Category Archives: Space Exploration

Lindy Elkins-Tanton is managing director and co-chair of the Arizona State University Interplanetary Initiative and principal investigator of NASAs Psyche mission, which is projected to launch in 2022 to explore a metal asteroid orbiting the sun between Mars and Jupiter. Before participating in a Zcalo/ASU Interplanetary Initiative event, Can Space Exploration Save Humanity?, she visited the virtual green room to talk about breaking barriers in space, why she appreciates the Guardians of the Galaxy series, and the questions she gets asked the most at dinner parties.

Q:

Speaking of which: Youre part of an all-women panel on space exploration. What do you think women bring to exploration?

A:

Im of the opinion that there are few fundamental differences between men and women behaviorally, neurologically; most of the differences we experience are socialized. What I really want is something where everyone who wants to participate can participate, and where every voice is heard, and where you rise on your merits. Exploration has been one of the most difficult areas for women to break into, partly because its been based so fundamentally on the idea of physical toughness and being in remote areas and being isolated as groups. And those are all areas where theres a huge bias against women being a successful part of the team. I think space exploration is one where we can break those barriers.

Q:

In a moment of interesting national debate, what space-related topics do you want to see in the national dialogue?

A:

Space gives us a way uniquely to imagine us as our better selvesto imagine humanity as it could be. Theres been almost no exploration on Earth that hasnt involved the annihilation of indigenous peoples or a completely profit motive. Weve had some pure exploration of the poles that was actually quite nationalistic and a hero model; it was all about making one person great.

The thing about space exploration is, it gives us the opportunity to be curious about something thats so far beyond us. It gets us out of our skins, to imagine ourselves as cooperative and imagine ourselves with a greater meaning to what were doing. And to avoid the personal emotional reaction thats causing so many problems around the world right now and look at something thats greater. Thats what space exploration really does for us.

Q:

You wear a lot of hatsat ASU, NASA, and an education start-up. Do you have any secrets to organizing your time that youd like to share?

A:

Developing a calmness about changing from one topic to the next. I need to pivot from one major issue to another major issue with no transition time, so cultivating a willingness to drop one thing and turn to another has been really helpful for my emotional stability. And only choosing topics or projects that I really, really care about.

Q:

Whats the question you get asked most often at cocktail and dinner partiespre-COVID of coursewhen people find out youre a planetary scientist and leading a NASA mission?

A:

Theres not really a single question. It seems theres two categories of reactions: One is, Thats really great, thats so interesting; I love thinking about the planets or aliens. And the other one is really a blank look, as if I said, Im a particle physicist.

More here:

Planetary Scientist Lindy Elkins-Tanton | In the Green Room | - zocalopublicsquare.org

Bruno has pitched the idea of a "strategic propellant reserve" to the National Space Council

WASHINGTON The idea that rocket propellants could be made from lunar ice is not new. But the U.S. government should now consider doing that at scale in order to stimulate the space economy and enable human life on the moon and Mars, said United Launch Alliance President and CEO Tory Bruno.

This is about having a self-sustaining cislunar economy, Bruno said Oct. 13 on a webinar organized by Beyond Earth Institute, a nonprofit focused on the public policy implications of living and working in space.

What would be the one thing that the government could do, the one big lever that it could pull to stimulate economic activity in cislunar space? The answer, we believe, is the establishment of a strategic propellant reserve, said Bruno.

ULAs economic models show that a government investment of about $20 billion in infrastructure could energize space activity to the tune of $3 trillion by 2050, Bruno said. That activity would include mining, transportation, manufacturing and space tourism.

The cost of transportation is a problem in developing a space economy so finding ways to produce fuel in space would be critical, he said.

Propellants could be made from the more than 20 billion metric tons of ice available on the moon, Bruno said. The great discovery of our time that has gone largely unheralded is the fact that water is nearly everywhere. This is literally millions of years of propellant. He said water could be easily converted into liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen which are used to propel rockets.

All we need is the infrastructure in place to mine the ice to convert it to propellant, and to distribute it to a transportation network that would exist in cislunar space, Bruno said.

ULA has pitched the idea to the National Space Councils users advisory council. Bruno said the group agreed to study it further.

