Category Archives: Space Exploration

NASAs Flight Opportunities program has selected 25 space technologies for further testing. Theyre testing the technologies on aircraft, balloons, and sub-orbital rocket flights. NASA hopes to learn a lot about each of the technologies with this rigorous testing, without the expense of sending them all into orbital space.

This testing will subject each of the technologieswhich includes everything from navigation technologies to astronaut health-monitoringto the demands and rigor of space travel, without actually sending them into space. Its an important step in the the development of these technologies before theyre included in any actual missions.

With vibrant and growing interest in exploration and commercial space across the country, our goal with these selections is to support innovators from industry and academia who are using rapid and affordable commercial opportunities to test their technologies in space, said Christopher Baker, program executive for Flight Opportunities at NASA Headquarters in Washington. These suborbital flights enable researchers to quickly and iteratively test technologies with the opportunity to make adjustments between flights. The ultimate goal is to change the pace of technology development and drastically shorten the time it takes to bring an idea from the lab to orbit or to the Moon.

NASA call this program a bridge between laboratory testing and testing in Earth orbit and beyond. The technologies being tested fall under two fairly broad categorizations:

The short name for this program is Tech Flights. NASA invited interested companies/organizations to apply to the Tech Flights program, and awardees were given a total of $10 million this year. Awardees will either receive the money as a grant, or as a part of a cost-sharing arrangement with NASA. From there, the awardees can select a flight-provider that meets the testing needs of their technology.

The Tech Flights program is part of NASAs Space Technology Mission Directorate, and has been operating since 2010. So far, over 200 technologies have been awarded funds for testing.

Theres an astounding variety of technologies among those 200. Everything from a vacuum-based sample collector that works in the vacuum of space, to robotic grippers based on geckos. From parts-per-billion trace gas detectors that can help find life on other planets and can be used in medical breath diagnosis, to radiation-tolerant computing technology for satellites.

The 25 chosen in this years program also feature a wide variety of space technologies. From large-scale solar arrays that fold up like origami during transport, to a system that can synthesize pharmaceuticals for astronauts on long-duration space missions.

The Moon will see a lot of visitors and activity in the near future. NASAs Artemis Program aims to have astronauts there by 2024. Theyre also planning on building the Lunar Gateway, which is not only a base for expanding the exploration of the Moon and its resources, but also for a future mission to Mars.

With all of that activity comes a need for better technology. There are a vast number of problems to be solved and technologies to be developed before human presence can be expanded beyond Earth orbit. In operation since 2010, and with over 200 technologies tested, the Flight Opportunities Program is playing an important role in space exploration.

The complete list of the 25 technologies chosen for Tech Flights is here.

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NASA is Going to Test 25 New Technologies in Upcoming Aircraft, Balloon and Sub-Orbital Rocket Flights - Universe Today

One of NASA's two hired rides to the moon's surface is tackling a host of milestones leading up to a July 2021 launch and looking ahead to future flights.

Intuitive Machines, a company based in Houston, signed on in May to ferry five NASA payloads to the moon next summer. Now, the company's lander has a ride and a destination, and the team is filling out the package of payloads destined for the lunar surface. But as the company continues to prepare, it also watched another team fail to accomplish the same mission when India's Chandrayaan-2 moon lander, Vikram, apparently crashed into the lunar surface.

"There's so many people attempting to land on the moon," Trent Martin, vice president of aerospace services for Intuitive Machines, told Space.com. "Not surprisingly, it's really hard to land on the moon, and we're aware of that. We're trying our best to learn lessons from those that have succeeded and those that have been not as successful."

Related: 50 Years After Apollo 11, A New Moon Rush Is Coming

"We were disappointed that they were unable to succeed in their soft landing," Martin said of the Indian team behind Chandrayaan-2. "But the more people that go to the moon, the better for the market, so we're happy when anyone is on their way to the moon."

Of course, Intuitive Machines is happiest when groups are on their way to the moon via their lander, which is dubbed Nova-C. On its first voyage, the spacecraft will carry five NASA payloads and two or three commercial payloads, Martin said. The company is also in discussions with a host of countries that may be interested in joining the flight.

