Category Archives: Space Travel

The recent catastrophic bush fires in Australia were so immensely destructive that they could be seen from space. Now, a new animation from NASA shows the impact of those fires and other extreme disasters around the world from the past year.

In addition to the Australian fires, which began in 2019 and extended into January 2020, this animation shows the impacts of Hurricane Dorian, which took place from August to September 2019, and a series of major fires that took place in South America and Indonesia during the same period. Climate change, which researchers continue to study and monitor using space-based satellites, causes an increase in extreme weather events like those shown in the animation above.

Smoke from the Australian bush fires, which astronauts could see from aboard the International Space Station, has interacted with global weather. Smoke plumes have traveled around the globe, accelerating into the upper troposphere (the lowest region of Earth's atmosphere) and even as high up as the lowermost region of the stratosphere (the second layer of Earth's atmosphere, it sits above the troposphere and below the mesosphere).Photos: Australia's deadly wildfires in photos: The view from spaceRelated: The reality of climate change: 10 myths busted

The long-range transport of the bushfire smoke will travel all the way across the Southern Ocean, completing a full circumnavigation of the planet to return to Australia. It is especially prominent across the southern Pacific Ocean and toward South America, according to a NASA statement.

While astronauts spotted the growing, billowing smoke from the Australian bush fires, satellites from NASA and the European Space Agency continue to monitor the effects of the fires. Data from these satellites have shown just how deadly the bush fires were to both the people and wildlife of Australia. Satellite imagery has provided evidence for where the fires spread.

The blazes have so far killed at least 25 people. Additionally, satellites have shown that the fires burned about one-third of Kangaroo Island, which is home to a variety of protected species. Devastation from the fires has also been spotted in a number of other areas where protected wildlife previously flourished.

Follow Chelsea Gohd on Twitter @chelsea_gohd. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.

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NASA animation shows global effects of Australia wildfires, hurricanes and more - Space.com

HILO, Hawaii - Hundreds honored the legacy of Hawaii's first astronaut at the 20th Annual Ellison Onizuka Science Day at UH Hilo.On Saturday, students from across the state learned about space travel and science through interactive workshops, a robotics competition and exhibits from the Maunakea Observatories.

Tuesday marks 34 years since the NASA space shuttle Challenger's deadly explosion that killed seven crew members, including Kona native Ellison Onizuka. He was born and raised in Kealakekua, and graduated from Konawaena High School. He served as a Colonel in the United States Air Force, and went on to become the first Asian American to travel in space.

Ellison's younger brother Claude says the annual event keeps the memories of the Challenger crew alive."Ellison's legacy is to don't be afraid to dream. Reach for the stars. If you study hard, work hard, you know those dreams can be accomplished," he said.

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Hundreds honored the legacy of astronaut Ellison Onizuka - KITV Honolulu

Ever dreamed of becoming an astronaut? It seems like a robot may have beaten us to it. Meet Vyomitra, India's first female humanoid astronaut.

Vyomitra was recently developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to be sent into space multiple times, as part of Indias ambitious Gaganyaan mission. The project ultimately aims to send three astronauts to space in 2022, which, if it happens, will be a record-breaking first for India.

New it girl Vyomitra is a busy woman! She made her debut public appearance when she was unveiled at an ISRO public event in Bengaluru, India, on Wednesday. She impressed audiences by stating in her own words, that she can mimic the activity of a crew of astronauts and recognise them and respond to their queries. ISRO are proud to name Vyomitra their first female astronaut.

Outer SpaceIf anything, the ISRO have proven themselves to be determined and resilient as they continue to gain support from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to fund upcoming space travels. In September 2019, ISRO were hopeful that India would become just the fourth country to soft-land a spacecraft on the moon with itsChandrayaan-2 mission, but in a disappointing turn of events, thespacecraft crash-landed due to a braking error.

However, they are not giving up, with chief Kailasavadivoo Sivan confirming at the beginning of January that a third lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3, had been approved and could launch as early as this year! The larger Gaganyaan project will send two unmanned crafts into space in December 2020 and June 2021, before sending three shortlisted astronauts and possibly Vyomitra, in 2022.

Despite facing criticism for endorsing funding for space travel whilst India battles with economic issues as a developing nation, Chief K Sivan insists that space innovation encourages the youth of India to think big. He has previously stated that starting a space program in India in 1960 was a big crazy idea but founder Dr. Vikram Sarabhai predicted the potential of space technology in transforming the country.