Precious metals in space

In cislunar space between Earth and the moon, and on asteroids that are within easy reach of the moon there is tremendous wealth, an abundance that literally defies human imagination, said Bruno.

On these bodies there is more than 1,000 years worth of planet Earths annual production of industrial and precious metals such as gold, silver and platinum, he said. There is tremendous potential for economic wealth and economic activity just in the natural resources, let alone specialty manufacturing and things that we can only make practically in the environment of space.

Why havent these resources been tapped? Well, like any economic activity that occurs across great distances, its all about transportation, Bruno said. And transportation is all about the availability of energy.

The strategic propellant reserve that ULA is proposing is modeled after the strategic petroleum reserve set up by the U.S. government after the oil crisis of the 1970s. The strategic reserve has enough oil to sustain the U.S. economy for about 90 days. The propellant reserve should have enough to fuel space vehicles in cislunar space for two years, said Bruno, to prevent the risk of interrupting transportation to and from Mars.

As a provider of launch services, ULA would benefit from the economic development in cislunar space. But Bruno said the company has not yet committed to developing a heavier rocket for deep space exploration.

ULA has hinted it would consider building a three-stage Vulcan Heavy rocket, a much larger version of the single-core Vulcan Centaur that ULA is developing and expects to debut next year.

Bruno said he didnt know whether there would be a demand for a heavier Vulcan. Well develop whatever our customers need us to do, he said. A three-core vehicle is something that, if the marketplace asks of us, we know how to do it.

See more here:

ULA's Tory Bruno argues for US investments in the production of fuel in space - SpaceNews

Planetary researchers have mapped and characterized ancient sand dune fields in the canyons of Valles Marineris on Mars. Their discovery offers new insights on past climatic conditions on the Red Planet.

This oblique color view from the HiRISE instrument onboard NASAs Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows a lithified field of sand dunes within Melas Chasma, Valles Marineris. The large degree of preserved morphology for many of these paleodunes reveals important information regarding the acting wind regime and climate prior to their cementation. Image credit: NASA / JPL / University of Arizona.

Wind-driven sand dunes are common on modern Mars, and the presence of certain sedimentary rock layers indicates that these landforms occurred there in the past.

Using data from several instruments onboard NASAs Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Mars Odyssey spacecraft, planetary scientist Matthew Chojnacki and colleagues explored dune-like features within Melas Chasma in the Valles Marineris region.

Mapping extensive sedimentary rock deposits in Valles Marineris show clear evidence for preserved lithification and burial of dune fields, said Dr. Chojnacki, a researcher in the Planetary Science Institute and the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory at the University of Arizona.

While modern sand dunes and other wind formed features are common on the surface of Mars and other terrestrial planets, typically most of the deposits are worn away by erosion.

We identified and mapped extensive dune fields in the canyons of Valles Marineris which show clear evidence for lithification and burial.

This level of preservation is rare for terrestrial sand dunes due to ongoing erosion and tectonics.

Based on the dune deposits relationships to other geologic units and modern erosion rates we estimate these to be roughly a billion years old, he said.

Because of the duneforms size and spatial arrangements, which are not that much different to modern equivalents, we suggest that the climate and atmospheric pressure to have been similar to that of contemporary Mars.

Context maps of Melas Chasma paleodune fields: (a) regional distribution of paleodune (blue polygons outlined in white) and modern (red polygons) dune fields; (b) Southwest Melas Chasma reentrant canyon and the (d) central basin of Melas Chasma. Image credit: Murray Lab / Caltech / MSSS / NASA / JPL / Chojnacki et al., doi: 10.1029/2020JE006510.

Surface erosion and landscape evolution are greatly different on Earth and Mars.

Water and tectonics that constantly reshape the surface of Earth are not currently a factor on Mars, thus there is an opportunity to learn from the geologic record of the red planet, Dr. Chojnacki said.

The ancient dune fields found within Valles Marineris, with their complex variety of landform shapes, degree of preservation, and context, reveal the richness of regional geology.

These results inform us that wind-driven sand transport, deposition, and lithification have occurred throughout much of Mars recent history and illustrate how landscape evolution there greatly differs compared to that of Earth.

The study was published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets.