"We certainly are looking at all the major space players," Martin said. "[We're] finding some in the countries you might expect and then we're finding some potential customers in countries that are emerging in the space business, who have the will to go do science on the moon but not the capability yet."

Whoever signs on for Nova-C's first journey will have their payload deposited in Mare Serenitatis, Intuitive Machines has decided. When the company first signed with NASA, it was discussing a potential landing at Oceanus Procellarum as well; it has now concluded that Mare Serenitatis will be safer for the attempt.

"Whether we were on the east side or the west side didn't really matter to us," Martin said. "There was no specific requirement from any of the payloads that we're currently flying to land at a specific location on the moon, so we chose the location that allowed us the best opportunity of landing on our first mission."

NASA's payloads on that mission will include a retroreflector, a radio science instrument, navigation technology and a camera that will study the plume of lunar dust created by the rockets slowing the lander's arrival to the surface.

With the commercial payloads Intuitive Machines is discussing so far, the company believes it has filled 121 lbs. (55 kilograms) of its 220-lbs. (100-kg) capacity for landed cargo; the rest could be allotted to landed or orbiting payloads. But the company is also looking to future missions, including developing larger landers that could bring 1,100 lbs. (500 kg) and 2,200 lbs. (1,000 kg) of cargo to the surface. Such next-generation landers could fly as soon as 2023, Martin said.

Intuitive Machines has also arranged for its first launch and will fly on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. "Securing our ride to the moon is a major milestone that we are thankful to be part of," Martin added in an emailed statement. "The partnership between Intuitive Machines and SpaceX is an example of two stellar private companies working together with NASA to advance space exploration."

Email Meghan Bartels at mbartels@space.com or follow her @meghanbartels. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.

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Intuitive Machines, NASA's Hired Ride to the Moon, Aims for 2021 Lunar Landing - Space.com

Solar sails are a method of spacecraft propulsion using radiation pressure exerted by sunlight on large mirrors, proposed by scientists since the Eighties.In 2010, a team from NASAs Marshall Space Flight Centre, along with the NASA Ames Research Centre, launched the NonoSail-D2 which became the first successful low-Earth orbit solar sail. The success of the mission inspired a whole new generation of scientists, including researchers at The Planetary Society, who developed the LightSail 1 and LightSail 2.

In July this year, the LightSail 2 was successfully launched and deployed its sail, becoming a fully functional spacecraft using the new technology.

Bill Nye, who is the CEO of the non-profitfoundation,was asked during a Q&A session on Twitter on September 17 whether the success of the technology will help to conquer the costumes.

The tweet read:I heard we could get to the next habitable planet in a few years with the space sail.

We just need a sail the size of Texas to do it?

Solar sails such as LightSail 2 may revolutionise space exploration

Bill Nye

Dr Nye, who is known to many as "The Science Guy," denied the claim, but explained why the success was such a big step for space science.

He stated: A sail the size of Texas is not going to take us to another inhabitable planet in a few years.

But solar sails such as Lightsail 2 may revolutionise space exploration here in the Solar System because we can go at extraordinary speeds with no rocket fuel.

There are certain missions that solar sails are ideal for.

Put a solar sail spacecraft at an inferior orbit closer to the Sun than the Earth is and keep an eye out for asteroids or maybe more importantly coronal mass ejections from the Sun which sends a beam of charged particles slashing through space towards the Earth which could disable many of our communication systems.

JUST IN:Astronomers warn of colossal galaxy explosion heading towards Earth

So there are certain missions that solar sails are ideal for, but a Texas-sized one going to a nearby inhabitable planet is probably not among them.

The Planetary Society works closely with NASA to support future projects and the Lightsail 1 is expected to piggyback on future launches.

Dr Nye went on to give some more details on how the spacecraft works.

He added: Let me remind you that it is not the solar wind, its not particles streaming from the Sun that give a solar sail spacecraft that push.

It is light itself, photons.

There is about 100 times more pressure from photons than charged particles.

Fascinating, I hope, carry on questioning it though.

Last week, Elon Musk was also revealing the secrets of his company, SpaceX's, success.

He said:I think Ive learned a lot of lessons about how to make things go fast.