Now the ISROs latest innovation, Vyomitra might even encourage more young people, particularly women, to dream of becoming an astronaut. Afterall, Vyomitra has guts she will be alone in the first two space missions of project Gaganyaan, representing her country as they skillfully speed ahead in the realm of space technology.

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Meet Vyomitra, Indias First Humanoid To Be Sent To Outer Space - 10 daily

TORONTO -- Former astronaut Scott Kelly has made four trips to the International Space Station and spent a record amount of time in space.

Yet, what did he tell me he most scared of doing? The Edgewalk at the CN Tower in Toronto. This, despite Scott taking on a challenge no other NASA astronaut has ever done. And it couldve killed him.

Orbiting more than 370 kilometres above Earth in the International Space Station is a tough, alien environment for a human body. Theres no gravity to pull fluids out of the brain as there is at home, radiation exposure is far above what we already know can cause cancer and although astronauts work out a couple of hours a day, bones and muscles still quickly lose mass.

After more than 50 years of human space travel, those are the health problems we do know. And those trips have mostly been six months at the most. The next giant leap in space aims to get humans much farther into deep space: Mars.

Just getting to the red planet would take six months. A full expedition would likely take two to three years. The United States has announced it wants humans to fly by and eventually land on Mars in the 2030s. Considering we dont really know the health effects of travelling in space for more than six months, is it realistic?

Scott was part of the first study to compare the health of two identical twins -- one in space and one on Earth. While Scott spent a record one year on the International Space Station, his identical twin Mark Kelly, stayed back home. During Scotts entire mission, 10 teams of scientists monitored both twins health. Samples of the brothers blood, urine and stool were sent to researchers before, during and after the expedition. This provided information about everything from the stability of their DNA to gut health.

While Scott was in space, some of those samples were preserved for when he returned, others were sent back home on a rocket.

When Scotts record one year mission was over and he finally returned to Earth, his skin broke out in rashes, he couldnt see properly and felt exhausted all the time. And those were the least of his health issues. His immune system was on high alert both in space and when he returned, his body reacting as though it was being attacked.

But what could be seen as a positive change, Scotts genes altered in a way thats seen in much younger people. Although they did return to normal after some time back on Earth.

Taking it all in stride, Scott jokes, I returned younger, and more handsome, than my brother.

And despite the health issues he faced in orbit and the risks of a long journey, when asked if hed make the trip to Mars, Scott didnt hesitate.

Yes, yeah, I would go to Mars he replied, immediately. I think we need to go to Mars for a lot of reasons. I think its what keeps us alive as a species is that were always trying to expand our knowledge and expand our horizons.

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The distance, costs and health problems make a journey to the red planet incredibly risky - CTV News

Did you hear the one about the investor who just raised her price target on Tesla TSLA shares from $4,000 to $6,000 by 2025? In the video, I tell you her name and firm and exactly why she's so bullish. The answer may surprise you as much as it did me.

I also remind investors that fund manager and early Tesla bull Ron Baron predicted in 2017 that the stock would hit $1,000 by this year. Baron suffered some volatile fluctuations in his investment's value since then, but in an interview with Becky Quick on CNBC last August, he revealed his steadfast bullish commitment despite Elon Musk's "self-inflicted wounds."

Baron believes that Tesla, with its diverse renewable energy focus, wide and growing appeal for excellent cars, and international expansion could hit $1 trillion in revenues by 2030.

His Baron Capital still owned more than 1.6 million shares of Tesla valued at $360 million at the time when the stock was trading near $225. Tesla was then Barons 13th largest holding, down from eighth in 2018, but Baron said the decline was due to value depreciation, not the firm selling shares.

In the Q3 shareholder letter from Baron Partners Fund in November, here was the update from Ron...

"Teslas stock stabilized as investors build conviction around Model 3 demand trends and expanding margins. Teslas China factory is ahead of schedule, and investors anticipate the Model Y will positively impact the companys P&L. We continue to expect significant value creation for Teslas stakeholders."

And to learn more about the market psychology of TSLA stock, where investors had learned to doubt Elon Musk's projection of at least 350,000 car deliveries in 2019 -- which he surprisingly delivered on -- check out my colleague Dan Laboe in his latest edition of The 4th Revolution.