_____

Matthew Chojnacki et al. Ancient Martian Aeolian Sand Dune Deposits Recorded in the Stratigraphy of Valles Marineris and Implications for Past Climates. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, published online August 7, 2020; doi: 10.1029/2020JE006510

Link:

One-Billion-Year-Old Sand Dunes Spotted on Mars | Planetary Science, Space Exploration - Sci-News.com

By: Tech Desk | Updated: August 18, 2020 11:35:27 am(Image: NASA Goddard YouTube channel)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has invited applications from university-level engineering students to participate in developing a method to harvest water on the Moon and Mars. Teams will be expected to submit their prototype or proposed concept design till November 24, 2020. Out of the designs received, NASA will pick up to 10 teams which will be selected in the next month to build and test their systems. All of them will receive 10,000 dollars development stipend.

Water is essential for long expeditions and astronauts also use it to try and grow plants and make rocket propellant with it. Carrying water into space for lengthy expeditions results and hence the need for a programme to develop water harvesting techniques on these celestial objects.

Under the Artemis program, astronauts will be searching for water on the south pole of the moon. It is unknown in which form they will find water.

The water well find when the next men and first women explore the lunar surface for the Artemis program is liable to be mixed with contaminants that need to be removed before drinking, or use as fuel, said Douglas Terrier, NASA chief technologist. Learning how to safely and efficiently prospect for and harvest water is key for sustainable human exploration not only on the Moon, but also on Mars and at other far reaches of our solar system.

Under this programme, eligible undergraduates and graduates will be expected to design and build hardware that will help astronauts identify, map and drill through different kinds of subsurface layers followed by a method to extract water from the ice blocks obtained.

Access to water is a key consideration for space exploration, said Richard (Rick) Davis, assistant director for science and exploration in NASAs Science Mission Directorate (SMD) at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Technological advancements that enable humans to live off the land on distant worlds and use resources such as water, will unlock significant opportunities to explore our universe first-hand.

ALSO READ | NASAs Insight lander helps uncover whats beneath Mars surface

The teams selected will be demonstrating the capabilities of their water harvesting systems in a three-day competition at NASAs Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, in June 2021. Out of these top-performing teams may also be awarded with travel stipends to showcase their design at a future NASA-chosen event or aerospace conference.

ALSO READ | NASA releases some stunning pictures of the Mars: Take a look here

The Artemis program is inspiring the brightest minds in academia, and it is important for us to provide those talented students with unique, hands-on opportunities to contribute to the future of human space exploration, said Dr. Prasun Desai, deputy associate administrator of NASAs Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD). We look forward to seeing their technological breakthroughs as they progress through the competition.

Earlier this year, NASA also launched a challenge for the best-designed toilet. The winner of the award will receive a whopping 20,000 dollars whereas reward for the second-best and third-best invention was 10,000 and 5,000 dollars respectively.

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NASA to offer students $10,000 to help astronauts harvest water on Moon, Mars - The Indian Express

August 18, 2020

Biological organisms are made up of interconnected systems of tissues, liquids and similar substances continually at work maintaining vital functions vastly different in nature from inanimate matter. But not entirely so.

On and beneath the surfaces of manufactured materials, for example, there are countless interactions in motion within their microstructures, many at the atomic level, that determine how effectively those materials will perform the functions for which theyre made. With a multi-university team of colleagues, Arizona State Univesity Professor Karl Sieradzki is undertaking a five-year research effort aimed at enhancing the performance and durability of metal alloys like those used for military jets. Other kinds of aircraft, as well as ships, space flight technologies and automotive vehicles are made largely of alloys. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock Download Full Image

Karl Sieradzki, a professor of materials science and engineering in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University, is beginning work with six colleagues in his field at Johns Hopkins University, the University of Virginia and Northwestern University to get a deeper understanding of the workings of the fundamental structures and potential capabilities of metal alloys.

Were looking at the very smallest elements of what makes up these materials and how the environments they are exposed to impact them, said Sieradzki, who teaches in the School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, one of the six Fulton Schools.

One key objective is finding the right combinations of chemical components to mix into so-called multiprinciple element alloys also known as high-entropy alloys that would best resist high-temperature oxidation and aqueous corrosion.

