Category Archives: Space Exploration

Enlarge / Vice President Mike Pence speaks at Kennedy Space Center on Thursday.

NASA

If President Donald Trump has had one consistent message about space exploration both during his campaign and presidency, it's that America is doing badly in space. About a year ago during a campaign stop in Daytona Beach, Florida, Trump said, "Look what's happened with our whole history of space and leadership. Look what's going on, folks. We're like a third-world nation."

As Vice President Mike Pence has assumed duties over space policy, he has made a respectable effort to tour NASA and Air Force facilities around the country. But during these visits, he's also reiterated this Debbie Downer message. When he delivered a speech Thursday at Kennedy Space Center, Pence saidthat under the Trump administration, America will lead in space "once again" no less than eighttimes.

The subtext here is that America has fallen far behind in spaceand that it needs strong leadership to get back on its feet. While there are definitely significant problems with US space policystarting with the lack of a clear direction for human spaceflight and the funding to support those goalsno other nation can come close to the United States in space. Moreover, because of the long lead times baked into aerospace development, almost every "accomplishment" that demonstrates American leadership in space during the next 3.5 years will have startedlong before President Trump took office.

That said, here's a rundown of how America already leads in space.

With the retirement of the space shuttle in 2011, the most powerful rocket in the world is now the Delta IV Heavy, manufactured and flown by the Colorado-based United Launch Alliance. It can heft 28.8 tons to low Earth orbit. Almost everything about the rocket, from its payload fairing to engines, is American made. Since its first flight in 2003, the Delta IV Heavy has flown nine successful missions without a hitch. The world's next most powerful booster is China's Long March 5 rocket, with a capacity of 25 tons to low Earth orbit. It has flown just twice: once successfully and once with a catastrophic failure.

Soon, probably by the end of this year, California-based SpaceX will debut its Falcon Heavy rocket. According to the company, this rocket will have a lift capacity of up to 63.8 tons to low Earth orbit. By around 2019 or 2020, NASA should fly its Space Launch System rocket, with 70 tons of capacity. Around the same time, Washington-based Blue Origin intends to debut the New Glenn rocket with a lift capacity of 45 tons. No other rocket under development in another country will have close to this lift capacity.

NASA has successfully landed eight of nine missions sent to the surface of Mars, culminating with the 1-ton Curiosity lander in 2012. Only its Mars Polar Lander failed to safely reach the surfacein 1999. Two more landers will be launched by the end of the decade, and SpaceX may send one or two private, uncrewed missions to Mars as well.

No other country can remotely boast about such a record. Four of five Soviet Union landers failed to reachMars safely, and the one that did, Mars 3 in 1971, survived for only about 15 seconds. In addition, there have been a number of failed Soviet and Russian attempts to reach the Martian moon Phobos. Europe also tried to land a spacecraft on Mars twice, and both were lost during the process.

NASA has explored the outer Solar System with Pioneer 10 and 11, Voyager 1 and 2, the Galileo and now Juno missions to the Jupiter system, Cassini to Saturn, and New Horizons to Pluto and beyond. It's amazing to contemplate the fact thateverysingle probeNASA has sent into the outer Solar System has been a success. In this, NASA has a perfect record with missionsno other space agency has even sought to attempt. The US also has numerous other missions en route to their targets, or under development, including more asteroid probes and a lander for Jupiter's intriguing moon Europa.

By contrast, Russia hasnot had a successful interplanetary mission in more than three decades, since 1984s launch of Vega 2, a probe to Venus and Halleys Comet. The Soviet Union and Russia, moreover, have never flown beyond Mars.

The European Space Agency has participated in two NASA missions that have gone beyond the asteroid belt. The first, Ulysses, made two distant flybys of Jupiter during a mission that focused primarily on observing the Sun. NASA managed development of the second mission, Cassini, which has had a spectacular run of observing the Saturn system overthe last decade. As part of that mission, the European Space Agency's Titan lander was mostly successful.

Thanks to commercial investment, as well as support from NASA for SpaceX through commercial crew and cargo contracts, the United States has a definitive lead in what is probably the most exciting new technology in spaceflightvertical takeoff and vertical landing of rocket boosters. The promise of these reusable launch systems is low cost, high frequency access to space, and the opening of the frontier for commercialization, national security, and perhaps settlement.