What SpaceX Success Means for Tesla

Next in the video, I go over my bull case for TSLA based on it being a completely different kind of car company -- truly a technology company as the boss of Volkswagon conceded recently -- where traditional valuation metrics don't apply to its brand of growth.

One of my arguments is that Musk surrounds himself with the best engineering talent in the world and this was proven once again on Sunday January 19 when his SpaceX successfully tested the emergency rocket abort for its Dragon crew capsule.

The test, conducted jointly with NASA, was a necessary milestone before astronauts are given the green light for crewed missions. In the post-test press conference, Musk, Jim Bridenstine, Administrator of NASA, and Kathy Lueders, manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program all affirmed the importance of this milestone as a big step towards reigniting America's space efforts.

In the video, I also show a book by SpaceX mission manager Andrew Rader which is a really fun, can't-put-down read covering the history of exploration from ancient mariners up to modern astronauts. Rader holds a PhD in aerospace engineering from MIT specializing in long-duration spaceflight and you can tell he is as passionate about the goals of SpaceX as its founder.

Incidentally, last week in my video and related article Virgin Galactic Stock Takes Off Before SpaceX and Blue Origin I explained why, despite all this great momentum, SpaceX wouldn't being doing an IPO any time soon. The article accompanying that video also goes into some detail about the different approaches and progress of each space enterprise and their "birds," including Amazon AMZN founder Jeff Bezos and his independently-funded Blue Origin.

What's Really Launching Virgin Galactic?

Last week I did my weekly video (link above) and podcast on exciting things happening with the private space transport and exploration companies SpaceX and Blue Origin. I also took a close look at Virgin Galactic SPCE after its blistering rally of over 120% since early December.

As of today (Jan 22), SPCE is up another 20%+ this week for a total return over 171% since December 8 when it closed at $7.26. What ignited the launch back then -- was it the $20 million investment from Boeing BA? I think that helped, but I finally found the real culprit.

On December 9, Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas initiated coverage of the company with a $22 price target as he sees the greatest value potentially coming from hypersonic travel more than leisure space travel.

Hypersonic point-to-point (P2P) air travel will be what Jonas called "the third phase of the Virgin Galactic business model" referring to the company's three-phase plan outlined during public investor presentations last year. "A viable space tourism business is what you pay for today, but a chance to disrupt the multi-trillion-dollar airline TAM is what is really likely to drive the upside," Jonas speculated.

Think of traveling 50% faster than the Concorde, with flights between San Francisco and London in under 3 hours.

The analyst summed up his view of the investment opportunity under $10 this way: The shares feature biotech-type risk/reward where todays space tourism business serves as a funding strategy and innovation catalyst to incubate enabling tech for the hypersonic P2P air travel opportunity."

This big optimism from the Morgan Stanley analyst certainly explains part of the massive stock rally in SPCE. Three other elements should be noted though: (1) Virgin Galactic is the only public pure-play space transport and exploration company, and thus getting all the stock market love; (2) a low share price attracted lots of retail buyers with visions of doubling and tripling their money; (3) the hypersonic travel "call option" value of the company is probably at least 5 years away.

The analyst's $22 price target factors in $10 per share in value for space tourism and $12 per share for the hypersonic opportunity that are part of Virgin Galactic's long-range business plans. Jonas forecast $800 billion in annual sales for hypersonic travel by 2040 and further juxtaposed the tourism model (see Earth from space) and the speedy travel model (get around Earth faster)...

"While some investors have described high-speed hypersonic P2P air travel opportunity as the icing on the cake, we see Hypersonic as both the cake and the icing, with Space Tourism as the oven."

Big Global Space Goals: ISS, the Moon, Then Mars

While Branson & Co. are using space tourism to build a bridge to hypersonic air travel, Musk and Bezos with Blue Origin are looking to be reliable transport of cargo and people to the International Space Station (ISS). In his October key note, Bezos emphasized that we must get back to the moon quickly for the next stages of building a space program that can manufacture and test in 1/6 of Earth's gravity. This will be essential for eventual travel to and base-building on Mars.

But back to Virgin Galactic's tourism dreams, "the oven" hasn't even started heating up yet, even though over 600 customers have already bought their seats on the six-passenger SpaceShipTwo at an average cost between $200K and $250K. Tickets first went on sale in 2004 for $200,000 when Branson said commercial operations would begin within three years.