The research is supported by the U.S. Department of Defense Multi-University Research Initiative, or MURI, which funds research to facilitate advances in emerging technologies that will help to address national security and military challenges and potentially have applications in the commercial sector.

ASU Professor Karl Sieradzkis expertise in materials science and engineering has earned him a place on his third research team to have won support from the U.S. Department of Defense Multi-University Research Initiative, or MURI. The program awards grants to fund high-priority science and engineering research considered essential to meeting the nations military and national defense challenges.

In the MURI project, supported through the Office of Naval Research, Sieradzki and his fellow research leaders aim to produce results that will improve alloys used in aircraft, ships and automotive vehicles, as well as space exploration technologies, Sieradzki said.

Research to date indicates high-entropy alloys can improve the tensile strength of materials and provide better resistance to fracture, but resistance to corrosion and high temperature oxidation remains a challenge the MURI project team will work to solve.

MURI projects often involve highly specialized areas of science and engineering. Researchers seeking funding must be able to show track records of progress in such demanding and multifaceted pursuits.

Sieradzki and his research team met that stringent requirement. The groups proposal is one of only 26 projects to be selected for MURI awards from among 365 that underwent merit review by the Department of Defense for funding in the current 2020 fiscal year. The team will receive approximately $7.5 million over the next five years to support its members research. Sieradzki will be given $1 million of that total.

This is Sieradzkis third MURI project, one in which he will drive work on some essential aspects of the research. His role will involve studies to expand the application of a process called passivation, involving the formation of protective oxide films on metal surfaces that can reduce the rate of corrosion and high-temperature oxidation.

That effort will include further development of the use of percolation theory, which involves arranging the atomic elements of metals in a certain way that results in effective passivation, he said.

Sieradzki will also conduct further examinations of high temperature oxidation, which causes materials to lose mechanical properties due to temperature increases and chemical reactions of metal with the environment.

Its a type of environment a jet engine would be exposed to, or that a spacecraft might be exposed to on reentry, he said.

Roger C. Newman, a professor of chemical engineering and applied chemistry at the University of Toronto, said Sieradzki is a pioneer in methods to combat metals corrosion.

More than three decades ago, Sieradzki began delving into the complexities of percolation and produced valuable models of the outcomes that could be expected from emerging methods for that process, Newman says.

Recently, Sieradzki has greatly expanded the content and reach of such approaches, and tested them using electrochemical methods, Newman said. Now he is ready to tackle pressing issues of alloy design for corrosion resistance, using his vast experience in the relevant physics and electrochemistry. Among other outcomes, his research will lead to important economies in the use of scarce metals.

Such prominent achievements in the field led to Sieradzkis recruitment for the new MURI project team by Mitra Taheri, a professor of materials science and engineering at Johns Hopkins University, who led work on the MURI proposal and is now the projects principal investigator.

Taheri will lead the projects work on reducing the time needed to determine what alloy combinations are viable for testing, using advanced microscopy to get live views of new alloys reactions to real-life extreme conditions.

Among those with highly specialized expertise who will be involved in the MURI project are Northwestern University Professor Christopher Wolverton and Associate Professor James Rondinelli. They will provide the computational materials science and physics Sieradzki and others will need to move forward on their parts of the research project.

Sieradzki is now also recruiting postdoctoral researchers to assist with work on the project to be done in his ASU lab, which focuses on electrochemical surface science. He also expects several graduate students to be involved over the next five years.

Sieradzki is looking forward to the outcomes of the MURI endeavor for several reasons. The work promises to lead to designs for new families of alloys, which in itself would be an important achievement, he says.

There is also the possibility of discovering more successful combinations of high-entropy alloys that would open a path toward more-resilient, high-performing materials for an array of devices, systems and processes.

Most intriguing from a larger perspective, Sieradzki said, Were going to try to expand some of the boundaries of where materials science and engineering can take us.

Read more from the original source:

Mapping the road to more resilient metals | ASU Now: Access, Excellence, Impact - ASU Now

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Roger Nagel

RIO RANCHO, N.M. Heres some encouraging news: Declining costs and new capabilities have reached the tipping point. Were seeing a technology nirvana now, and New Mexico is at the center of a lot of it.

