolitan Airports Commission says they are not aware of any incidents related to flight activity.

Browne did some Internet sleuthing and believes the culpable plane was a United Airlines flight to Denver. WCCO News reached out to United and got this response from their media relations department: "No reports on this from our end."

But mysterious substances falling from the sky are not totally uncommon.

In 2018, a 22- to 26-pound chunk of ice fell on the Fezilpur Badli village in India, startling residents. Some villagers thought it was an extra-terrestrial object, and even took samples home. A sample of the projectile was sent out for a chemical analysis, and a spokesperson for the International Aviation Authorities "strongly suspected" that the ice chunk was frozen airline excrement.

Luckily, in this 2018 case of flying excrement, no one was hurt.

A woman in central Madhya Pradesh in 2016 was not so lucky. She suffered a severe shoulder injury when she was hit by a football-sized chunk of ice that fell from the air and crashed through the roof of her house.

India and Burnsville, Minnesota are not the only places where there have been odorous objects reported falling from the sky.

In 2012, a Long Island couple were covered in "sludge" as a plane flew overhead. Another couple in Leicester, England also reported an incident where pungent "blue ice" hit their roof, broke apart, and landed on their heads.

So, what's the deal? Are airlines emptying their waste on us?

The short answer, is no...at least not on purpose.

Most airplanes are configured with a modern "vacuum waste system" that sucks waste and wastewater into a sealed tank below the craft. Once a plane lands, the ground crew dispose of sewage using a "honey truck" that siphons the waste and disposes of it into an airport's underground sewage system.

On a long-haul 747 flight, travelers may flush a toilet around 1,000 times, creating roughly 230 gallons of sewage. Sometimes, that can be too much sewage for a plane to handle, especially if it's malfunctioning. In those cases, waste can seep out of the tanks.

When a sewage tank or drain tube develops a leak, it creates what is referred to as "blue ice." Blue waste treatment liquids used in plane toilets turn to ice when exposed to freezing temperatures at high altitudes -- hence the name "blue ice."

Typically, blue ice gathers and stays on the outside of the aircraft, but sometimes it breaks off before landing. When it does break off, it often melts and evaporates before reaching the ground. Though, this depends on how high the plane is at the time it falls.

Waste leakages pose a serious concern for air safety. Aside from damage to homes and injury to people, blue ice has even caused damage to other planes. In one instance, blue ice knocked an engine off the wing of a plane.

This made us curious how do other ways of transportation dispose of their waste? The answers may shock you.

Cruise ships have been reported to routinely drop thousands of gallons of human sewage a day...most likely into whatever waterway they're sailing. An EPA survey found that cruise ships generate an average of 21,000 gallons of sewage and 170,000 gallons of graywater -- residual water that drains from sinks, showers, and laundry machines, often laden with detergents, oil, grease, food waste, and various pathogens -- a day.

There is a patchwork of federal, state, and international laws regarding how and where ships can dispose of their waste, but it's somewhat complicated.

For example, sewage needs to be treated if it's going to be flushed within three miles of U.S. coastline. Beyond that, it can be dumped in it's raw state. However, most cruise lines and trade associations have a policy against dumping untreated sewage anywhere.

What about trains? How do train lines dispose of their waste?

Until the 1990s, U.S. trains often drained their waste onto the tracks. When reaching stations, personnel would ask passengers not to use the bathroom. However, these days, most trains store waste in an onboarding holding tank.

But what about astronauts? How do they handle their "business"?

The answer is rather simple. Waste is either sent back to Earth or recycled.

Toilets on the International Space Station separate solid and liquid waste. Solid waste is tightly bagged and placed into an unmanned vehicle (known as a "Progress module") and is eventually returned to Earth, though burns up upon its re-entry into the atmosphere.

Since urine is 90% water, astronauts have found a way to put it to good use.

Liquid waste is boiled, distilled, and sent to a water processor where it undergoes a cycle of filtration and chemical purification until it can be used by the crew. Astronauts say, "Today's coffee istomorrow's coffee!"

However, recycling liquid waste is a relatively new procedure. Historically, urine would be ejected into space. Due to the low temperatures in space, wastewater would quickly freeze into small crystals.

Rusty Schweickart, an astronaut on Apollo 9, once described a urine dump at sunset as "the most beautiful sight in orbit."