In 2013, tickets went up to $250,000 but an accident in 2014 where a pilot was killed set the program back. Seven years later with no passenger flights yet, some have asked for refunds.

But Virgin Galactic expects to begin flying its first space tourism customers in 2020. Morgan Stanley's Jonas estimates VG can ramp its flight offerings to serve more than 3,000 passengers by 2030. Another estimate that might mean nothing with all the variables involved.

Still it's the social and wealth trends that Jonas is banking on. "The addressable market for space tourism, while niche, is supported by a range of industries, including yacht charters and luxury cars."

"Space Tourisms goal over the next year: be safe, stay funded, he wrote in his research report. We believe the key catalyst over the next 12 months will be sending even one customer to space and returning safely.

Competition and Cooperation in Space

That feat will indeed amaze the world and build wider enthusiasm for all space programs, including SpaceX and Blue Origin. Something that NASA Administrator Bridenstine emphasized after the Crew Dragon abort test Sunday was that his goal has always been "dissimilar redundancy."

This means he wants NASA to rely on several providers of aerospace excellence and reliability. This may eventually include the space projects of Alphabet GOOGL founder Larry Page.

The NASA and SpaceX partnership is a great early example of what's possible when private enterprise (and wealth) takes the initiative in space science and engineering and gets full cooperation from government agencies. This will only encourage more space entrepreneurs to build their visions.

And in a time of rising global mistrust between nations, the International Space Station and its 15 member countries stands as a symbol of unity that only science and shared knowledge can create.

Story continues

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Tesla to $6,000 and SpaceX to the Moon? - Yahoo Finance

WASHINGTON-Chocolate chip cookies have become the first food to be baked in space in a first-of-its-kind experiment.

Astronauts baked the cookies in a special zero-gravity oven at the International Space Station (ISS) last month.

Sealed in individual baking pouches, three of the cookies returned to Earth on the SpaceXDragon spacecraft on 7 January.

The aim of the experiment was to study cooking options for long-haul trips.

The results of the experiment, carried out by astronauts Luca Parmitano and Christina Koch, were revealed this week.

A spokesman for Double Tree, the company that supplied the dough, told the BBC the cookies would soon undergo additional testing by food science professionals to determine the final results of the experiment. These tests will establish whether the cookies are safe to eat.

For the experiment, five cookies were baked over several days to determine the ideal cooking temperature and time.

On Earth, it takes about 20 minutes to bake cookies at a temperature of around 150C (300F). The astronauts found that, in space, it takes far longer.

The first cookie - baked for 25 minutes - was undercooked, but the second - baked for 75 minutes - released a fresh scent in the ISS.

The fourth and fifth cookies - one baked for 120 minutes and left to cool for 25 minutes, and the other baked for 130 minutes and left to cool for 10 minutes - were deemed to be the most successful.

The aim of the experiment was to test cooking options for long-haul space trips

As the cookies were baking, Mr Parmitano, an Italian astronaut for the European Space Agency, kept mission control abreast of their progress.

They were baked in a prototype oven built by NanoRacks and Zero G Kitchen, which create appliances for microgravity use in long-duration space flights.

Zero G Kitchen describes the oven as a cylindrical-shaped insulated container designed to hold and bake food samples in the microgravity environment.

The oven heats food through electric heating elements, similar to those found in a toaster oven, the company says.

While we have initial visual and scent feedback from the crew aboard the ISS, were excited to dive into fully understanding the baking results, said Mary Murphy, senior internal payloads manager at NanoRacks.

DoubleTree said it planned to preserve the cookies where visitors could view them and learn more about the experiment.

The results will help experts with future efforts to make long-duration space travel more hospitable, the company said.

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First cookies baked in space oven by astronauts - The Nation

Ever heard the one about the international footballer who was so keen to leave Planet Earth his club put a clause in his contract banning him for travelling into space?

Its true, Stefan Schwarz tells The Athletic, recalling the negotiations that took him to Sunderland from Valencia in 1999. I would have loved to go into space. It was my agents idea. When we were discussing the contract Moonraker, the James Bond movie, was on television. It was a film I liked. My agent said, lets get this contract done and well go. But then Sunderland got to hear about it and they were not so keen.

