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Daily Archives: May 3, 2022
Kerr: GOP’s ‘stokeism’ is replacing substance with the surreal – Seacoastonline.com
Posted: May 3, 2022 at 10:06 pm
D. Allan Kerr| Columnist
Right-wingers in the Republican Party apparently think keeping their base fired up over what they consider wokeism is the formula to take back power in Washington DC and elsewhere. They might want to consider how foolish their antics may seem to those who are more rationally minded.
The more strident if not downright shrill GOP members have launched counter-attacks on so-called woke positions with what I consider "stokeism,"intended to stoke outrage among their constituents and not really accomplish much else.
One of the more bizarre aspects of this effort has been an apparent obsession with iconic kiddie-culture characters. Last year Ted Cruz complained about Sesame Streets Big Bird encouraging people to get vaccinated against COVID. Now Ron DeSantis has declared all-out war on Mickey Mouse for the Disney corporations advocacy for the gay community.
In fact, recent legislation pushed through by Floridas governor may be among the most transparent examples of stoke policies to date.
The so-called Dont Say Gay law signed by DeSantis in March outlaws classroom instruction in kindergarten through third grade on sexual orientation or gender identity. Now, Im pretty sure theres not a lot of sex ed in those early grades, but the legislation is vague enough so teachers could face punishment if they, say, share a book about a kid who has two dads.
Apparently, kids should not be made aware that sometimes kids have gay parents.
The Disney corporation opposed this legislation, which some say ostracizes the gay community. DeSantis, in a pretty clear case of retaliation, promptly sought to strip Disney of a special self-governing status in place for more than 50 years. However, the action was taken so hastily it isnt yet clear who will wind up footing the bill for the services previously provided by the corporation.
Ironically, DeSantis has claimed hes making this move because he wants to protect children from indoctrination. Which is funny, because I first became aware of the guy when a 2018 gubernatorial campaign ad featured him reading to his infant son a book from everyones favorite childrens author, Donald J Trump.
So now, Disney which has defined the term family-friendly for multiple generations is being portrayed as a woke corporation out to brainwash kids, and DeSantis is concocting stoke legislation to cast himself as a defender of the masses. But hes not alone. In fact, its been downright entertaining to watch some of these hard-right folks try to top each others anti-woke histrionics.
One particularly surreal episode occurred just a few weeks ago when Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin presented the Pentagons national defense budget before a congressional committee. Florida congressman Matt Gaetz (what is it with Florida Republicans?) questioned him about some obscure lecture previously given at the National Defense University, then embarked on a tangent about wokeism in the military.
Weve seen some curious moments of political theater in recent years, but watching Eddie Munsters frat-boy kid brother try to lecture a retired combat-tested four-star general a guy who served multiple stints in the 82nd Airborne and was awarded the Silver Star for leading troops in battle in Iraq about military preparedness is one of my all-time favorites.
Now, lets be honest; Matt Gaetz will never be the sharpest tool in the shed, but even he knows a classroom lecture on socialism isnt going to make our armed forces any less lethal. Nothing of significance was accomplished by his grandstanding, but Im sure he was able to stoke the indignation of those being told they are victims of wokeism.
Just as this clown heading Oklahomas Republican Party, whos now running for Congress, doesnt really believe Dr. Anthony Fauci should be tried and placed in front of a firing squad, as he said just this week. But his outrageous line drew cheers and applause at a campaign rally, and hell no doubt get some of the spotlight he clearly, desperately wanted.
Likewise, DeSantis taking away Disneys status of self-sufficiency doesnt make life any better for his constituents or their community. Its not going to repair roads or build bridges or reduce health care costs or make higher education more affordable. It doesnt lower taxes or make people safer or improve their situation in any tangible way. If anything, this move could wind up increasing taxes for neighboring towns who may have to pick up the bill to pay for services previously covered by the corporation.
But that was never the point. These political opportunists are playing to a particular segment of the population who have been persuaded smaller segments are getting special treatment. This is what drives a lot of folks now.
The Republican party I remember stood for small government, big business, a strong national defense, love of country and minding your own business (unless you were gay, or a woman). Now there seems to be an ever-growing faction simply terrified of losing their place in line.
Many of todays Republicans sound like the crybabies they always accused Democrats of being. Theyve flipped the script so much the GOP of old has become the POG the Grand Old Party is now the Party of Grievance. I dunno, maybe it's always been this way, but during the most recent heyday of Republicanism, the Reagan era, I don't recall quite so many whiners.
And all you have to do to win their support, apparently, is loudly bash what I believe used to be called political correctness. You dont even have to actually get anything done you just have to stoke to fight the woke.
D. Allan Kerr of Kittery is the author of "Silent Strength: Remembering the Men of Genius and Adventure Lost in the World's Worst Submarine Disaster."
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Kerr: GOP's 'stokeism' is replacing substance with the surreal - Seacoastonline.com
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POTUS Broadway Review: The President Cant Be Held Responsible for This Mess – Yahoo Entertainment
Posted: at 10:06 pm
The 21st century finally has its Moose Murders.