And then Ive propagated those lessons to the SpaceX team and theres just like an incredibly talented hardworking team at SpaceX.

In fact, at times, I think maybe there are too many talented people at SpaceX, we have too many talented people, were cornering the market.

But theres this very talented group that works super hard and they have to take the general approach of, if something is taking too long, the design is wrong.

Therefore, the design must be modified to accelerate progress.

Continued here:

NASA breakthrough: How Bill Nye outlined tech to allow 'extraordinary' rocket-speed travel - Express.co.uk

PD Dr Christine Elisabeth Hellweg Heads the Radiation Biology Department in the Institute of Aerospace Medicine. As a prominent speaker at the first Asgardian Space Science and Investment Congress in Darmstadt, Dr Hellweg answered a few questions from Asgardia Space News

The impact of space radiation remains a major limiting factor for long-term human space flights, including those to Mars. Your most recent research focuses on the effects of space radiation on humans, could you share what radiation protection methods could become available within the next 10 years? What do you think about the protective properties of water (remembering the idea of Elon Musk to wrap Martian spacecraft with water bags)?

The upcoming Moon missions give an opportunity to test a radiation protection vest using female phantoms. This vest could reduce radiation exposure, especially during solar particle events. Furthermore, the Orion spaceship is designed for optimized radiation shielding and in case of a solar particle event, the crew can use the materials to build a radiation shelter. NASA will also test a solar particle event warning system. All these measures are essential to protect from high-dose rate exposure during unpredictable solar particle events.

Materials that are composed of elements with low atomic weight, like hydrogen and water, are preferable to shield energy particles from space radiation. Using the water supply as shielding can save weight.

For the chronic low-dose exposure by galactic cosmic rays, the situation is more complicated, and it is generally assumed that weight constraints prohibit efficient spacecraft shielding, but a habitat on a planetary or Moon surface could be constructed with sufficient shielding. So currently, radiation exposure in deep space can only be limited most efficiently by reducing mission duration.

AstroRad is a radiation protection vest developed by StemRad, a start-up company sponsored by the Israel Space Agency for NASAs Exploration Mission-1. Made of polyethylene to better block harmful protons, AstroRad will cover the phantoms upper body and uterus. Scientists aim to understand how to better protect future crews.

Various strategies to reduce the deleterious effects of galactic cosmic rays were tested in animal experiments, with quite interesting results. Currently, nobody knows whether e.g. dietary measures will be effective in humans, and they cannot be considered in risk assessment as a factor that might increase the number of 'safe days in space'.

In one of your investigations, you studied the influence of Aspergillus and Penicillium fungi on the ISS materials, as well as on the astronauts' life support systems. Tell us, how dangerous are fungi and bacteria for the ISS and the crew, as well as for future lunar and Martian bases, where we will not be able to air a room or wet clean it for disinfection?

The International Space Station (ISS) is on one of the most exceptional work and living places for astronauts and scientists, but, on the other hand, a very confined and isolated habitat in an extreme and hostile environment. This state-of-the-art small enclosed volume accommodates alternating astronaut crews, which face unique circumstances including work under high pressure, a pre-defined diet and restricted hygienic practices, microgravity and radiation. These factors affect the crews immune systems which increases their susceptibility to infection in space and in space analog environments. Therefore, to guarantee the health of the astronauts, serious prevention, monitoring and mitigation measures are implemented by the space agencies to control microbial contamination in human tended space stations. The microbial populations in these human-made environments mainly come from the crew (skin, upper respiratory tract, mouth, and gastrointestinal tract), but also the surrounding environment. This microbial population is further shaped both in diversity and mass by the unique combination of space-environmental factors. Although most of the microorganisms do not pose severe risks for healthy people, the hampered immune system of astronauts combined with limited treatment, isolation, and no immediate return to Earth reinforces the requirements to stringently control microbial contamination.