Sunderland had just been promoted to the Premier League under the management of Peter Reid and, needless to say, were not too enthused about the idea of their new acquisition climbing into a tin can attached to a rocket to be blasted into the heavens.

The bottom line was to protect the club, John Fickling, then Sunderlands chief executive,...

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A 'party two nights a week' clause, space travel bans and a speculative England call-up bonus: what really... - The Athletic

Have feet, will travel? This Delhi-based travel startup aims to help you hit the road and enjoy the best vacations and holidays. Launched in 2011 by three IIT-Delhi alumni, Shoes on Loose is tapping technology to create transparency between travellers and service providers, and ultimately ensure hassle-free travel.

Mohit Poddar, CEO and Co-founder, says the fact that travel is a broken experience, when planned through several channels, led him to start up. Along with Co-founders Gaurav Kalyan, CTO, and Kritagya Tripathi, CMO, he decided to take a shot at solving this pain point by bootstrapping Shoes on Loose.

Shoes on Loose Founder Mohit Poddar is keen to make travel a hassle-free experience.

Mohit began the venture where he was organising group trips focused on a referral audience.

During that period, I was looking for people who could seamlessly handledifferent tasks. I happened to approach Kritagya and Gaurav and they agreed to join me. We decided to start up in 2011. While working together, we realised that we complemented each others strengths and had the same vision, Mohit says.

Shoes on Loose focuses on identifying every customers requirements and offering the best products available with the least efforts involved.

At Shoes on Loose, we have developed the concept of destination experts. Each of our team members works on just one destination at a time, channelising all efforts and time to that particular destination. S/he curates a value-for-money itinerary for clients to deliver the best sales experience, followed by an on-ground experience in line with the clients expectations, Mohit says.

Iin-house CRMs are in place across the entire buyers journey. The technology not only helps a customer finalise a trip based on preferences, but also assists destination experts to generate customised travel itineraries in seconds.

Customers have become tech-friendly and value-conscious with technology taking centre stage, Mohit says. And Shoes on Loose, which does not work on a price-conscious methodology, is catering to value-conscious customers.

This is the reason that the travel startup prioritises customer experience throughout the planning and execution phase, and believes it to be its single most effective differentiator. It focuses on knowledge-based selling, positioning itself as a team of destination experts as opposed to travel consultants or agents.

Shoes on Loose currently has 50 travel experts on board, and all are trained in delivering end-to-end solutions in destination travel.

A client dashboard gives travellers access to their entire trip details, vouchers, itinerary, blogs (trip guides/FAQ's), so they have complete knowledge of the destination they are heading to.

Shoes on Looses first client was an HRgroup of 45 people who approached the startup through a friend. The group was keen on a three to four-day wildlife getaway and wanted Shoes on Loose to plan the entire trip, from zeroing in on a place to managing all the finer details.

After due diligence by our travel experts, we suggested Bandhavgarh. To make their trip memorable, my team and I visited the place to get in-depth knowledge. We engaged with the group on a regular basis, and did things like sharing live videos of the resort that we shortlisted and taking their approval for the smallest aspects. That helped us build a personal connection, Mohit says.

The trip left everyone happy, and Shoes on Loose didntget its first big cheque; it also found a loyal customer. This was in 2012, and brought them several other clients.

"Though the journey hasbeen very adventurous, there have been a few ups and downs. The first year was really very tough for me," Mohit says. He was juggling the startup with his job, which required personal involvement with developers and designers to get things done.

Later, when he left his job to focus on the company, he was clear that he did not want Shoes on Loose to be a generic travel company. To this day, Mohit remains focused on ensuring that the startup remains tech-driven.

Apart from operational challenges, Mohit and team also took various risks like pre-purchasing flight seats without any B2B company backing them to make the travel packages more attractive.

Shoes on Looses business model has evolved with time, but the core has been the same: creating a product with the best value for the client and establishing long-term relationships.

More than 33 percent of the revenue is driven by referrals. The model is built around retaining existing clients while selling packages to gain new ones. The travel startup claims to have successfully conducted over 10,000+ customised tours to domestic and international destinations. More than 35,000 travellers have booked trips with Shoes on Loose.

The startup takes a commission from every package.