An Air Force University study recently found that the United States has a definitive lead in these technologies thanks to SpaceX and Blue Origin, but the study warnedthat countries such as China could copy these ideas and surpass the United States if strategic government investments are not made.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, alone, is putting about $1 billion of his own money into his rocket company, Blue Origin. In 2015, Google invested $900 million in SpaceX. Factoring in venture capital, we can conservatively estimate that private investors arenow putting about $2 billion a year into the US space industry. Compare that to Russia's annual budget for all space activities, including the maintenance of decades-old rockets, which is about $2 billion per year.

This is the "secret sauce" of US success in space: billions of dollars flowing to new, innovative ideas for spaceflight and activities in space.Other countries have nationalized space programs, with large bureaucracies. America has that, too, with NASA (which is funded to a far greater degree than any other government program). But it also has unfettered capital chasing dreams like asteroid mining.

NASA has nurtured this process, too. It has opened up its segment of the International Space Station for research and as a platform to launch cubesats. It has helped Bigelow Aerospace test a new inflatable space habitat. NASA has supported companies like Made in Space to experiment with in-space manufacturing. Finally, through its commercial cargo and crew programs, NASA has enabled private companies like SpaceX, Orbital ATK, Boeing, and Sierra Nevada to develop a new, modern fleet of spacecraft.

NASA gets a bad name for the retirement of the space shuttle in 2011, and indeed it has been painful to rely on Russia for a ride to the International Space Station since then. However, this doesn't mean NASA has abdicated the lead in spaceflight. Within two years, the United States should have not one but two human-rated spacecraftSpaceX's Dragon and Boeing's Starliner. This will be thanks to a program originally conceived by the George W. Bush Administration and aggressively pursued by President Obama in the face of opposition from some congressional Republicans. Additionally, adeep space capsule, Orion, may be ready for humans by 2023.

Despiteall of its "America will lead in space once again" talk, the Trump administration has the potential to do some good with its revitalized National Space Council. When he wasn't saying America was behind in space, Pence on Thursday noted many of the accomplishments of the US commercial space industry.

If the new administration standardizes and simplifies regulations for these companies, allows NASA and the US military to make prudent investments, sets achievable goals for human spaceflight, embraces international partners rather than excludes them with an "America first" attitude, and continues to support planetary exploration without gutting Earth science, America's already considerable lead in space exploration can become insurmountable.

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Sorry Veep, America already leads the world in space by a large ... - Ars Technica

Royal College of Art graduate Brian Black has designed a concept rover and virtual-reality interface that would allow anyone on earth to contribute to space exploration missions.

Black's vision would see participants driving the rovers over real planets and moons, and collecting samples for analysis, all via a virtual-reality (VR) headset.

Installed in galleries, universities or other public places, the VR experience would function as an engagement mechanism during future interplanetary missions by NASA and other space agencies.

Black a masters student in Vehicle Design at the Royal College of Art (RCA) titled his project the Overview Effect, after a phrase used to describe the awe and change in attitude that astronauts commonly report experiencing once they see the earth from orbit.

He said: "I started with a question. What if there was a way to increase understanding? To give the public an experience that provokes a mental shift the same way astronauts have that first time they look back upon the earth?"

"From space, astronauts tell us national boundaries vanish, the conflicts that divide us become less important and the need to create a planetary society with the united will to protect this 'pale blue dot' becomes both obvious and imperative."

"Even more so, many of them tell us that from the Overview perspective, all of this seems imminently achievable, if only more people could have the experience," he continued.

For the purposes of the project, Black used Saturn's largest moon, Titan, as an example, because its earth-like qualities have made it a subject of interest for scientists.

Anticipating that a one-and-a-half-hour time delay in the transmission between Titan and earth would make real-time exploration impossible, Black proposes that the VR experience take place in a pre-scanned environment, with the terrain mapped using an orbital probe or data that the rover has already collected.

To avoid running into unforeseen obstacles, the rovers would also need to be equipped with autonomous technology.

In Black's demonstration for The Overview Project, users of the VR headset saw the terrain mapped as a simple point cloud, but he said that more detailed visualisations could ultimately be developed, such as those developed by 3D-scanning company ScanLAB.