You may have read this quote of Col. Eric Felt, the head of the Space Vehicles Directorate at Kirtland Air Force Base in the Aug. 10 Albuquerque Journal Business Outlook.

Felt went on to say that emerging commercial technology will make up 80 percent of all new innovation and development, with the remaining 20 percent resting in the government sector. Sixty years ago, these roles were reversed.

................................................................

Admittedly, I have been fascinated by technological innovation since elementary school. Landing on the moon was a big deal during my formative years.

In hindsight, those programmable hand-held calculators by Texas Instruments were a sign of things to come.

We all know plenty of ways in which digital technology has changed our lives. But, space exploration? Well, consider the following.

Despite the disruption of COVID-19, 85 percent of our economy is little affected and continues to experiment, innovate, build and create new things with synergy. This adds jobs and fuels our state and local economies.

It also creates a tax base other than federal government funding and extractive industries. We need that.

But equally important, if not more, exciting new developments tend to generate more exciting new developments, which soon cross industry lines and markets. We have seen this in our recent past.

Watch for improvements in telecommunications, solar power applications and other industries. New, private-sector, commercial economic expansion will serve to create new demand in housing, dining, entertainment and retail sales. It will help fund our state and local governments.

How can our local, low-tech small businesses get in on the fun?

Start thinking beyond the next payroll. What can you begin to do differently today to pave the way for a new, better and more profitable future? New facility? More trained staff? More computers and enhanced software tools? New marketing campaigns and a beefed-up sales force for new customers?

Where will the money come from to fund these new initiatives? Will new sales generate enough profits fast enough to pay the way, or will you need to borrow funds from outside your business?

Talk with your commercial banker first, and then consider family, friends and neighbors. Even key vendors may help with liberalized credit terms. You do not know if you do not ask.

Now is the time to engage your key advisors. Share your goals and aspirations candidly with them. Get their initial response, listen and react objectively, not emotionally.

Surely, you will benefit from legal services for new contracts. Your seasoned CPA can help design incentive compensation packages to attract key people. They can create forecasts and projections for investors or lenders. They will challenge you to think differently.

The most experienced advisors will know the tough questions that need answering. They can find those who know the answers and can assist in validating assumptions, estimates and risk. Go have fun.

(Roger Nagel, CPA/PFS, CMA, CGMA, is the managing director of Nagel CPAs, LLC Accountants and Advisors, serving the middle Rio Grande Valley and beyond. Learn more atnagelcpa.us.)

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Nagel on Finances: Time to get in on the fun of new technology - Albuquerque Journal

1. Presidential Message on Space Exploration Day, 2020  Whitehouse.gov
2. AI's Role In Space Exploration  Forbes
3. Space Exploration Day 2020: History, Significance and NASAs role in fulfilling John F. Kennedys goal  The Financial Express
4. Help NASA Design a Toilet for Artemis Astronauts on the Moon  HamletHub
5. Russia isnt keen on Artemis, sides with China for Moon exploration  BGR
6. View Full Coverage on Google News

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Presidential Message on Space Exploration Day, 2020 - Whitehouse.gov

Celebrate Space Exploration Day by looking up at the sky on July 20 and reflecting on human achievements in space andall thats to come.

On July 20, 1969, U.S. astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to set foot on the moons surface. Fellow astronaut Michael Collins flew the command module.

Here is a look back at the first moon landing:

All of the Apollo 11 crew had flown at least one space mission. Pictured from left: Neil Armstrong, commander; Michael Collins, module pilot; Edwin E. Buzz Aldrin, lunar module pilot, on March 30, 1969. (NASA/AP Images)

Neil Armstrong, waving in front, heads for the van that will take the crew to the rocket for launch to the moon at Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida, on July 16, 1969. ( AP Images)

The 363-foot Saturn V rocket carrying the Apollo 11 crew launches July 16, 1969, from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. (NASA/AP Images)

Left: The Chicago Cubs (foreground), Philadelphia Phillies and fans in attendance bow their heads in a moment of silent prayer in Philadelphia on July 20, 1969, hoping for the safe voyage of the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. ( Bill Ingraham/AP Images)

Right: Berliners stand in front of a TV shop and watch the Apollo 11 space mission on television July 16, 1969, in Germany. ( Edwin Reichert/AP Images)