Apart from customised holiday packages, the startup also has an inventory of camping equipment that can cater to 500 campers at a time. They are the official camping partners of some of the leading music festivals in India, including Magnetic Fields Festival. We also provide camping gear on a rental basis and are trying to increase the demand as SBU of the company, Mohit says.

The founders have also launched a Save Ladakh campaign to promote sustainable tourism and educate travellers about rising concerns related to plastic waste management and water scarcity in Leh.

According to IBEF, the Indian tourism and hospitality industry has emerged as one of the key drivers of growth among the services sector in India. A Techsiresearch report states that the countrys travel and tourism market stood at $56 billion in 2017 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of over 7.5 percent to reach $86 billion by 2023. This growth will be led by growing domestic and foreign tourist footfall and increasing number of religious and leisure trips.

Shoes on Loose, which started with an initial investment of Rs 20 lakh, has been reinvesting profits to expand the business. It remains bootstrapped, but is looking for Series A investment for business development, product development, and expansion.

Over the next 18 months, the founders aim toachieve a 5 percentmarket share in the destinations that they are promoting. The long-term plan is to make individual and corporate clients brand ambassadors and advocates for the startup.

They are also working on a client and vendor app to make the process transparent.

(Edited by Teja Lele Desai)

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Travel aggregator Shoes on Loose wants to disrupt the space with destination experts to guide every travelle - YourStory

New developments in space travel and related technologies are linking together a diverse array of firms, creating a new economy around the activity in their industry. According to a report from Morgan Stanley published earlier this year, the global space industry could generate more than $1 trillion by 2040, up from about $350 billion today.

Its just starting, says Adam Jonas, managing director of Global Auto & Shared Mobility Research at Morgan Stanley, adding that just a few years ago, investing in space would have been on the average investors mind as much as autonomous cars were a decade ago, or electric cars were before Tesla went public.

Id say it went from a zero out of 10 in terms of on peoples minds, to approaching a one out of 10 today, he says. But make no mistake, the space industry is emerging due to the improved unit economics of putting things in orbit and improvements in technology. The capability of what you can put 300 miles above the earth is very different than it was in the 1990s, he says.

The main catalyst behind the space industry, Jonas says, is human missions, but there are multiple end markets and related adjacent industries within the space economy.

He sees three main areas for growth: media communications, transportation (space travel for earth, moving people and things), and earth observation. Jonas describes the latter as turning the upper atmosphere and orbital planes into an area for data collection with innumerable uses, from predicting weather to improving supply chain efficiencyeven stopping illegal fishing.

Jonas says these developments are important for the earth, because we need the perspective.

Its happening at a time when I think there may be some elevated consciousness in business and certainly amongst our clients, as to the earth and the changes of the earth, [and] how we view the change of earths resources and the environment.

Furthermore, the U.S. governments plans for a Space Command could help the industry take off like never before.

That combination of capitalism and national security could herald a more rapid development of this domain than people realize today, he says.

Heres what Jonas says is important to keep in mind when considering space industry investments.

Acknowledge the Sectors Difficulties

Historically, investing in space has been home to cautionary tales, Jonas says. Space is hard, capital intensive, and an unproven market.

In many cases, theres unproven technology, unproven physics, and certainly unproven business models, he says.

Despite a positive outlook for the sector, Jonas says its no less difficult today.

Investing is speculative by natureinvesting in space is a different level of speculation, he says.

The developments of travel and [communications] might take decades to play out. So be patient.

Part of the issue is that there are a lot of binary outcomes for the technologies, for example, getting approval for a certain band of communications, or not, without any in-between.

I suspect that there will be many companies that would fail, he says.

Investing in the marketplace isnt going to be all rocket launchers and space missions. As Jonas points out, there arent a lot of pure play space companies to invest in at the moment. The Morgan Stanley Space 20, for instance, includes companies like GoDaddy and Shopify among those best exposed to growth from the space industry.

You might have to be willing to own an investment that may not be a 100% pure play space.

Become an Expert

Many of these [space] companies are private, Jonas says, meaning the most exciting things that are going on are in the private domain.

Some unicorns, like SpaceX, have an outsized impact on the rest of the space industry, but most companies are too small to move the needle.

But that doesn't mean you shouldnt pay attention to smaller firms, because they might become public in the future. And there are still opportunities to invest in their orbit by investing in companies they partner with or in their supply chain.

Jonas says that even if companies arent accessible to invest in, they are worth keeping an eye on.