Some microorganisms might even pose a risk to the material integrity of a spacecraft: these so-called technophilic microorganisms, in particular fungi, are able to corrode alloys and polymers used in spacecraft assembly. Technophilic microorganisms have caused major problems on the former Russian space station MIR, partaking in damage to structural materials as well as malfunctioning of various space systems and equipment. Specifically, filamentous fungi such as Penicillium and Aspergillus species were associated with the progressive destruction of a window in MIR's descent module, and mold on wiring connectors was associated with electrical outages.

Recent analyses of theISSmicrobiome showed that theISS microbial communities are highly similar to those present in ground-based confined indoor environments and are subject to fluctuations, although a core microbiome persists over time and locations. The genomic and physiological features selected by ISS conditions do not appear to be directly relevant to human health, although adaptations towards biofilm formation and surface interactions were observed. Results from different studies allow to question and debate the direct reason of occurring microbial contamination for crew health concern, but a broad range of studies indicate the potential threat towards material damage and degradation due to biofouling or biofilm formation.

Since total inactivation of microorganisms and the inhibition of microbial biofilm formation are almost unachievable, certain sterilization procedures must be applied to reduce microbial contamination. A certain amount of time, power and effort are inevitably required for active reduction and prevention of microbial contamination. Antimicrobial metals like silver, copper and their alloys are the subject of investigation for various applications in the healthcare sector, food industry, as antifouling-surfaces in the marine environment, cosmetics and many more. These materials provide a long lasting, intrinsic antimicrobial effect, which does not require additional maintenance. These constraints render these types of materials ideal candidates for preventing microbial contamination on limited accessible research stations such as theISS.

Future research is needed to cover larger monitoring time series to better understand the microbiome dynamics and adaptation, but also possible transmission from and to humans, as well as to the unique environment in which they live in.

Traveling to the Moon and Mars has become a priority for the world's space powers today. It is also known that in order to maintain physical health of astronauts at adequate levels, a spacecraft travelling into outer space has to be equipped with an artificial gravity device. Tell us, what developments are being carried out in this directionat the Institute of Aerospace Medicine?

The human body is designed for efficiency, which is hardly surprising as its supply of food remained uncertain during many evolutionary stages and conserving strength was important. The result is that the body noticeably reduces all functions and resources that are rarely used or not used at all in the medium to long term. The loss of strength and decrease in muscle mass that amateur athletes start to feel after a few weeks without training can reach significant levels among astronauts living in a weightless environment during prolonged space missions. In the absence of gravity, a loss of considerable muscle and bone mass occurs, bodily fluids move into the upper part of the body and the strain on the entire cardiovascular system is reduced, leading to a drop in performance. In short, degeneration in space takes place in fast-forward mode compared with Earth.

The downregulation of the immune system, as well as muscle and bone mass reduction and vision impairment are common phenomena during long-term stays in weightlessness. There is still a lack of understanding of what the underlying mechanisms are. One explanation could be the lack of input of Earth gravity. Therefore, our studies investigate the effects of the periodic gravitational influences caused by the use of a centrifuge. For the first time, with the AGBRESA bed rest study the use of artificial gravity as a possible means of preventing the negative effects of weightlessness on the human body is being investigated. Effective countermeasures against bone and muscle atrophy must be developed if astronauts are to live in space or on the moon and Marsfor long periods of time. During the three-month AGBRESAstudy with 60 days of bed rest, two thirds of the test participants will therefore be 'rotated' each day while lying in the DLRshort-arm centrifuge in the:envihab aerospace medical research facility.

Within the AGBRESA study, 24 volunteers spend 60 days in the beds. They remain there for 89 days, including the pre-test and recovery phases. All experiments, meals, and leisure pursuits take place lying down during the bed-rest phase. The participants are restricted in their movements, so that the strain on muscles, tendons and the skeletal system is reduced. The beds are angled downwards towards the head end by six degrees. This simulates the displacement of bodily fluids experienced by astronauts in a microgravity environment.

Human physiological research in weightlessness or under simulated conditions is not only important for astronauts to be able to maintain their health and performance in space, but also for people on Earth. Space medicine therefore also encompasses health research for terrestrial applications, in all areas of prevention, diagnostics and treatment. Downregulation of immune system is a common phenomenon during long-term stays in microgravity. There is still a lack of understanding what the underlying mechanisms are. One explanation could be the missing input of earths gravity. Therefore the effects of periodic gravity inputs by using a centrifuge are investigated.