Thats one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind, said astronaut Neil Armstrong as he became the first human to set foot on the moon, as shown in the image from television. (NASA/AP Photo)

Left: Buzz Aldrin leaves a footprint on the moons Sea of Tranquility. Photographs of the footprints were actually part of a planned experiment by Aldrin to study the nature of the lunar dust and the effects of pressure on the surface. (Buzz Aldrin/NASA/AP Images)

Right: Neil Armstrong took this picture of Buzz Aldrin, which shows a reflection of Armstrong and the Lunar Module in Aldrins visor. (Neil Armstrong/NASA/AP Images)

Left: This photo of Earthrise over the lunar horizon, taken July 20, 1969, from the orbiting command module, is one of the most famous images captured by the space program, although even the astronauts cannot remember who actually took the photo. (NASA)

Right: After lifting off from the lunar surface, the lunar module made its rendezvous with the command module. The Eagle docked with Columbia, and the lunar samples were brought aboard. (NASA/AP Images)

Left: The three astronauts and a Navy frogman, all wearing biological isolation garments, awaiting helicopter pickup and transport to the USS Hornet after the lunar module splashed down about 1,504 kilometers southwest of Hawaii at 16:50 UTC on July 24, 1969. They stayed in quarantine for three weeks. (NASA)

Right: NASA flight controllers at the Mission Operations Control Room in the Mission Control Center at the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston celebrate the successful conclusion of the Apollo 11 lunar landing mission. (NASA/AP Images)

By U.S. Embassy Tbilisi | 20 July, 2020 | Topics: History, News, Science & Tech, U.S. Agencies | Tags: engineering, NASA, science, space technology

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Celebrate Space Exploration Day with a look at the 1st lunar landing [photo gallery] (July 20) - US Embassy in Georgia

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With astronauts Bob and Doug floating in orbit, Morgan Stanleys Adam Jonas, along with other research staff at the Wall Street broker, tried to answer the question: What is SpaceXs valuation?

SpaceX is, of course, the private company that launched NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurleyaffectionately referred to as Bob and Doug by NASA Mission Controlinto space. The pair were the first NASA astronauts to launch from U.S. soil since 2011 and the first to be carried on a commercial built spacecraft sitting atop a commercially built rocket.

Its an incredible feat for the company founded by Tesla (ticker: CEO) founder Elon Musk in 2002. Whats more amazing is the rocket launched was captured for reuse and the spacecraft will be reused as well.

Bob and Doug are slated to come back to Earth on Aug. 2, 2020.

SpaceXs unique technology makes the company difficult to value. And because SpaceX isnt publicly traded, analysts dont have all the data they normally would to build models and predict a financial future.

Both problems are reflected in Morgan Stanleys valuation of SpaceX. We update our hypothetical [discounted cash flow] valuation range for SpaceX, valuing the company between [roughly] $200 million and $175 billion, wrote the team of analysts in a Monday research report.

(Discounted cash flow is a valuation technique that estimates all the cash a company can generate in the future and determines what that cash is worth today.)

Thats a wide range of outcomes. Lets look at Morgan Stanleys base case, which values the company at $50 billion, making it one of the top 10 publicly traded aerospace and defense franchises.

Impressive, but its a stealth $50 billion. Many public equity investors arent sure what SpaceX does to generate value beyond its contracts with the government for space launch. Those alone cant account for $50 billion.

Its space launch business alone wouldnt, either. We view SpaceX as four companies, writes Morgan Stanley. First, SpaceX launches things into space. Second, SpaceX creates Starlink satellites. The company, eventually, plans to offer space-based high speed internet connectivity for a fee using those satellites. SpaceXs third business is travel: ultra fast, rocket-based travel from any point on earth to another. Its last business is deep space exploration.

The majority of the companys value in Morgan Stanleys base case comes from SpaceXs Starlink satellites. That business, according to Morgan Stanley, is worth about $42 billion. Its launch business is a $1 billion business and its travel business is worth about $9 billion, according to their research. Deep space exploration, for now, is valued at zero. The difference between $50 billion and those figures is cash on hand, about $3.4 billion, and the cost required to develop a hypersonic flying machine.