They might still be worth following because they might one day be public potentially, or they may be working on a topic that is at a bleeding edge of something that can affect the public markets, Jonas says.

Focus On a Long-Time Horizon

Jonas says space isnt the place to make a quick buck. At least the developments of travel and [communications] might take decades to play out, Jonas says. So be patient.

Virgin Galactic, for example, which styles itself as the worlds first commercial space line was founded in 2004 and has continually pushed back the date for commercial space flights, which it currently anticipates for 2020.

Jonas says the investment phase for some firms in the space industry might last a decade or more before any revenue.

In this case you might need your DCF (discounted cash flow) to go out 30 years, 40 years, Jonas says. He uses the example of space mining and says that might require a 50-year DCF. Not every investor would be comfortable doing that.

But for those who are willing, the potential for long--term returns might make it worth investing in the final frontier.

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Future Returns: How to Invest in Space Travel and Technologies - Barron's

Science fiction has long been the domain of fanciful imagination, particularly as it pertains to movies set in space. A significant portion of space-faring sci-fi asks the viewer to imagine what life might be like in the distant future, or with the benefit of incredible, as-yet-undeveloped, technology. Or else it asks us to imagine first contact with an alien civilization. Spoilers: it usually doesnt turn out well.

Ad Astra, directed by James Gray and starring Brad Pitt, does something a little different, though not wholly unheard of. It imagines a world just a few decades off, one which appears, for the most part, as a reasonable facsimile of what space travel of the future might actually be like and not too far into the future, either.

**Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers for Ad Astra below**

Ad Astra isnt without its own flights of fancy. There are Moon pirates, the pursuit of alien contact, and at least a couple of middle fingers cast lovingly toward the law of physics. But for the most part, and despite most of it taking place off-world, it feels grounded. There isnt any time travel, no cryogenic pods, and no warp drive. Space travel, as portrayed in the film is arduous, slow, and, at times, lonely.

Ahead of Ad Astra's home release, SYFY WIRE traveled to the deserts of New Mexico (almost an alien planet in its own right) to visit Spaceport America, talk with astronauts, NASA engineers, and commercial space travel experts, about the film, the role of science fiction, and the future of space travel, which has become the next frontier in human transport.

THE PRESENT AND FUTURE OF COMMERCIAL SPACEFLIGHT

Roy McBride (Pitt) works as an astronaut on the International Space Antenna, a massive piece of engineering designed in hopes of communicating with non-human intelligences elsewhere in the universe. When a dangerous burst of energy from the far reaches of the solar system destroy the antenna, McBride barely survives a vertigo-inducing freefall from terrifying heights.

Once back on the surface, Roy embarks on a mission to save the world from a potentially catastrophic event that threatens all life on Earth. The explosions on the antenna were only the beginning, the hint of a far greater cosmic threat, originating near Neptune.

Getting to the far reaches of the solar system will take several crafts and a layover on Mars, but first he has to get to the Moon. And in order to do that, he has to ride coach, so to speak.

Rather than take a government-operated craft to the Moon, McBride flies Virgin Atlantic. Its an interesting story choice and one which does a lot of world-building without having to say too much. Commercial spaceflight, in the world of Ad Astra, is mundane. Common. There are flight attendants and (expensive) onboard amenities. Space is no longer the domain of the few, dominated by world governments and those chosen few. Instead, its available to anyone and everyone. At least everyone willing and able to shell out the cash.

Science fiction often hand waves the technology needed to accomplish large-scale travel to, and extended living in, space. The service Ad Astra, and movies like it, provide is to present at least one possible way forward. And thats important.

One of the biggest missions of science fiction in general, whether its movies or novels, is to tell us what is possible, or what could be possible, and give us some optimism that we can get to that point, said Robert Yowell, former NASA Engineer and technical adviser for Ad Astra.

Private companies have been pursuing commercial spaceflight for decades. At least since the 70s, designs have been floating around which intended to carry dozens of people off-world. These plans never materialized.

From a certain point of view, consumer spaceflight is already happening. In 1984 and 85, Charles Walker became the first non-government individual to go to space. He flew a total of three shuttle missions on behalf of his employer, McDonnel Douglas Co, who paid NASA $40,000 per flight.