What conditions need to be created in space in order for humanity to procreate? And when do you think the first healthy child will be born in space?

Currently, a pregnancy in space is not in line with radiation protection regulations, based on the recommendations of international expert groups, as the dose limit for an unborn child is 1 mSv (meaning a 1 mSv organ dose to the uterus of the mother until the end of the pregnancy). During a 6-month ISS mission, a dose of around 100 mSv can be accumulated. If we imagine a pregnancy during a deep space mission, the exposure might amount to 500 mSvduring the nine months. Ideally, we have to reduce this dose by a factor of 500! And then, we have to tackle the microgravity effects

When do you think humanity will be able to live permanently on other planets?

Currently, we have no reliable data on this topic to make a prediction.

What in your opinion Asgardia can do to help humankind explore space?

Bring the involved scientists together and spread the fascination of space exploration.

Read more:

Christine Hellweg: 'Spread the Fascination of Space Exploration!' - Asgardia Space News

Aerojet Rocketdyne has signed a Space Act Agreement with NASA in Alabama to design and build a key rocket engine part using additive manufacturing or 3D printing. The company opened a big new rocket propulsion Advanced Manufacturing Facility in north Huntsville earlier this year.

The rocket piece the company plans to build for NASA is a lightweight engine thrust chamber assembly. Thats the business end of the engine where fuels combine, ignite and channel out the bottom to produce thrust.

The goal of the project is twofold. NASA wants to cut the cost of building rocket engine parts, and Aerojet and NASA want scalable rocket parts that can be made quickly and made larger or smaller for space craft from large boosters to small lunar landers. As we look to the future of space exploration, efficiency and scalability will be key, which is why we are excited to work with NASA on this innovative thrust chamber for rocket engines, Aerojet Rocketdyne CEO and President Eileen Drake said in a statement. The technology we develop will leverage the most advanced additive manufacturing techniques and materials to help provide efficient and safe transportation to and through space.

Drake was in Alabama in June to officially open Aerojet Rocketdynes two new facilities: a 136,000-square-foot advanced manufacturing facility and a new 122,000-square-foot Defense Headquarters building aimed a winning more defense contracts at Redstone Arsenal. Huntsville is a great place to build a future, and thats what were doing with our expansion here, Rocketdyne CEO Eileen Drake said in Huntsville then.

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Aerojet Rocketdyne teams with NASA in Alabama on new 3D printed rocket engine - AL.com

Graphene materials maker Applied Graphene Materials (AGM) and weight vessel producer Infinite Composites Technologies have teamed up to build up a composite material for space investigation.Preceding this headway, AGM and Infinite Composites directed an across the board item improvement and testing program.The association saw the utilization of AGMs graphene innovation in two gum frameworks for cryogenic weight tanks.These vessels are as of now being investigated by NASA for use in a few spaceflight missions, just as International Space Station Experiments (MISSE), Artemis and Lunar Gateway programs.The consolidation of AGMs graphene innovation has helped the compartments in finishing their first fluid oxygen stacking test at - 300F.The utilization of AGM innovation brought about the expulsion of almost all microfractures in tar tests.Checking electron magnifying instrument procedures were utilized to perform point by point assessments of the composite structure.Applied Graphene Materials CEO Adrian Potts stated: "AGM is pleased to work with the Infinite Composites group on this energizing improvement exertion to help the eventual fate of room flight and practical transportation."In requesting applications, for example, this, where disappointment isnt an alternative, it is satisfying that our graphene scatterings are driving the exhibition of composite materials. We compliment the Infinite Composites group and anticipate adding to encourage triumphs."In July, Infinite Composites won Oklahomas Small Business Innovative Research award contract from NASA.Under the Nasa MISSE program, the proposition will test Infinite Composites materials for cryogenic tanks outside the ISS.

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The Infinite composites and AGM and have combined to develop the material for the space exploration - Industry Reporter

Space, animminent frontier? Sands Fish, a scientist and researcher, thinks so.

And so do many others who work with him at the MIT Media Lab's Space Exploration Initiative in Boston.