As if her two stage collaborations with Mel Brooks werent enough to make her the Vulgarian of Broadway, director-choreographer Susan Stroman followed The Producers and Blazing Saddles with Big Fish, which featured dancing elephant buttocks, and Bullets Over Broadway, which featured dancing hot-dog penises.Its fitting that Stroman should direct Selina Fillingers new comedy, POTUS, which opened Wednesday at the Shubert Theatre. Its a play that finds humor in suppositories, an anal abscess, dildos, scat, pus from that aforementioned abscess and a character who vomits blue puke. The blue-puke projectile happens twice, maybe three times. After that, the character just dry-heaves a lot for our amusement.
No surprise, POTUS is set in the White House. The big surprise is how much its subtitle Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive misleads. Here, its not the president but his wife (Vanessa Williams), lesbian sister (Lea DeLaria), paramour (Julianne Hough), a female reporter (Lilli Cooper) and his female staff (Rachel Dratch, Suzy Nakamura, and Julie White) who are the real incompetents.
Beowulf Boritts massive West Wing set goes round and round, featuring everything from the chief of staffs office to the ladies loo, but its ultimate effect is to scatter the comedy all over the place. Williams has the least to do and doesnt look happy doing it. White tries especially hard, screaming to the point that she gives a pretty good vocal imitation of Harvey Fierstein. And Cooper may be the first actor to use breast pumps on a Broadway stage.
Dratch has a fun moment early in Act 1 when she accidentally ingests a lot of hallucinogens and cant find the ground shes walking on. In Act 2, shes still tripping but now covered in stage blood and multi-colored Post-Its, and wearing a big pink innertube. Since Boritts spinning set wore out its novelty in the previous act, Stroman sends Dratch into the audience to distract, followed by a few other actors, who look as if theyre really trying to escape the theater.
Hough also manages to entertain. Its refreshing to see a character break through the glass ceiling of political correctness with such determination. Maybe only a female director and a female playwright would have the courage to feature a pregnant character vomit repeatedly, then perform (offstage) fellatio on a couple of Secret Service men, who turn out to be disabled war veterans (one blind, the other an amputee), before performing cartwheels and the splits on stage. As a critic, I live to write sentences like that.
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POTUS Broadway Review: The President Cant Be Held Responsible for This Mess - Yahoo Entertainment
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Earth and space exploration major recognized as spring 2022 Dean’s Medalist – ASU News Now
Posted: at 10:04 pm
May 3, 2022
Editor's note:This story is part of a series of profiles of notablespring 2022 graduates.
This spring, Erin Alexander will be graduating from Arizona State University with a bachelor of science degree in earth and space exploration geological sciences, a minor in biochemistry and a certificate in field geology. She is also the School of Earth and Space Exploration Deans Medalist for 2022, a prestigious award that recognizes outstanding academic achievement by the The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, as well as a student in Barrett, The Honors College. School of Earth and Space Exploration spring 2022 Dean's Medalist, Erin Alexander. Download Full Image
The Austin, Texas, native was looking for a college program with lots of planetary geology and space exploration. She chose ASU for the opportunities it offered her to explore any of the topics she found herself interested in.
Alexander has excelled during her time at ASU by participating in the NASA Space Grant Internship Program, and the research she performed for that project she continued to expand into her senior thesis and graduate plans.
She received the Ravi DeFilippo Geology Field Camp Scholarship, which allowed her to attend Field Geology II last summer to learn about field geology, geomorphology tools and techniques that she could apply to her summer research project in Yellowstone National Park. This launched her current trajectory toward a fieldwork-heavy geological sciences masters program at ASU.
Receiving this scholarship allowed me to attend field camp without worrying about my job or rent, which was a major burden off my shoulders, said Alexander. It allowed me to do incredibly well in a rigorous class.
She credits Professor Kelin Whipple with teaching her that the natural world operates under rules she never even thought to imagine; geologic history isnt just set in stone, its carved into all the spaces in between.
"Erin is an excellent student. She is highly motivated and self-directed and known for asking insightful, penetrating questions," said Whipple, a professor in the School of Earth and Space Exploration. "Erins honors thesis research at the intersection of hot springs, geochemistry and geomorphology is a transdisciplinary blending of ideas and approaches that was developed entirely on Erins initiative."
Alexander said that working in Professor Everett Shocks lab taught her that she is "a real scientist with valid opinions."
"Hes taught me that Im capable of doing important work, and he has always encouraged me to pursue research that I care about, she said. The confidence that the members of her research group have given Alexander has been an enormous factor in her growth as a scientist and helped her weather hard situations and questions.
"In her research, Erin has worked to evaluate spatial and temporal variability in hot spring chemistry by synthesizing 20 years of data collected by my group and integrating them for the first time in a GIS analysis," said Shock, a professor in the School of Earth and Space Exploration. "Erin has made invaluable contributions to the group, including hoisting an injured graduate student onto her back and carrying her out of the field, averting potential disaster."
One of her biggest accomplishments during her time at ASU was completing a Geological Society of America poster and Space Grant research project during the COVID-19 pandemic.
I was thankful to have my mentors, family, friends and pets on my side during that time, said Alexander. I am proud of what I could achieve in a time where many opportunities were closed.
This fall, Alexander will continue at ASU to pursue her master's degree.
She answered questions about her time at ASU.
Question: Whats the best piece of advice youd give to those still in school?
Answer: Socializing and networking are the first steps to getting into fields. Asking experienced people in your field for help and guidance once you get to know them through casual conversations will take you light years further than sending off a million emails into the abyss.