In 1990, Toyohiro Akiyama flew to MIR, on behalf of the Tokyo Broadcasting System. The total cost is in dispute but ranges in the tens of millions.

As of earlier this year, NASA has opened the International Space Station to commercial enterprises. In addition to commercial research, the ISS is being opened up to commercial astronaut missions. According to the announcement, there will be two slots for commercial astronauts each year, beginning as early as 2020. These missions will be short-term, up to 30 days, and will be privately funded, dedicated commercial flights.

This would mark a considerable shift in the culture of spaceflight, effectively beginning a new era of regular non-government human activities in space.

While commercial flights to the ISS would open the door to space for private citizens, several companies arent content to wait for permission. In fact, Virgin, the company which ferried Roy McBride to the Moon, is making moves to get there itself.

Virgin Galactic, the spaceflight arm of the Virgin Group, is developing its own planes intended for commercial spaceflight. The original intent was to have flights in progress by 2009, but the project encountered a few setbacks, not unheard of in this arena.

Still, earlier this year, two of Virgins test pilots were awarded astronaut wings by the U.S. Department of Transportation after a successful flight to 51.4 miles above Earths surface, surpassing the 50-mile benchmark recognized by the department.

Virgin Galactic is currently operating out of Spaceport America, in New Mexico. The site serves as the first purpose-built commercial spaceport in the world. Sitting on 18,000 acres, the spaceport offers a rocket launchpad, hangers for holding spacecraft, and an impressive runway built with landing space planes in mind.

Once Virgins commercial operations get off the ground, the primary focus will be tourism. The company will offer suborbital flights for a fee, but thats just the beginning. While initial flights will take off and land at the same location, the ultimate goal is point-to-point flights to different locations around the world. This would require considerably more spaceports in varying locations, but could revolutionize travel. At least for those who can afford it.

Because these flights would be happening at such high altitudes and traveling at such incredible speeds, travel times would be drastically reduced. These sorts of point-to-point spaceflights could deliver a passenger from L.A. to Hong Kong in two hours.

Daniel Hicks, CEO of Spaceport America, however, holds a grander view of what theyre trying to do. Yes, they are trying to accomplish the decades-old dream of spaceflight for the common person, but it isnt just about making money.

We are at a precipice now, where exploration by sailing ship was in the fourteenth century. If you look at the timeline between Columbus and Sir Francis Drake, it was hundreds of years. Because there was no economic reason to do it. Now were at a point where people understand there is money to be made in space. And thats going to open up the doors to exploration to allow flights to Mars, etc. NASA was the genesis for all of this and NASA should never go away. But commercialization is really what the world has been waiting for the past few decades, Hicks said.

Theres good reason to believe Hicks might be right. During a panel on the future of spaceflight, at Spaceport America, each of the panelists, Robert Yowell, Ellen Ochoa, Leland Melvin, and Daniel Hicks spoke of witnessing Apollo 11 and the way it influenced them, in ways they might not have understood at the time, to ultimately pursue paths which lead them into space. And in the case of Melvin and Ochoa, into space itself.

While activities in space, both crewed and uncrewed, have continued since Apollo weve been missing that spark of excitement for some time, the electric anticipation and sense of victory over nature and over our own limitations, which will inspire the next generation of explorers.

Maybe the proliferation of commercial space travel, is just the thing we need to get todays kids excited about pushing into that final frontier.

When asked about what was exciting in space travel today, Melvin said, One of the most exciting things is you can have a panel like this and have a discussion with a Hispanic woman and an African American male astronaut on the panel. The representation in movies and in real life, in space, is helping everyone feel like they have a seat a the table to be part of this journey.

While the pioneering work by NASA and other space agencies around the world is immeasurable, moving space into the private sector and making it available to everyone, is the next logical step opening up the possibility for everyone to be part of the journey.

Its reasonable to expect continued delays, not just from Virgin Galactic, but from all commercial spaceflight endeavors. Traveling in space is a dangerous undertaking, one which requires considerable caution. This is one area in which its better to be right than it is to be fast.

With any luck, companies like Virgin Galactic, Blue Horizons, and SpaceX will realize the dream of extending human spaceflight to humanity, at large, in the coming decades. Until then, weve got our dreams and our stories. But we might want to rethink building an Applebee's on the Moon.

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Will commercial space flight be like Ad Astra? We went to a flight base to check it out - SYFY WIRE