Space programs stopped using this method of disposal due to waste turning into orbital debris. NASA has been refining their method of urine purification for the last 20 years.

"As we travel farther from Earth on Artemis missions to the Moon and build toward longer, crewed missions to Mars, it's inevitable we'll need more reliable hardware and a reduced requirement for spares," said Arthur Brown, deputy manager of ECLSS integration and development at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. "Even from the space station, it's a long way to the nearest hardware store or machine shop."

All in all, rest assured that objects flying in the air are least likely to be Superman or human excrement, rather birds or planes.

Read more:

Poop falling from the sky: Here's how often that happens - CBS News

Most people in a position to hold a critical opinion on the matter think that biological life is not unique to planet Earth but that it has also arisen elsewhere in the universe, including intelligent life. So, how will we react if intelligent alien life visits Earth?

Much of what is written on the subject is preoccupied with what rights we should grant our alien visitors. But it seems to me that our most urgent preoccupation must be how to establish reliable two-way communication with the aliens.

At present, we have no evidence that life exists anywhere in the universe beyond Earth. However, our understanding of the nature of life on Earth, how life might have arisen from lifeless chemicals and how it evolved through Mendelian genetics to the present day, together with the fact that there are many planets elsewhere in the universe with physical conditions similar to Earth, emboldens us to confidently predict that life has arisen and evolved in many locations throughout the universe.

Aliens will, almost certainly, look very different from us. This is only to be expected when we consider the vast variety of animal body-plans evolution has produced here on Earth; many that look quite strange to the human eye, eg octopus, Japanese spider crab, star-nosed mole, blobfish, narwhal, aye-aye, naked mole rat and many more (google the photographs).

Most of what I read concerning how we humans should react to alien visitors relates to what rights we should grant them, assuming the visitors are sentient, ie able to feel and perceive, to show awareness and responsiveness and to experience pleasure and pain. Great concern is expressed by philosophers like Peter Singer that we should extend the same rights to sentient aliens that we extend to sentient non-human earthly life.

If aliens visit Earth, at least in the medium term, they will almost certainly be far more advanced than us, having solved the problem of interstellar space travel well before we have. It is also very probable that they will not only be sentient but far more advanced technologically and far more intelligent than us humans.

[UFOs are back in the skies over America. Did they ever go away?]

So, I think it would be more appropriate for us to ponder what rights the aliens would be prepared to grant to us rather than the other way around. Also, what if the advanced alien visitors were hostile towards us. Aliens with the capacity to cross vast interstellar distances to reach Earth would almost certainly have the firepower to destroy us in any conflict.

I think the critically important thing to prepare for in anticipation of aliens arriving here is how to communicate with them to ask them where they came from, why are they visiting us, what they want from us, etc. The fascinating 2016 sci-fi film Arrival explores this scenario establishing a two-way conversation with 12 alien spacecraft that suddenly appeared in Earths skies.

If intelligent alien life exists it may well be broadcasting its existence to the rest of the universe, probably via radio waves. An organisation called Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute has been listening for such broadcasts using giant radio-telescopes since 1985, but has detected none.

SETI Institute is now debating whether, in addition to passive listening, it should also be broadcasting (Active-SETI) our existence to the universe. Active-SETI would be a risky undertaking because we might attract the attention of hostile aliens far more technologically advanced than ourselves.

[Are we alone in the Milky Way galaxy?]

Meanwhile, there are persistent reports worldwide of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) in our skies. Many people believe some of these UFOs are alien spacecraft the aliens are already here! This UFO phenomenon should not be dismissed as crackpot. Many strange sightings have been made, even filmed, by competent observers eg professional airline pilots. Governments have a duty to investigate these reports.

The Pentagon recently released a long-awaited 2022 Annual Report on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) cataloguing 510 UAP reports gathered by agencies involved in the report and branches of the US military. UFOs are rebranded as UAP. The report assessed 366 of the most recent UAP reports. Twenty-six were characterised as uncrewed aircraft systems, or drones, 163 were balloons and six were airborne clutter like plastic bags.

One hundred and seventy UAP reports remain uncategorised and unattributed. Some of these displayed unusual flight/performance characteristics and require further analysis. It is good to see the US starting to take this matter seriously after years of media sensationalising UFO sightings.

William Reville is an emeritus professor of biochemistry at UCC

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How will we react when the aliens arrive? - The Irish Times