Brian Black demonstrated a version of The Overview Effect virtual-reality interface at the Royal College of Art graduate exhibition

An accompanying concept space rover called Creos is also part of the Overview Effect. It is designed around its power source, an advanced radio isotopic generator (ASRG), a highly efficient kind of generator that is currently under development at NASA.

Around this, Black has imagined a "rugged" body suitable for exploration. The rover has a high clearance but is otherwise low and flat, with a nearly square shape.

The rover uses lidar (like radar, but using pulsed laser light) to visualise its environment the same technology as in today's self-driving vehicles. This module is situated on the rover's roof.

For users on earth, the vehicle also captures a soundscape using binaural audio receivers embedded in its front side panels. Scientific instruments like sampling tools and probes are all loaded into the front of vehicle.

Interplanetary design is experiencing something of a renaissance now that several private companies like Virgin Galactic and Elon Musk's SpaceX are aggressively pursuing space travel.

Clment Balavoine has imagined flight suits precisely tailored to support the musculoskeletal system of SpaceX travellers, while one of 2016's Designs of the Year was a Space Cup emulating a natural drinking experience for astronauts.

Black, who is originally from the US, studied at the Art Institute of Colorado before beginning his studies at the RCA. His work was included at the school's graduate exhibition, which ran from 24 June to 2 July at the Kensington campus in London.

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RCA graduate proposal would see ordinary people driving NASA's space exploration rovers - Dezeen

45th Space Wing / Published July 07, 2017

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Col. Burton Catledge, 45th Operations Group commander and Lt. Col. Jason Havel, Detachment 3 commander, cut the ribbon to the recently renovated Human Spaceflight Support Operations Center (SOC), to symbolize Americas transition from a government operated space program to a blended mission with the addition of commercially-operated crewed spaceflight programs. The $485,000 yearlong project created a state-of-the-art communications hub used for the Department of Defenses human spaceflight support missions from the SOC, which is an extension of the Joint Space Operations Center at Vandenberg AFB, Calif. It hosts a worldwide command and control capability for Department of Defense rescue forces through a combination of radio frequencies, specialized internet applications, texting, satellite and secure and unsecure voice through the SOC's 10 workstations, 20 DOD circuits and 20 NASA specific circuits. (U.S. Air Force photo by Phil Sunkel))

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Prior to the $485,000 renovation in 2017, this photo shows personnel operating the legacy analog consoles during a 2016 astronaut rescue exercise. The 45th Operations Group Detachment 3 tested their communication channels to Air Force airborne assets, pararescue forces at sea, NASA's Johnson Space Center and the Joint Space Operations Center. The SOC's mission is to provide a worldwide Department of Defense command and control node for NASA astronaut rescue and recovery and is currently used for operational Soyuz missions returning from the International Space Station, and various exercises in support of NASA's nascent Orion and Commercial Crew Programs. The renovations improved the SOC's technical capabilities to support additional commercially-operated crewed spaceflight programs. (U.S. Air Force file photo)

PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Col. Burton Catledge, 45th Operations Group commander and Lt. Col. Jason Havel, Detachment 3 commander, cut the ribbon to the recently renovated Human Spaceflight Support Operations Center (SOC), to symbolize Americas transition from a government operated space program to a blended mission with the addition of commercially-operated crewed spaceflight programs. The $485,000 yearlong project created a state-of-the-art communications hub used for the Department of Defenses human spaceflight support missions from the SOC, which is an extension of the Joint Space Operations Center at Vandenberg AFB, Calif. It hosts a worldwide command and control capability for Department of Defense rescue forces through a combination of radio frequencies, specialized internet applications, texting, satellite and secure and unsecure voice through the SOC's 10 workstations, 20 DOD circuits and 20 NASA specific circuits. (U.S. Air Force photo by Phil Sunkel))

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45th Space Wing cuts into a new era of space exploration - Pactrick Air Force Base

Human Mars missions are still stuck in sci-fi for many reasons, one being that the right propulsion technology hasnt yet launched. Now deep space propulsion is about to take off.

The Space Subcommittee of the House Committee on Space, Science and Technology recently held a hearing with several experts who are also part of the Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships (NextSTEP) taking a stand for advancing travel through the final frontier. Technological breakthroughs brought before Congress included ways to amp up speed, payloads and propulsion. There was one in particular that surprised even the cynics.