Q: What was your favorite spot on campus, whether for studying, meeting friends, or just thinking about life?
A: One of my favorite places on campus is the "secret garden." I havent been there often, but one of my favorite memories at ASU was buying a discount picnic basket on accident at Goodwill, deciding I had to use it to have a picnic, and inviting my best friends to eat tuna-salad croissants and drink lemonade from a marching band gallon jug in the middle of the secret garden. It makes me so happy to remember how lucky I am to have made friends with some of the most supportive people Ive ever met in my life.
Q: What are your plans after graduation?
A: I plan to attend ASU as a masters student after graduating. Im in love with my current research and want to pursue it for a little while longer at ASU before hopefully starting a PhD program.
Q: If someone gave you $40 million to solve one problem on our planet, what would you tackle?
A:I think Id invest in providing resources for LGBTQ-plus youth around the world. Nobody should be afraid to live in their gender identity or sexual orientation, nobody should be afraid of not being able to pursue their career because of loss of support, and nobody should have to bury a friend born to an unsupportive family.
Q: Any influences from past teachers, friends or family?
A: My parents have had a huge influence on my life and helped me pursue my interests. They encouraged me to be a complete person above all else. My dad learned how to coach whatever sport I wanted to play, answered my many, many questions as best as he could, and encouraged me to spend my free time being as creative as I liked. My mum went out of her way to take me to museums I liked, made sure I always took classes I was interested in rather than forcing me to take something prestigious, and let me know that finding something that made me happy was far more important than garnering meaningless success.
Q: Did you face any challenges to finish your degree during a pandemic?
A: I faced a lot of academic and personal challenges over the pandemic, but being able to spend time with my family back in Texas, having a wonderful group of friends who virtually studied together every night, and growing my fun little research tangent into a full-on poster at a national conference was one of the highlights I was able to make during a dim part of world history.
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Earth and space exploration major recognized as spring 2022 Dean's Medalist - ASU News Now
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Aberdeen native explains the next steps of deep space exploration – Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal
Posted: at 10:04 pm
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Auburn commemorating annual National Space Day with tribute to university’s astronauts – Office of Communications and Marketing
Posted: at 10:04 pm
Humankind has searched the heavens in the spirit of exploration for decades, and Auburn University has had a hand in advancing that mission through the years.
In honor of the designation of May 6 as National Space Day, Auburn has created a special webpage to commemorate the contributions of its six astronauts and other alumni who have contributed to the pursuit of space exploration. Jan Davis 77, the late Hank Hartsfield 54, Ken Mattingly 58, Kathryn Thornton 74, Jim Voss 72 and the late Clifton Curtis Williams 54 are the six Auburn alumni who have earned the coveted title of astronaut.
In that esteemed group of six, each has been awarded the Auburn Alumni Associations Lifetime Achievement Award and combined to fly more than 20 space missions during their illustrious careers. Davis, Hartsfield, Mattingly, Thornton and Voss combined for more than 7,400 hours in space, with Williams logging more than 2,100 hours of flight time in a jet aircraft before being tragically killed in a 1967 airplane accident.
Four of the six astronautsDavis (mechanical engineering), Mattingly (aeronautical engineering), Voss (aerospace engineering) and Williams (mechanical engineering)earned degrees from the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, the most of any of Auburns colleges.
Auburns history with NASA, the space program and our countrys defense system is one of the richest in the nation, said Steve Taylor, interim dean of the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering. We are so proud of the Auburn engineers who have helped pave the way, and were excited to play an even larger role in the 21st century as our country explores new frontiers to make our lives more efficient and our world a safer place.
The two others, Hartsfield and Thornton, earned physics degrees from Auburns College of Sciences and Mathematics, or COSAM.
COSAM is proud to prepare students for exciting and rewarding careers in science, said Ed Thomas, COSAM interim dean. Hank Hartsfield and Kathryn Thornton are two COSAM alumni who shaped the field of astronomy through selflessly serving on flight crews and completing missions in space for the greater good.They serve as inspirations for the current generation of COSAM faculty and students who continue to advance our understanding of the space environment and the role of humans in space.
Nearly 500 Auburn alumni have worked for NASA. Three of themJames W. Kennedy 72, Lt. Gen. Forrest S. McCartney 52 and Richard G. Smith 51have served as directors of the Kennedy Space Center. That triumvirate makes up 30 percent of those who have been chosen for that prestigious post, as the center only has had 10 directors in its history.
In addition, alumni like Todd May 90 (former director, Marshall Space Flight Center), Brooks Moore 48 (50-plus years working in the space industry), Jim Odom 55 (led development of the Hubble Space Telescope), John W. Thomas 60 (instrumental in space programs for 60 years), Gerald W. Smith 61, 71 (40-year career included stints at Marshall Space Flight Center, NASA headquarters and Stennis Space Center), Tim Monk 05 (senior manager, New Glenn Project at Blue Origin) and Jonathan Mitchell 13 (policy advisor for the New Zealand Space Agency) have made considerable contributions to space exploration after their time on the Plains.
Their exploits and the work of countless others is chronicled in the new landing site, which includes a news feed featuring past space-related articles published through Auburns channels. The universitys commitment to excellence and the achievements of its alumni have been profound in virtually every arena, and space exploration is no exception. That has been made evident through the new webpage, which celebrates their dedication to service and discovery.