In the lab, Fish and a team of artists, scientists, engineers and designers work on innovative design projects with the goal of translating life on Earth to life in space.

These projects must take into account factors like zero gravity and the quirks of human interaction, among other things.

It's not all complicated technology, either. Things we take for granted in our everyday lives like furniture, shoesand even our hairstyles would have to be altered in order to live comfortably in the great beyond.

On Monday, Fish spoke with Doug Dirks on The Homestretch.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Q: What's the MITMedia space lab all about and what do you do there?

A: The space exploration initiative at the Media Lab is basically a lab where we think about things that are not typically explored in space.

So you can imagine it takes a lot of safety concern, engineering and science to make what happens in space happen. But we're more concerned with all of the things that aren't typically researched in space. Things like art, design and culture.

Q: You did two test flights in zero gravity. What did you test on those particular flights?

A: [For the]first one, we built a musical instrument that's supposed to be performed in zero gravity, as opposed to on the ground.

If you think about a piano, it wouldn't work in zero gravity because it has counterweights that bring the keys back up once you press them.

We created a musical instrument that tries to capture that poetic motion that you see when things float around in zero gravity.

As the instrument floats around in microgravity, you get some notes that maybe are really low and quiet when it's moving slowly. But if you spin it around, it will spin in front of you without you holding on to it, then you'll get a crescendo and you'll get louder notes and then higher notes.

Q: What about the impact of gravity on things like roots and plants and how they grow?

A: Well, on a planetary surface, it depends on how strong the gravity is. In orbit and in microgravity, it's a little bit more complicated.

A lot of people have seen how water behaves [in space] and basically forms these spheres.

You can't really pour water in microgravity into dirt and expect it to saturate the soil, and so you get things like root rot.

Q: Your research involved interviewing a number of astronauts and one of them talked about hair being an issue. What's that about?

A: I was talking to Catherine Coleman, who is an astronaut who was up at the International Space Station, and I was asking her how she thought culture was going to evolve once we're living in space in a more long-term basis.

She immediately said that she thought hairstyles were going to change.

When she went up there, she wanted to grow her hair out really long so that it was absolutely clear in photographs that a woman was in space.

But when shebraided her hair to keep it kind of out of her own face and others', she realized the texture of the braid was the same texture as the Velcro that they used to keep everything down up there.

You can imagine what happened. She would get caught on something in the wall.

The simple solution I guess would be for everybody to shave their head, right? But I'm pretty sure that that's not the future of hairstyles.

Q: What about shoes? Will we even need shoes [in space]?

A: [Astronauts] usually wear socks, but they tend to complain about pain on the tops of their feet instead of the bottom.

[It] makes sense intuitively. We're not being pressed down against the floor, so we don't really need that.

If you want to stay in one place in zero gravity, you've got to hook your feet under metal bars or straps.

I designed some sneakers that actually inverted that design and basically put the sole on the top of the sneaker instead of the bottom.

That's something we're prototyping now and we tested out on the last zero gravity flight that we went on.

Q: What about the impact on furniture design?

A: There's no up and down in space. So in space architecture, the walls can be the ceilings, the floors can be the walls.

That fundamentally changes the assumptions that you use when you're designing for something like furniture.

Q: How important do you think all this is, addressing mental wellness in space?

A: It's so important to study design and culture and art and how that evolves in space because none of us really want to just work all day and then go to sleep and then get up and work again.

What are the mundane everyday details that we'll have as comforts in space? I think that we haven't studied that quite as much as we could have because we're more focused on scientific and engineering missions. But that's going to become more and more important as we spend more time in space.

Q: Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos would have us believe that we're all going to be going into space here in the next five to 10 years. What do you think?

A: That sounds a bit aggressive.

I'm suspicious of any one person that thinks they know exactly how the future of space is going to go.

I think I'm more interested in trying to build platforms and kind of democratize access to space so that more people can contribute to that vision.

Fish is in Calgary to share some of these ideas at the sixth annual Camp Festival at MRU, running Oct. 7-8.

The festival brings together renowned designers, artists, inventors and professionals to share ideas with a focus this year on the mental wellness of the creative mind.