NASAs Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) program was all but extinct until leaders in the space industry highlighted the propulsion advances brought about by developments for the program meant to prepare astronauts for Mars by robotically redirecting an asteroid to orbit the Moon. They would then explore this asteroid and use it to test out tech prototypes as a precursor to putting boots on the Red Planet. Even with the current administrations planned funding cuts that threaten to be its last gasp, ARM is spawning another arm.

NextSTEP connects the public and private sector in space exploration by joining forces with NASA and using commercial developments (whose funding cant be blasted by the government) to probe new possibilities for extended missions to Mars and beyond. ARM had made some serious leaps forward in solar electric propulsion (SEP) aka ion propulsion. This is a more efficient alternative to the chemical rockets and thrusters on most spacecraft, which rely on heavy fuel. Solar panels use radiation to power the ionizingelectrically chargingof a gas, which creates enough thrust to propel the craft while minimizing weight.

SEP is the same type of technology that sustains the Dawn mission which has been exploring the asteroid belt for a decade, and thruster advancements intended for ARM have tripled its power, increased its efficiency by half and drastically reduced the amount of required propellant. It could someday send off payloads that will give rise to a human colony on Mars.

High power solar electric propulsion capabilities, scalable to handle power and thrust levels needed for deep space human exploration missions, are considered essential to efficiently and affordably perform human exploration missions to distant destinations such as Mars, stated Bill Gerstenmaier, NASA associate administrator for the Human Exploration and Operations Directorate, at the hearing.

The only con in the galaxy of pros SEP brings to space exploration is that such engines is that, unlike chemical rockets, they are unable to accelerate fast enough to defy Earths gravity and launch a spacecraft off the surface. That all changes once its shot into space. Outside our atmosphere, SEP can fire for years on end. Superpowered electric propulsion will operate at levels that start at hundreds of kilowatts, eventually switching out solar electric power for nuclear electric power the further away future missions take us from the sun. NASA foresees sending Earthlings to Mars by using SLS (Space Launch System), the shiny new rocket its currently developing, together with SEP to propel immense payloads towards the planet before the first human footsteps land in its red dust. But first, we actually have to blast something running on one of these engines into space.

A key goal is to demonstrate these new capabilities in the next few years and infuse them into human missions in the next decade, said Gerstenmaier. Watch out, Mars.

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Deep space flight may soon be rocketing forward - SYFY WIRE (blog)

Risk and failure are a normal part of any space programme. China has come to learn that, just as other space-faring nations have. The failed launch of a Long March 5 rocket, the second such incident in as many weeks, is without doubt a setback for engineers, scientists and the nations ambitions. But when it comes to extraterrestrial exploration, there can be no success without failure.

Scientists have always known that, so it is good that authorities now also understand. In a positive sign of transparency, they were quick to announce Sundays mishap with the rocket and the loss of the experimental satellite it was carrying, the largest that China has yet tried to launch. An investigation is under way, but the outcome is unlikely to alter the setbacks to human space flight and planet exploration plans, which will rely on the heavy-lifting capacity of the Long March rocket. A malfunction in a lesser version last month failed to lift a satellite to its anticipated orbit, but the more powerful rockets reliability had already been brought into question during its first test last November; although considered a success, it was similarly unable to put its satellite payload onto the right path.

Chinas moon programme takes a hit due to Long March rocket failure

There is good reason for transparency, though; China pins its hopes on the Long March 5, a rocket that puts its capabilities beside long-standing space powers the United States and Russia. The rockets next planned launch in November was to carry the Change-5 spacecraft, which is to be the crux of the nations second lunar lander with a mission to bring back the first samples from the moon in four decades. It will also be integral to helping assemble Chinas first permanently crewed space station, with the core module expected to be launched either next year or in 2019. It is too soon to say whether those programmes will be affected by the rocket failures.

Chinese have justifiably watched with pride the nations meteoric rise among space nations. In the 14 years since astronaut Yang Liwei made history by orbiting the Earth 21 times, there have been extraordinary achievements. An orbiter has navigated the moon and a rover has landed on it, a component for an orbital space station was launched and three astronauts, including Chinas first woman in space, docked with it. But scientists lost control and a successor, Tiangong-2, was embarked upon and two astronauts spent 30 days aboard it last November to learn how to live and work in space.