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The Worldwide Space Power Electronics Industry is Expected to Reach $435 Million by 2026 – PR Newswire
Posted: at 10:04 pm
DUBLIN, May 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Space Power Electronics Market by Device Type (Power Discrete, Power Module, Power IC), Application (Satellites, Spacecraft & Launch Vehicles, Space Stations, Rovers), Platform, Voltage, Current, Material and Region - Forecast to 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.
The Space power electronics market is projected to grow from USD 205 million in 2021 to USD 435 million by 2026, at a CAGR of 16.2%.
Space power electronics is the application of electronics on satellites, spacecraft, launch vehicles, space stations and rovers to control and convert electric power from one form to other. It deals with the processing of high voltages and currents to deliver power that supports a variety of needs. According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, a power electronic system can comprise a modular power electronic subsystem (PESS) connected to a source and load at its input and output power ports, respectively. Semiconductor devices such as metal-oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFET), insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBT), mos-controlled thyristor (MCT), and gate-turn-off thyristors (GTO) represent the cornerstone of modem power electronic converters.
Based on device type, the power IC segment is expected to lead the space power electronics market from 2021 to 2026
Power ICs are integrated circuits that include multiple power rails and power management functions within a single chip. Power ICs are frequently used to power small, battery-operated devices since the integration of multiple functions into a single chip result in more efficient use of space and system power. Functions commonly integrated into a PMIC include voltage converters and regulators, battery chargers, battery fuel gauges, LED drivers, real-time clocks, power sequencers, and power control. The Power ICs consist of Power Management ICs and Application Specific ICs.
Based on application, the satellite segment is expected to lead the space power electronics market from 2021 to 2026
Satellites are increasingly being adopted in modern communication technologies. The introduction of wireless satellite internet and development of miniature hardware systems are exploiting numerous opportunities in the field of satellite-enabled communication. Over the past decade, there has been an explosion of activity in the small satellite world, driven by technology breakthroughs, industry commercialization, and private investments. There is a growing demand for space exploration, which enables small satellites to achieve attitude and orbit control, orbital transfers, and end-of-life deorbiting. Miniaturization of power electronic technologies are performing very well for CubeSats. Also, rapid growth in the NewSpace industry has led to the greater use of modular components like miniaturized rad-hard MOSFETs, gate drivers, DC-DC converters and solid-state relays.
Based on region, North America is expected to lead the space power electronics market from 2021 to 2026. The US is a lucrative market for space power electronics in the North American region. The US government is increasingly investing in advanced space power electronics technologies to enhance the quality and effectiveness of satellite communication, deep space exploration. The increasing investment on satellite equipment to enhance defense and surveillance capabilities of the armed forces, modernization of existing communication in military platforms, critical infrastructure and law enforcement agencies using satellite systems, are key factors expected to drive the space power electronics market in North America. Boeing-manufactured O3b mPOWER satellites are widely using radiation-fault-tolerant DC-DC converter power modules for better power conversion
Key Topics Covered:
1 Introduction
2 Research Methodology
3 Executive Summary
4 Premium Insights4.1 Attractive Growth Opportunities in Space Power Electronics Market4.2 Space Power Electronics Market, by Device Type4.3 Space Power Electronics Market, by Voltage4.4 Space Power Electronics Market, by Current4.5 Space Power Electronics Market, by Platform4.6 Space Power Electronics Market, by Application4.7 Space Power Electronics Market, by Material4.8 Space Power Electronics Market, by Country
5 Market Overview5.1 Introduction5.2 Market Dynamics5.2.1 Drivers5.2.1.1 Increasing Demand for Wide Bandgap Materials Such as Silicon Carbide (Sic) and Gallium Nitride (Gan)5.2.1.2 Increasing Demand for Small Satellites5.2.1.3 Advancements in Power Semiconductor Switch Technology5.2.1.4 Use of Gan Amplifiers for Space Applications5.2.1.5 Increasing Investments by Venture Capitalists in Space Exploration Missions5.2.2 Restraints5.2.2.1 Government Policies Related to Spacecraft5.2.2.2 Complex Design and Integration Process5.2.2.3 High Costs of Development and Designing5.2.3 Opportunities5.2.3.1 Miniaturization of Space Dc-Dc Converters5.2.3.2 Development of Advanced Power Electronic Components5.2.3.3 Increasing Use of Cots Products in Satellites and Other Space Applications5.2.4 Challenges5.2.4.1 Hazards due to Harsh Conditions in Space5.2.4.2 Development of Low-Noise Performance Dc-Dc Converters5.2.4.3 Converter Interaction