Starlink will cost hundreds of billions of dollars to develop but, based on Morgans math, the business model will work with a subscription fee as low as $50 a monthcomparable with land-based internet providers. Morgan estimates up to $24 billion in Starlink annual free cash flow by 2040.

While investors cant own SpaceX stock, they can buy a basket of stocks to play similar trends.

Virgin Galactic (ticker: SPCE) is working on hypersonic travel and space tourism. Its valued at $4.5 billion. Morgan Stanleys Jonas covers Galactic stock, rating shares the equivalent of Buy. He has a $24 price target for shares, close to where the stock is trading at currently.

To own a space launch company, look at Aerojet Rocketdyne (AJRD). Aerojet supplies rocket components to defense and government entities. Its enterprise value is $2.7 billion.

Starlink is difficult to replicate but there are satellite communications providers such as Maxar Technologies (MAXR) and Iridium Communications (IRDM). Those companies arent worth what Morgan Stanley suggests Starlink is worth and they dont do exactly the same thing.

Finally, to invest in deep space, consider defense stalwart Lockheed Martin (LMT), the company that built the Hubble Space Telescope.

The five stocks in Barrons SpaceX basket are up about 27%, collectively, year to date, better than comparable returns of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500.

Space, it appears, is hot again. SpaceX hopes it stays that way.

Write to Al Root at allen.root@dowjones.com

Read the rest here:

How Much Is SpaceX Worth and How Does It Make Money? - Barron's

Millions of kilometres away from Earth is an amber-coloured planet called Mars, which has sparked the curiosity of multiple generations. To some it is a sphere of hope, while to others it is a new land that humans could colonise one day. Pictures of slopes and an ice slab suggest Mars may still have a vital life source water. This has prompted one to ask whether the "Red Planet" could be the manifestation of what Earth might become, if we do not take care of our home.

Back in 1972, the late Sheikh Zayed was given a piece of the Moon by then US president Richard Nixon. Looking back at those pictures, which date to before the Apollo 17 space mission, and now, only a few decades later, seeing Emirati engineers taking part in an UAE-driven mission to Mars, shows what a giant leap forward this relatively young nation has taken. This has proven to be an even prouder moment with the project of a young Emirati student, Alia Al Mansoori, being tested at the International Space Agency.

We are building on the legacy of our Founding Father and continuing to realise his vision through the UAE Space Agency.

The vast potential of the global space industry, which currently stands at $350 billion and is projected to generate more than $1 trillion in revenue by 2040, has understandably captured the attention and interest of innovators and entrepreneurs in the Middle East. In fact, one of the worlds largest space insurance underwriting agencies is based right here in the UAE.

But the question remains, why should we invest in space exploration when we need to save our own planet from the impact of climate change? The answer is multi-pronged.

Technologies used in space give us a better understanding of the world we live in, and contribute to our scientific knowledge. They also help to prevent illegal poaching and over-fishing, and monitor endangered species.

Among the many companies sending satellites into orbit to prevent illicit trade, UnseenLabs, a space start-up based in France, uses electromagnetic technology and real-time data to track ships attempting to go undercover by shutting their identification systems.

We are depleting our fisheries, causing 90 per cent of fish stocks to be considered fully or over-exploited. Indeed, illegal fishing is a major issue, causing long-term ramifications for our oceans.

The Hope probe was placed inside thispayload fairing last week and was transferred to building where the rocket is kept. Courtesy:Shoma Watanbe

The launch pad is ready to receive the H-IIA rocket, which will deliver the Hope probe to space. It will take 30 to 40-minutes for the rocket to be transported to the launch pad. Courtesy:Yoshiaki Sakita

The payload fairing, which is holding the spacecraft, has been mounted on top of the rocket. The structure is meant to protect the probe fromdynamic pressure and aerodynamic heating it experiences during its launch into an atmosphere. Courtesy:Shoma Watanbe

The probe was already fuelled with 800kgs of hydrogen for its seven-month-long journey to Mars. Courtesy: Emirates Mars Mission

The H-IIA rocket that will carry the Hope probe into space. Dubai Twitter account