China aims to land on the moon in the mid-2030s; it hopes to become a leading space power by about 2030. In doing so, there are bound to be more failures. But learning from mistakes is the only way to move confidently forward. Accepting risk and failure is the price that has to be paid to expand knowledge and advance technology.

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Setbacks are inevitable in space exploration | South China Morning ... - South China Morning Post

Coming off the Independence Day holiday where night skies across the country exploded with fireworks, a thought occurred to me. Whatever happened to our exploration of those black velvet skies of outer space?

Dubbed the final frontier, kids growing up during my childhood years were thrilled with the exploits of amazingly brave astronauts who stepped into tiny capsules and sped off into the dark regions of the universe. We hoped technology wouldn't fail them in their quest for knowledge, nor in their attempt to return home.

Today, it seems that the only discussion about space happens in movies like "The Martian" with Matt Damon. That's sad.

Among the dream professions in my "Leave it to Beaver" era, being an astronaut was near the top. After the earth had pretty well been explored and documented, the natural human thirst for knowledge was directed toward the skies and beyond. After watching several unbelievable accomplishments, topped by the legendary walk on the moon in 1969, it seemed that the floodgates had opened. It appeared that before long we would be riding around in flying saucers like George Jetson, stopping at planets like we stop at strip shopping centers.

But it seems the moon landing was the zenith of space exploration. I know we've got manned space stations with rotating astronauts and satellites performing communication duties that once seemed impossible. And yet, the magic that happened on that July night in 1969 has yet to be repeated outside of the movies.

As the 50th anniversary of that feat approaches, I'm disappointed that space exploration hasn't expanded beyond the memories of that fateful walk on the moon.

And why hasn't it? Why hasn't technology built upon that accomplishment, making space travel more frequent. Not being a science maven, I don't have the answers. Those of us who saw that broadcast of Neil Armstrong and his fellow astronauts doing the first version of a moonwalk long before Michael Jackson's can remember the deeply moving feeling we experienced. To this day, looking at a full moon while imagining them walking on its surface gives me a chill. Yet the passion, and press coverage, seems to have made space exploration an afterthought.

We have some voices still discussing different forms of space travel, but most of them seem to be private citizens like Richard Branson. The billionaire is in active pursuit of sending other private citizens into space in one of his special air crafts. While I wouldn't be a volunteer for that, much less pay millions of dollars for the experience, I think it's time we rediscover our pioneer spirit and refocus on finding what else lies out there in the great beyond.

Stephen Hawking says we only have 100 years left, so we better get cracking.

Pat Lenhoff is a freelance columnist.

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Lenhoff: Whatever happened to exploring the final frontier? - Chicago Tribune

Vice President Pence touts the future of American space exploration at Kennedy Space Center.

The future of space flight and space exploration were front and center today at NASAs Kennedy Space Center.

The guest of honor was Vice President Mike Pence who spoke about the Trump administrations role in NASAs endeavors.

Our nation will return to the moon and we will put our American boots on the face of mars, said Vice-President Pence.

Pence spoke in front of a large crowd including Senators Marco Rubio, Bill Nelson and former astronaut Buzz Aldrin.

America will once again lead in space for the benefit and security for all of our people in all of the world, said Vice-President Pence.

Inside the Kennedy Space Centers iconic vehicle assembly building Pence spoke with optimism about the future of space exploration.

I know in my heart that today the heavens are closer than ever before, said Pence.

Just days ago, President Trump announced the Vice President will be leading the newly revived National Space Council, which has been dormant since 1993.

The Vice President said the new council will guide space policy and help the economy and national security.

Our National Space Council will re-energize our pioneering spirit in space. It will restore our confidence and the confidence that we can and will achieve the impossible -- just like you all here at NASA have done so many times in the course of my life, said the Vice President.

Pence said by transforming the entire space policy the Trump administration will ensure that NASA has the resources and support they need to further space exploration.

We won the race a half-century ago, and now we will get back to wining in the 21st century and beyond, said Pence.

According to Pence during this new journey the United States will foster stronger partnerships between government agencies and innovative industries across the country, and draw on the expertise and insights of scientists, innovators, and business leaders in a whole new way.