Challenge5.2.4.4 Customized Requirements of High-End Consumers5.3 Impact of COVID-19 on Space Power Electronics Market5.4 Ranges and Scenarios5.5 Trends/Disruption Impacting Customer Business5.5.1 Revenue Shift & New Revenue Pockets for Space Power Electronics Market5.6 Value Chain Analysis5.6.1 R&D5.6.2 Manufacturer5.6.3 Assembly & Testing5.6.4 End Use5.7 Pricing Analysis5.7.1 Average Selling Price of Key Players, by Application5.8 Space Power Electronics Market Ecosystem5.8.1 Prominent Companies5.8.2 Private and Small Enterprises5.8.3 Market Ecosystem5.9 Trade Analysis5.9.1 Space Power Electronics Market - Global Forecast to 20265.9.1.1 Import Scenario of Space Power Electronics Market5.9.1.2 Export Scenario of Space Power Electronics Market5.10 Key Conferences & Events in 2022-20235.11 Tariff and Regulatory Landscape5.11.1 Regulatory Bodies, Government Agencies, and Other Organizations5.11.2 North America5.11.3 Europe5.11.3.1 Un Outer Space Treaty5.11.3.2 Developers5.11.4 Asia-Pacific5.11.5 Middle East & Africa5.12 Porter's Five Forces Analysis5.13 Key Stakeholders & Buying Criteria5.13.1 Key Stakeholders in Buying Process5.13.2 Buying Criteria
6 Industry Trends6.1 Introduction6.2 Technology Trends6.2.1 Radiation-Hardened Gallium Nitride Power Devices6.2.2 Low Power Dc/Dc Converter Modules6.2.3 Modular Electric Power Systems6.2.4 Machine Learning-Powered Analytics6.3 Technology Analysis6.3.1 Silicon Carbide6.3.2 Field Programmable Gate Arrays6.3.3 Swap - Size, Weight, and Power6.4 Patent Analysis6.5 Use Cases6.5.1 Use Case: Solar Array Panels for Power Generation in Satellites6.5.2 Use Case: Satellite Radiation Hardness Test6.5.3 Use Case: Cubesats for Interplanetary Missions6.6 Impact of Megatrends6.6.1 Development of New-Generation Cubesats for Lunar Exploration6.6.2 Use of Radiation Hardened Power Electronics in Space6.6.3 Convergence of Traditional and New Space Electronics Solutions
7 Space Power Electronics Market, by Device Type7.1 Introduction7.2 Power Discrete7.2.1 Diodes7.2.1.1 High Demand for Silicon Carbide Power Diodes in Solar Panels on Satellites7.2.2 Transistors7.2.2.1 Gan Transistors Widely Used for Earth Observation Satellites and Satellite Internet7.3 Power Module7.3.1 Intelligent Power Module (Ipm)7.3.1.1 Increasing Use of Cots-Based Ipm Lowers Space Mission Costs7.3.2 Standard and Integrated Power Modules (Mosfets, Igbt)7.3.2.1 Increasing Use of Radiation Hardened Power Mosfets in Satellites, Spacecraft, and Space Stations7.4 Power Ic7.4.1 Power Management Ic7.4.1.1 Key Focus on Developing Cubesats for Communication and Testing Emerging Technologies7.4.2 Application-Specific Ic7.4.2.1 Increased Investments in Satellites Help Develop More Application-Specific Ics
8 Space Power Electronics Market, by Platform8.1 Introduction8.2 Power8.2.1 Demand for High Efficiency Electrical Power and Distribution Systems on the Rise8.3 Command & Data Handling8.3.1 Increasing Demand for Low Power Consumption Command & Data Handling for Nanosatellites8.4 Attitude Determination & Control System (Adcs)8.4.1 Demand for High Efficiency Radiation Hardened Interface for Adcs8.5 Propulsion8.5.1 Need for Innovative Power Systems for Electrical Propulsion8.6 Telemetry Tracking & Command System (Tt&C)8.6.1 Increasing Satellite Launches Increases Demand for Tt&C8.7 Structure8.7.1 Development of Multi-Functional Structures - Key Driver8.8 Thermal System8.8.1 Critical to Maintaining Optimal Temperature in Spacecraft
9 Space Power Electronics Market, by Application9.1 Introduction9.2 Satellites9.2.1 Increasing Deployment of Cubesats in Interplanetary Missions Boosts Segment9.3 Spacecraft & Launch Vehicles9.3.1 Use of Reusable Launch Vehicles Reduces Space Mission Costs9.4 Rovers9.4.1 Space-Grade Mosfets, Ics in Rovers Widely Used for Deep Space Exploration9.5 Space Stations9.5.1 Launch of Crewed Spacecraft to International Space Station Fuels Growth
10 Space Power Electronics Market, by Voltage10.1 Introduction10.2 Low Voltage (Below 28V)10.2.1 Segment Driven by Use of Gan Field-Effect Transistors (Fet) in Small Satellites10.3 Medium Voltage (28V - 80V)10.3.1 Increasing Use of Modular Electric Power Systems Boosts Segment10.4 High Voltage (Above 80V)10.4.1 Increasing Use of High Voltage Power Modules Fuels Growth
11 Space Power Electronics Market, by Current11.1 Introduction11.2 Up to 25 A11.2.1 Increasing Launch of Deep-Space Exploration Missions Boosts Segment11.3 25-50 A11.3.1 Rapid Miniaturization of Payloads Facilitates Use of Satellites for Science Missions11.4 Over 50 A11.4.1 Need for High-Density Power to Maintain 'New Space' Growth
12 Space Power Electronics Market, by Material12.1 Introduction12.2 Silicon12.2.1 Performance, Reliability, and Flight Heritage Drive Silicon Mosfet Usage12.3 Silicon Carbide12.3.1 Used to Reduce Spacecraft Mass and Increase Functional Capacity12.4 Gallium Nitride12.4.1 Used to Power Various Deep-Space Applications12.5 Others
13 Regional Analysis
14 Competitive Landscape14.1 Introduction14.2 Company Overview14.3 Ranking Analysis of Key Players in Space Power Electronics Market,202114.4 Revenue Analysis,202114.5 Market Share Analysis,202114.6 Competitive Evaluation Quadrant14.6.1 Star14.6.2 Emerging Leader14.6.3 Pervasive14.6.4 Participant14.7 Startup/Sme Evaluation Quadrant14.7.1 Progressive Company14.7.2 Responsive Company14.7.3 Starting Block14.7.4 Dynamic Company14.7.4.1 Competitive Benchmarking14.8 Competitive Scenario