All launch viewing events in Tanegashima have been suspended as part of the Covid-19 safety measures. Signs have been up in all of popular spots, asking the public to keep a 3km distance from the Tanegashima Space Centre on launch day. Courtesy:Yoshiaki Sakita

The most popular launch viewing site is the Rocket Hill. It is a five-minute drive from the main building of the Tangashima Space Centre and offers a clear view of the launch. It remains closed to the public. The National

The free bus tour and exhibition at the Tanegashima Space Centre has also been suspended in efforts to contain the Covid-19 spread. Signs were placed outside of the centre, alerting the public. Courtesy:Yoshiaki Sakita

Engineersat the launch site in Tanegashima island, Japan.Courtesy: Emirates Mars Mission

The completed Hope spacecraft. It will study the lower and upper atmosphere of Mars. Courtesy: Emirates Mars Mission

Satellites roam around our galaxy, providing essential services, particularly in the domain of telecoms and digital services. They are also providing us with pictures showing us how ecosystems are changing. This, in turn, is helping to monitor a wide spectrum of environmental indicators, from meteorological forecasting to investigating specific problems, such as "algae blooms" a rapid accumulation of algae in water systems that affect marine life, carbon emissions and even water levels.

Over the next decade, the number of satellites in our galaxy is projected to increase fourfold. Companies paving the way in this sector include Elon Musks SpaceX, which has launched more than 60 satellites to date and aims to launch 12,000 by 2027, and Planet Labs, which has 120 active satellites orbiting and taking photographs of our planet.

We live in a data-driven world that is going to become even more important, with the rise of big data, data analytics and artificial intelligence. It is through orbiting space technologies that we are able to receive critical information essentially billions of data points which gives us the foresight to better deal with natural disasters and manage resources. That we can access this information is driven by community spirit, whereby much of what is being created is open-source.

As we introduce new technologies and continue on our journey of space exploration, I am hopeful that the world will collaborate on charting these new territories. We only have to look at the International Space Station to realise how much stronger we are when nations work together.

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected every nation in many profound ways. It has especially created an unprecedented global education emergency. A recent report published by the UK-based humanitarian organisation Save the Children highlighted an alarming statistic: almost 10 million children may never go back to school.

In an increasingly connected world, mega-constellations orbiting our planet have the ability to provide high-speed internet access, thereby offering a viable solution to the learning deficit. As societies adapt to the concept of e-learning and online classrooms become the norm, the combination of affordable internet services and access to technology could be the missing link in resolving this issue.

In a world with finite resources, we can learn about the efficiency of materials used by the space sector to weather harsh conditions and threats, such as ultraviolet rays and X-rays from the Sun, solar wind particle radiation, thermal cycling, space particles and atomic oxygen.

A study published in the scientific journal Nature Climate Change has warned that the Middle East could become uninhabitable due to the effects of extreme temperature rises. By using materials normally utilised in space, we can build things to last and also learn to repair goods rather than dispose of them.

Products used in space have a myriad of purposes and, therefore, I believe we should focus on building a circular economy here on Earth. Researcher Mark Blenner, for instance, is studying how human waste can be used to create aircraft parts.

I am given to understand that futuristic water conservation technologies have been developed from space tech. The worlds first recirculating shower-head system, which conserves up to 90 per cent of water and 80 per cent of energy, is one example. This piece of technology could come in handy in water-scarce regions. With the right levels of investment, there is little reason to believe that it cannot be scaled-up.

Years ago, I met Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Sciences and the woman leading the charge for the UAEs Hope Mars probe. During our meeting, I had the opportunity to lift Martian sand with a glove. It was a fascinating experience.

At the time, she came across as an ambitious and inspirational figure, worthy of being looked up to by other women. Today I am proud to see many others like her making their presence felt in traditionally male-dominated fields. Its worth pointing out that three out of the five top aerospace companies are now headed by women.

True to its name, the UAE's Mars mission is already offering us hope for a more sustainable world. Just as importantly, it will encourage and empower future generations regardless of gender to explore the unknown. Let us all work together to protect our planet, because this home is all we have.

Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan is chief executive officer of Alliances for Global Sustainability

Updated: July 16, 2020 08:15 PM

Originally posted here:

Space exploration can pave the way for sustainability on Earth - The National