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Space pianos and upside-down shoes: innovations for life in space - CBC.ca

As a child, what did you want todowhenyou grew up?

I grew up fascinated by space science and the world around me. As I grew older, this extended to a desire to understand societal and human issues, but I never really knew what I wanted to be apart from something that let me keep learning.

Explain your work in one easy paragraph.

I direct the UKs National Space Academy, which helps young people navigate towards careers in the space and wider science and engineering sectors. I have other roles nationally and internationally, including a lot of space science policy and government advisory work. I do some research: Im a co-investigator on a new planetary drilling technology being developed by the University of Leicester. And most importantly, Istill have opportunities to teach.

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Being invited to be principal investigator for an International Space Station experiment conducted by Tim Peake was a tremendous honour and took my understanding of humanspace flight operations to much higherlevels. My current work for the Science andTechnology Facilities Council and the European Space Agency focuses on long-term planning for UK physics research and human and robotic exploration of the moon and Mars.

How has your field of study changed in the time you have been working in it?

In my lifetime, we have seen distant moons transformed into worlds of fire (Io is the most volcanic object in the solar system), of ice (Europa, Ganymede, Callisto) and possibly of life (Enceladus). We also now have a far better understanding of the impact of human activityon our planet, the most astonishing, diverse planet in the solar system.

If you could have a conversation with any scientist living or dead, who would it be?

To be honest, I am more stimulated by the realdiscussions I have with young researchers and students. They are the true crucibles of creativity and innovation of thought.

What achievement or discovery areyoumost proud of?

Teaching young people really brings home to methe fact that the 21st century is theirs, not mygenerations. Sometimes, I think politicians need to be reminded about this.

What scientific development do you hopeto see in your lifetime?

The discovery of microbial life elsewhere in thesolar system would be one of the greatest achievements of science. But evidence of intelligence elsewhere in the universe would havea transformational impact on human civilisation, for better or possibly worse.

Do you have an unexpected hobby, and if so, please will you tell us about it?

I have been a freediver, scuba diver and skydiver for more than 20 years. When jumping out ofaplane with friends, the sky transforms into anaerial playground with a horizon over 100kilometres away. For that magical minute of free fall, the third dimension becomes accessible and you gain a new and very personal perspective of our home planet and our relationship with it. Even after nearly 1500 jumps, I never tire of it.

What is the best thing you have read orseen in the past 12 months?

The writings, activities and impact of advocates like Greta Thunberg and Malala Yousafzai challenge my generation in ways that may make us feel uncomfortable but which are essential for us to take on board.

OK, one last thing: tell us something that willblow our minds

I think I first heard it in a speech by the Astronomer Royal, Martin Rees: The greatest complexity we see in astrophysics and astronomy pales into insignificance when compared to the biological complexity of a simple ant.

Professor Anu Ojha OBE is director of the UK National Space Academy and a director of the UK National Space Centre. He is also a member of the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council, the European Space Agencys Human Spaceflight and Exploration Science Advisory Committee and the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Leicester

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UK space academy boss Anu Ojha on what finding aliens might mean - New Scientist News

From a radio telescope capable of detecting alien life forms to a poem beamed into the sky as a message from Earth, interstellar content will play a big part in Expo 2020 Dubai.

Space exploration has been a theme of the world fair for decades and next year in Dubai South that tradition will continue.

Visitors queued up to see a moon rock brought back by the Apollo astronauts on display at the 1970 world expo in Osaka. More than a decade earlier replicas of the Sputnik satellites drew curious crowds to the Soviet pavilion at the 1958 Brussels exposition.

Hazza Al Mansouris historic achievement in becoming the first Emirati in space sets new heights for our nations achievements

Marjan Faraidooni, Dubai Expo 2020

The Man in the Space Age theme of the 1962 Seattle world fair is believed to have inspired generations into space research and technology.

Closer to home, a global poem will be created at the British pavilion at the expo site next year. The architect was inspired by physicist Stephen Hawkings final project to prepare a message from Earth to advanced beings in space.

The mobility section of the expo, one of three main themes that include opportunity and sustainability, will also document the UAEs space plans.