We will reorient Americas space program toward human space exploration and discovery for the benefit of the American people and all of the world, he said.

In a tour of the facility Pence learned more about the progress of traveling past the moon and one day to Mars and beyond with the help of NASAs new Orion spacecraft.

The Vice President said hed like to see the first meeting of the National Space Council before summer is over.

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Vice President Pence touts the future of American space exploration - WPEC

NASA Shuttle Landing Facility Kennedy Space Center, Florida

1:25 P.M. EDT THE VICE PRESIDENT: Hello, Florida! (Applause.) Senator Rubio, Senator Nelson, Congressman Posey, Congressman DeSantis, Attorney General Bondi, Commissioner Putnam, acting Administrator Lightfoot, Director Cabana, all the leaders of industry and business who are gathered here today, Dr. Buzz Aldrin -- (applause) -- and all the great men and women of NASA and the Kennedy Space Center, it is my great honor to be with you here today at the dawn of a new era of space exploration in the United States of America. (Applause.) And I bring greetings from the man who is going to make that happen, his admiration for all of you gathered here and for Americas storied history in space is boundless; and he is committed each and every day to American leadership at home, around the world, and in the boundless expanse of space, the 45th President of the United States of America, President Donald Trump. (Applause.) In his Inaugural Address, the President rededicated our nation to once again lead in the heavens, and in his words unlock the mysteries of space. With this President, its always about leadership -- American leadership. And that begins at home, by putting the security and prosperity of America first. Today, we will speak of this Presidents vision for American leadership in space. But between those two spheres, in Warsaw, Poland today, we were reminded that the American President is the leader of the free world. (Applause.) Today, President Trump stood in Krasinski Square in a rebuilt Warsaw, giving testament to the power of free peoples to assert their own destinies and claim their own futures. The President noted in his words that as long we know our history we will know how to build a future, saying that Americans know that a strong alliance of free, sovereign, and independent nations is the best defense for our freedoms and our interests. The President took the opportunity to challenge our allies to work together to confront forces that threaten over time to undermine those values and erase the bonds of culture, faith, and tradition that make us who we are. And he called on all of our allies in the West to what he called a commitment of will, and he reminded us that the defense of the West ultimately rests in his words not only on means but also on the will of our people to prevail. Finally, he reminded the world today that our own fight for the West does not begin on a battlefield, it begins with our minds, our wills, our souls, our freedom -- and that our survival depends on the bonds of history, culture, and memory. My fellow Americans, thats what American leadership looks like on the world stage. (Applause.) And today I come to assure you, the men and women of NASA, and all those at this Gateway to the Stars, where the aspirations of the American people have taken flight that under President Donald Trump America will lead in space once again. (Applause.) Just last week, President Trump declared that America is in his words going to be leading in exploration and discovery like weve never led before. Welcome to a new era of American leadership in space. (Applause.) I cant think of a better place to deliver this message than here at the Kennedy Space Center, named for a President who challenged America to undertake, as he said, the most hazardous and dangerous and greatest adventure on which man has ever embarked. The Kennedy Space Center is the heart and soul of our nations space program, where science fiction has become science fact for generations. Just this past Saturday, this center celebrated its 55th birthday. And for 55 years, you have relentlessly expanded our horizons and given us so many national heroes. Here, the crew of Apollo 11 set sail for the Sea of Tranquility on the moon. Here, you launched Americas Space Shuttles and Americas astronauts to orbit this Blue Marble. Here, the Hubble Space Telescope, the New Horizons, and so many other technological wonders lifted off from Earth to give us a glimpse of our fellow planets, the distant stars, and the infinite galaxies that are a window into our very past. And from this Bridge to Space, our nation will return to the Moon, and we will put American boots on the face of Mars. (Applause.) My friends, the missions that began at the Kennedy Space Center are carved into the mantle of American greatness. And more than that, theyre etched into the hearts and minds of the American people. Generations of Americans have marveled at and been inspired by what you do here. Weve joined in your countdowns, rejoiced in your successes, and we've grieved with you in your sorrows -- because the missions that start at the Kennedy Space Center have captivated the American people and carried our hopes and dreams into the heavens as almost no other national initiative. I caught a passion for the space program when I was just a little boy in a small town in Southern Indiana. Some of the most precious memories of my youth were gathered around a black-and-white television, watching images of American heroes making history. As a member of Congress, I asked to serve on the NASA subcommittee, and I had the privilege, along with my wife and children, to attend several space shuttle launches. I really have