15 Company Profiles15.1 Introduction15.2 Key Players15.2.1 Infineon Technologies15.2.2 Texas Instruments Incorporated15.2.3 Stmicroelectronics15.2.4 Onsemi15.2.5 Renesas Electronics Corporation15.2.6 Bae Systems plc15.2.7 Analog Devices, Inc.15.2.8 Vishay Intertechnology, Inc.15.2.9 Nxp Semiconductors15.2.10 Crane Co.15.2.11 Heico Corporation15.2.12 Microchip Technology Inc.15.2.13 Cobham Limited15.2.14 Airbus15.2.15 Ruag Group15.3 Other Players15.3.1 Epc Space LLC15.3.2 Alphacore Inc.15.3.3 Gomspace: Company Overview15.3.4 Gan Systems Inc.15.3.5 Api Technologies15.3.6 Wolfspeed Inc.15.3.7 Tt Electronics15.3.8 Terma Group15.3.9 Vicor Corporation15.3.10 Solid State Devices, Inc.
16 Appendix
For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/crfc20
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Want a Trip with a View? This Space Hotel is Set to Open in 2025 – theSkimm
Posted: at 10:04 pm
Looking for a hotel thats literally out of this world? We've got one for you: Orbital Assembly's Pioneer Station. (Yep, space station.) The space development company recently announced its interstellar business park. Think: tourism and your next WFH location. And youll only have to wait three years to book a room. Thats right. Its coming in 2025.
But how exactly does a space hotel work? And why is this a thing? The answers are written in the starsand below.
The Pioneer Station is intended for both work and play. Meaning: You can rent a hotel room or office space for up to two weeks at a time. And people can stay within the stations five modules connected by the company's Gravity Ring. (Which looks like a Bop-It meets a donut.) The device will create a mix of zero and artificial gravity. So people can sleep without being attached to a bed, and drink or eat food sitting down as normal.
TBD on when guests can sign up for the cosmic experience. But you can stay up to date on the project via Orbital Assemblys website.
Potentially. Space travel has recently become more commonplace for non-astronauts, or at least the rich and famous ones. Think about it like this, companies like Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin offer space hops a few seconds or minutes in space. And what Orbital Assembly offers is the next step in making those quick trips a full-fledged space vacation. What's going to space without having somewhere to actually go? And analysts estimate the space tourism market could be worth $8 billion by 2030 with potentially 1 million customers willing and able to take flight.
While tickets would be out of most peoples price range, Orbital Assemblys CEO Rhonda Stevenson says not for long. She and her team think that tourists will be motivated to plan shorter, or more frequent, stays as space travel becomes less expensive.
For the average person, being in space will be a sci-fi dream experience, the companys COO Tim Alatorre said in a statement. Once people get to space, it will change their perspective about Earth. Space travel is still in its infancy, and were excited to do our part to push it forward to help improve life on earth."
And thats not all. While Pioneer Station will be the first space hotel, Orbital Assembly has a second and bigger hotel planned for 2027. The Voyager Station.
Space exploration has typically been reserved for astronauts and the uber wealthy. But one aerospace station is trying to make space tourism a reality to the average person. So E.T. may not be the only one phoning home.
Skimmd by Macy Alcido, Maria McCallen, and Kamini Ramdeen-Chowdhury.
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Want a Trip with a View? This Space Hotel is Set to Open in 2025 - theSkimm
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What are the most depressing things about space exploration? – TDPel Media
Posted: at 10:04 pm
This isKepler-186f,the first planet with a radius similar to Earth to be discovered in the habitable zone of another star.
However, Kepler-186f is more than550 light-yearsaway from Earth, while one light-year is around5.9 trillion miles. In other words, the Kepler-186f we have observed from Earth is what the planet looked like more than 550 years ago.
The discovery of Kepler-186f demonstrates that there are Earth-like planets in habitable zones. But being over 550 light-years away, Kepler-186f is too far for current telescope or the next generation of planned telescopes to determine further details about the planet (which implies that the picture above is just an artistic representation). More specific information about the planets habitability is yet to be found, and based on the current technology, we cannot realistically expect any breakthrough in the foreseeable future.
My childhood interest in astronomy has made me an agnostic atheist. While I do not believe in the existence of deity, it seems to me the universe lies and will always lie beyond the grasp of any intellectuals on earth, and the universe is just supposed to remain a mystery to the lives on earth.
As a kid, while I marveled at the incredible observations by so many scientists of all times and the greatness of human minds, I was also appalled at how insignificant and transient human lives were on a grand scale. The sun in the sky, more than a million times bigger than the planet we are living on, is only one of the 300 billion in the Milky Way Galaxy, which is only one of billions of galaxies in the universe. In addition, multiverse theory proponents say there may even be multiple universes.