Hazza Al Mansouris historic achievement in becoming the first Emirati in space sets new heights for our nations achievements, said Marjan Faraidooni, chief pavilions and exhibitions officer, expo pavilions and exhibitions, Expo 2020 Dubai.

Space exploration is set to be a key focus throughout Expo 2020 with the Mobility Pavilion documenting the UAEs space missions.

"Our exciting space ambitions are the next stage of this journey, with preparations already well underway to chart a course to Mars. This demonstrates the UAEs ambitious, progressive vision and technical excellence ideals that also underpin Expo 2020 Dubai."

Pavilions designed by other countries will also engage visitors with space-related attractions and encourage them to conjure visions of future societies.

The UK pavilion will invite visitors to submit words that will be illuminated using music and video projections on LED screens from a stunning sculpture that resembles a splintered cone.

UK designer Es Devlin has conceptualised a constantly changing poem in English, Arabic and Chinese created by expo visitors from all walks of life that will be beamed across the site.

She said the idea drew directly from one of Stephen Hawkings final projects the Breakthrough Message.

Hawking and his colleagues invited people around the globe to participate in a competition in 2015 to consider what message they would want to communicate as a planet should Earth one day encounter advanced civilisations in space.

What if the UK Pavilion at Expo 2020 became a place where visitors from all over the world chose to take part in a collective global project that showcases British expertise in AI technologies and poetry while transcending national identities? Ms Devlin said.

The China pavilion will explain how a giant satellite dish located in the southwest Guizhou province listens for radio signals from outer space to detect alien life.

The size of 30 football fields, the Five-hundred meter Aperture Spherical Telescope or FAST is the worlds largest single-dish radio telescope.

Exploring space, hunting for extra-terrestrial life and a better understanding of the origin of the universe are its high reaching aims.

Luxembourg will also feature space content in its pavilion. The country has agreed to work with the UAE on space exploration and its pavilion will be re-purposed as a permanent space centre after the expo.

Other pavilions that will feature space exploration include the Canadian and Belarussian structures to touch on that will touch on aerospace innovations and space research.

Updated: October 6, 2019 08:52 AM

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Earth's first message to aliens and an ode to space to feature at Expo 2020 Dubai - The National

KEARNEY Despite being able to give finite predictions for solar events such as the eclipse, science has just barely scratched the surface of space exploration, a visiting astronomer to Kearney explained to a room full of space fans.

Assistant professor of physics and astronomy at Louisiana State University Tabetha Boyajian gave a presentation on eclipses Sunday, the eve of the Great American Eclipse, at the Merryman Performing Arts Center.

I tried to take that (presentation) to not just talking about the solar eclipse and why its happening (today) but try and put that in the perspective of the whole universe, Boyajian said.

Eclipses arent unique to Earth, Boyajian explained to a full crowd. These special alignments occur throughout the solar system and all through the galaxy whether its a moon blocking light from the sun or a planet going in front of a star, which is referred to as a transit.

Science is the ability to predict certain things, and were able to do it for the eclipse because weve studied it for thousands of years and were able to predict these things down to very, very fine positions and measurements, Boyajian said. Space as a whole is very unexplored, and were just kind of scraping the surface of these kind of things that we can discover in space and thats really exciting.

Boyajian, who gave a TEDTalk on her work, earned her doctorate from Georgia State University and was awarded the Hubble Fellowship. After continuing her research at Georgia State for three years, she did her postdoctorate at Yale University. It was there that she become part of the Yale Exoplanet Group.

My research interests are primarily in nearby stellar systems and those with planets going around them what we call exoplanets and trying to detect them.

Her work focuses on the unknown specifically KIC 8462852, a mysterious star that displays odd behavior.

Its surprising because it doesnt do the things that stars do or that we think that stars do, Boyajian said.

The star shows variations in brightness, which have caused scientists to hypothesize scenarios from comet dust to alien megastructures.

Despite results they receive on the bizarre star, however, the data still hasnt pointed scientists down the right track, Boyajian said.

Nature is a lot more creative than we are. Theres no way of telling what its going to throw at us next.

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Science has barely scratched the surface of space exploration ... - Kearney Hub