no doubt that my son, who is now a Marine Corps aviator, was inspired to serve as a 10-year-old boy when we sat in the grandstands here at the Kennedy Space Center and watched in awe as Americas heroic astronauts hurtled into space. I said at the time, that to see the sights and sounds of a launch at here Cape Canaveral was like seeing the Earth giving birth to a piece of the sun and sending it home. And youre the ones who make it possible. So give yourselves a round of applause for making miracles happen, for making science fiction, science fact here at the Kennedy Space Center. (Applause.) The truth is that your work breaks new ground and breaks records in equal measure. And serving each and every day with this President, I can say with confidence: The American space program has a champion in the President of the United States. (Applause.) President Trump has a deep appreciation for the vital work that NASA does each and every day. That was on full display earlier this year when in the Oval Office President Trump signed the first NASA reauthorization act in more than seven years. (Applause.) Surrounded by many of these same members of Congress who join us here today, after the bills signing, President Trump renewed our nations commitment to, in his words NASAs mission of exploration and discovery -- because he knows that every day, the men and women of NASA inspire the American people and enrich the American spirit. President Donald Trump is already ensuring that NASA has the resources and support you need to make new history from this place; inspire new generations and advance American leadership in the boundless frontier of space -- of that you can be assured. Allow me just to take a moment to single out Senator Rubio and Senator Nelson and all the distinguished members of Congress who are here with us today. Would you all mind standing and allowing everyone here to show our appreciation for the great champions of human exploration in space that all of you are? Please rise, and give these leaders in the House and in the United States Senate a big round of applause, would you, please? (Applause.) Thank you so much. President Trumps vision for space, though, is much larger than NASA alone. Our President is transforming our entire space policy to seize the opportunities of the 21st century and unleash the infinite potential of the cosmos for the American people. Extending our nations leadership in space is one of the greatest challenges of our day. And just as we have risen to the challenges that came before, so too we will rise to meet the new challenges that lie ahead. That's why just last Friday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to relaunch the National Space Council and guide a new era of space leadership by the United States of America. (Applause.) After being dormant since 1993, Im proud to report that the National Space Council is up and running once again. And it will be my great honor, as Vice President of the United States, to serve as its chair. (Applause.) As the President said last week, the National Space Council, in his words, will be a central hub guiding space policy within the administration, filling a void thats existed in America for nearly a quarter-century. This is actually the third iteration of the National Space Council. American Presidents from Eisenhower to Kennedy, Johnson to Nixon to George H.W. Bush all turned to the National Space Council for assistance and advice. It was under the first National Space Councils watch that America put a man in space, put a man on the moon -- and with less than a decade between them. And the second council saw our nation through the close of the Cold War, as space became ever more important to our national security. As you men and women of NASA know, the American people have never lost our passion to explore space and uncover its secrets. But for nearly 25 years, our governments commitment seems to have not matched the spirit American people. But Im here to tell you that as we still enter this new century, we will beat back any disadvantage that our lack of attention has placed, and America will once again lead in space for the benefit and the security of all our people and all of the world. (Applause.) Our National Space Council will reenergize our pioneering spirit in space. It will restore our confidence and the confidence that we can and will achieve the impossible -- just like you all here at NASA have done so many times in the course of my life. It will ensure that America once again takes our rightful place as the vanguard of humanitys historic rendezvous with the future in the outer limits of space. The council will bring together leaders from the Presidents administration including our Secretaries of State, Defense, Commerce, Transportation, and Homeland Security, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, our National Security Advisor, our intelligence leadership, and the NASA Administrator. And I look forward to holding the first meeting of the National Space Council before the summer is out. (Applause.) President Trump has given the Council the duty in his words to advise and assist his administration regarding national space policy and strategy, and well be busy doing just that. Well review our current policy and our long-range goals and coordinate national space activities -- from national security to commerce to exploration and beyond. And crucially, at the Presidents direction, we will, in his words, foster close coordination, cooperation, technology and information exchange among all the stakeholders and sectors involved in space activity -- including government agencies, the armed forces, and leaders from the realms of private industry and the academic world. We will bring the best of America together once again to lead with Americans in space. (Applause.) As