Just as many questions how life started on Earth, how mind works, and what the nature of time and consciousness is philosophers and scientists have been grappling with for thousands of years, the universe is so inherently and profoundly complex that it will forever elude human understanding. Maybe the universe is meant to exist in a way that would never be understood completely.
It is depressing to think that there are hard limits in human beings, and nothing demonstrates this better than space exploration.
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50 years on, Apollo 16 moonwalker still ‘excited’ by space – The Associated Press
Posted: at 10:04 pm
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) Fifty years after his Apollo 16 mission to the moon, retired NASA astronaut Charlie Duke says hes ready for the U.S. to get back to lunar exploration.
Part of that effort, Duke said Friday, will come in the form of the Artemis program, which includes NASAs upcoming flight to the moon using its new Space Launch System rocket. The first of the huge rockets is supposed to blast off without crew later this year, with crewed flights planned subsequently.
With Artemis, NASA is going to be focused on deep space, to the moon and beyond, and Im excited about that, Duke told The Associated Press in an interview in Columbia.
Duke, 86, is one of four surviving moonwalkers from the Apollo program, taking Apollo 16 to the lunar surface in 1972. He has been making the rounds to mark the 50th anniversary of his voyage, recently taking a trip to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, to visit his spaceship, which made the next-to-the-last U.S. mission to land on the moon.
The late John Young was first out of the lander and walked on the moon with Duke. Ken Mattingly orbited the moon in the command module, nicknamed Casper.
Duke said he does not begrudge NASA for ending the Apollo program to focus on space shuttles, the international space station and other missions in more remote parts of space. But he looks forward to future missions that build off of what he and others have learned from their time on the moon, which called a great platform for science.
Duke also noted that hes encouraged by the commercial partnerships that have developed around space exploration, like Space X and Blue Origin. Those options, he said, make space available for more people and more science and engineering and unmanned stuff.
That compliment is going to be really important in the future, Duke went on. The more people we get into space, who can see the beauty of the Earth ... its going to affect a lot of people.
On Friday, Duke visited the South Carolina State Museum in Columbia, which houses an exhibit full of some of his mementos from the moon, including a space suit, check list and moon rock. A series of placards describe the voyage and also include a flight drawing Duke made as a child on some of his arithmetic work.
Speaking with middle school students from his native Lancaster, South Carolina, Dukes eyes sparkled as he narrated a 16-minute planetarium video of his time on the moons surface, drawing laughs as he described how easy it was to tumble or drop things in the low-gravity environment.
I just encourage you stick with it in school, to hang in there, and all the best in your careers, as you continue to grow up and mature in life, Duke told the students. Ive discovered in my life that, if you keep those antennas up, if you keep focused on your life, and do things that you like to do, and take care of yourself, there are unlimited possibilities.
Asked about his continuing contributions to U.S. space programs, which includes consulting with a company trying to win a contract for a new lunar rover, Duke said he will keep going as long as hes able.
I flunked retirement, Duke said, with a laugh. As long as the Lord is willing and gives me the ability physically to do it, I want to challenge America and challenge the kids to aim high. ... Everybodys not going to listen, but maybe one or two will.
___
Meg Kinnard can be reached on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP.
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Boeing Denies Feeling The Heat From SpaceX In Race To Space – Wccftech
Posted: at 10:04 pm
The Boeing Starliner rendered performing an orbit of Earth. Image: Boeing
As part of a media teleconference for its second operational flight test (OFT-2) for the Orion spacecraft, representatives of The Boeing Company assured members of the press that the rapid success of Space Exploration Technologies Corporation's (SpaceX) Dragon spacecraft is not affecting them in any way. Boeing and SpaceX are both a part of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) commercial crew program which aims to develop a sustained American capability of conducting crewed flights to the International Space Station (ISS).
As part of her prepared remarks, Boeing's vice president and deputy general manager of Space and Launch, Ms. Michelle Parker explained the measures that her company has undertaken to ensure that the Starliner vehicle is ready to take to the skies later this month. This mission, dubbed OFT-2, was set to take off in July last year but got delayed as an accident on the ISS made the space station unavailable for docking. Then, a month later in August, Boeing stepped down from the launch attempt, and it explained that valve problems on the vehicle made the launch unfeasible.
NASA Is Manufacturing Human Eye Part That Detects Light, In Space
Now, nine months after disocvering the problem, Boeing is confident that the Starliner propulsion valves are free from fault. Ms. Parker, who was the chief engineer for testing the vehicle after the launch delay, outlined that:
Boeing's Starliner spacecraft pictured in NASA's facilities in March this year. Image: Boeing
The spacecraft looks great, it's performing great, and it's ready for its trip tomorrow. The team is also prepared, they've been rehearsing and they're ready to go and we're looking forward to a successful mission on the 19th. Just to say a few words on the oxidizer isolation valve issue that we've been working through since our last attempt in August. There's been significant progress. We have been able to narrow down the root cause and put mitigations in place that I'll talk about a bit to ensure that we won't have a repeat of that concern. So we're confident that we've got that surrounded, and have the right process going forward.
If you recall when we first experienced the issue in august we immediately set up an integrated investigation team. So that was all team members, NASA, Boeing and ourselves involved to look at all possible causes with the goal of understanding the issue, mitigating it, and returning to the launch pad safely and as efficiently as possible, and I am glad to be able to say that the team has accomplished this goal and we're ready to go. As you may recall we followed a rigorous process to make sure we understood the behavior; we went through a fault tree analysis; we looked at all the potential causes, used facts and data to eliminate all the potential causes, and hone in on the root cause.
So this remains the cause that we talked about in about the October timeframe, of this combination within the valve of the nitrogen tetraoxide or the NTO, ambient moisture, and the aluminum housing of the valve. So you need all three of those aspects to come together in order for the first two, the NTO and the ambient moisture, to react to create nitric acid, which then reacts with the aluminum housing of the valve causing corrosion products and those corrosion products then result in preventing the valve motion which is a very very small motion like 30 mil (millimeter) of motion and just the presence of those corrosion products can hinder that progress.
So that's the root cause that we've had. We've completed testing both on and off the vehicle. So we did return the vehicle to the factory as you know. We did a lot of testing on service module two with the valves that had experienced this issue to understand the behavior and really hone in on what we were seeing. We have also been able to remove those valves since then and do disassembly of valves, a valve that was stuck, a valve that was intermittent, and a valve that wasn't stuck. And what we saw within those valves were these corrosion products as we've mentioned. So we were able to confirm the presence of those products in the way that I just said. We've also done off-vehicle material testing, and we've done off-vehicle valve testing with valves that had not been on the spacecraft at White Sands to confirm the generation of these corrosion products that these three constituents present. And in that testing also we have exposed those valves to the environmental conditions that the valves had seen and also those environmental conditions that we expect to be seen on OFT-2 and confirmed that our mitigation methods are appropriate.
So again as I talk a little bit about the mitigation that we've put in place, and Mark has touched on this also. As I mentioned in order to have this reaction, you need these three components, the NTO, the moisture the ambient moisture in the air, and the aluminum housing. Without those three components, you don't get the reaction. So without the moisture, if you can eliminate the moisture from the valve, you won't have this reaction and it won't lead to corrosion. So we've done a number of things for the mitigation, including a dry purge of the valves, so the valves have compartments through which we've got CN2 purging the valves to prevent any moisture from getting into the valve.
We've also sealed out a potential moisture path in the electrical connector to ensure that we don't get any ambient humidity through that path. So those two things will prevent the moisture from getting into the valve to start that reaction at all. And then in addition we've loaded the NTO later, Mark mentioned the vehicle is loaded, we do that loading later in the flow so there's less time of exposure of the NTO. And we've added operationally we've added cycling of the valves every two to five days post-load until the time that we launch to ensure that the valves remain operational. We've been doing that cycling, we've done that successfully, we'll continue to do that. The last cycle will be on the 17th and then during the nominal countdown launch procedure on the 19th we'll cycle the valves again.
Boeing's Starliner sits on top of the United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida in July last year. Image: Boeing/John Grant
Later on in the event, Marcia Dunn of the Associated Press attempted to steer the conversation away from the technical side of things to the motivational angle and asked the Boeing representatives whether they were frustrated by watching SpaceX regularly launch crews to the ISS.
In response, Ms. Parker stated:
. . .Our focus is really getting to the pad safely, getting through the mission safely, learning as much as we can and being able to provide a great service to our NASA customer and that's our focus right now. I think there are a lot of exciting things going on in space and as space professionals, we're always excited about everything that goes on. We certainly want to be a part of that. We're looking forward to this successful mission and that's our focus really it's getting to the successful mission and being able to deliver this capability to our customer.
She was joined by Boeing's vice president and program manager for the CST-100 Starliner program, Mr. Mark Nappi, who stressed that safety was paramount for his company.
According to him:
SpaceX Damages Big Rocket Part In Rumored Test Accident
I was just gonna add to that. And I represent the workforce and talk to them frequently and they are professionals, they understand what we're doing here. This is very difficult to build and develop and launch this type of vehicle so they have got, they're laser focused on doing this right and that's really where their minds are. So we're going to do this with the safest and the best quality possible and when we launch we launch.
Finally, NASA's associate administrator of the Space Operations Mission Directorate Ms. Kathryn Leuders clarified that Boeing and SpaceX were part of the same team and that her agency was grateful to SpaceX for having provided it with the ability to conduct detailed safety investigations while having the option of conducting human spaceflight simultaneously.
As Ms. Leuders explained:
And Marcia, I'd say we're, this is about a team right and so I'm very grateful that Boeing is not, and Stitch is not taking any shortcuts. We're doing it one step at a time. Did extensive testing. Made sure we took hardware off vehicle, went and did detailed failure investigation. Made sure that we really understood this before team vehicles up and bringing them forward into a launch campaign. And so that really showed to me a great deal of maturity and not being in a hurry and obviously we're also very grateful that SpaceX has given us this opportunity to be able to have that time and fly. These are the kinds of things you gotta do when you do human spaceflight. And I think as a joint team with Boeing and SpaceX we've been really grateful to both providers operating in this manner and being able to provide this support.
The NASA-Boeing OFT-2 mission is set to take to the skies from the agency's facilities in Florida on May 19th. If successful, it will pave the way for the pair to conduct the first crewed test for the vehicle after Starliner returns to Earth.
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