the President said last week, the National Space Council intends to draw on the expertise and insights of scientists, innovators, and business leaders in a whole new way. These leaders, whom the President and I will be naming in the coming weeks, will form a User Advisory Group. And I know with confidence that their work will dramatically enhance our space policy in the days ahead just as it has in the past. Im particularly excited to see the increased collaboration with our burgeoning commercial space industry so much in evidence here at the Kennedy Space Center. Im really sorry that I missed the successful commercial launch that took place last night. I was praying for rain at the Kennedy Space Center so we might see that rocket go up today. But the truth is were going to continue to foster stronger partnerships between government agencies and innovative industries across this country because both have so much to offer one another. In fact, Kennedy Space Center is proof that public and private sectors can achieve more by working together than they could ever achieve apart. This center is today the worlds premier multi-use spaceport, and that truth will only continue to grow. (Applause.) In conjunction with our commercial partners, well continue to make space travel safer, cheaper, and more accessible than ever before. The truth is that American business is on the cutting edge of space technology. And under President Trumps leadership, and with the guidance of the National Space Council, well tap into the limitless well of American innovation because there is no problem the American people cant solve, no barrier we cant break down, no objective we cant achieve when we bring the full force of our national interest and creativity to bear. The American spirit is as limitless as space itself. And so we will bring that spirit fully to bear on the trials that lie ahead. If we can dream it, we can do it. And under President Trump, we will achieve more in space than we ever thought possible. President Trump observed just last week, the human soul yearns for discovery, and I would say that's especially true for those of us who have the privilege to call ourselves Americans. Under President Donald Trumps leadership, we will reorient Americas space program toward human space exploration and discovery for the benefit of the American people and all of the world. (Applause.) We will return our nation to the moon. We will go to Mars, and we will go still further to places that our childrens children can only imagine. We will maintain a constant presence in low-Earth orbit, and we will develop policies that will carry human space exploration across our solar system and ultimately into the vast expanse of space. As the President has said, space is in his words the next great American frontier. And like the pioneers that came before us, we will settle that frontier with American leadership, American courage, and American ingenuity. As we once again lead in space exploration, we will continue to make the investments and presence in space to ensure the safety and security of the American people. Space is vital to our national security. I saw it firsthand when I visited Schriever Air Force Base just a few weeks ago. And I can assure you, under President Donald Trump, American security will be as dominant in the heavens as we are here on Earth. (Applause.) The tasks that lie before us requires the highest levels of courage, commitment, and dedication. The challenges will be difficult. But difficulty brings out Americas best, and Americas best can't be beaten by anybody at any time. Some 55 years ago, the namesake of this base, President John F. Kennedy, declared that America would put a man on the moon before the decade was out, a feat unlike any imagined in human history. As he said at the time, we were willing to accept the challenge, and unwilling to postpone it, and that challenge is one in his words -- one which we intend to win. And with your forbearers here at the Kennedy Space Center and Houston and all across NASA, we did win the race to the moon. (Applause.) We won the race a half-century ago, and now we will get back to wining in the 21st century and beyond. Under the leadership of President Donald Trump and with the guidance of the National Space Council, the United States of America will usher in a new era of space leadership that will benefit every facet of our national life. We will strengthen our economy. We will unlock new opportunities, new technologies, and new sources of prosperity. We will inspire our children to seek education in science, technology, engineering, and math. Well enhance our common defense and advance the security of the American people. But most of all, under President Trumps leadership, we will renew the American spirit itself. I know in my heart that today the heavens are closer than ever before. We're restarting a journey that will take us to new heights of knowledge, new heights of accomplishment. And above all, I know with confidence that we will reach those new heights of American leadership with American values and American ingenuity. As President Trump said last week in his words, It is Americas destiny to be the leader amongst nations on our adventure into the great unknown. And with the National Space Council, we will grab that destiny with both hands and go to work with each and every one of you. So let us go forth and start this new chapter of that adventure. Let us have the courage and the confidence thats always defined who we are as Americans. And let us do what our nation has always done since its very founding and beyond: We've pushed the boundaries on frontiers, not just of territory but of knowledge. We've blazed new trails, and weve astonished the world as weve boldly grasped our future without fear. And as we go, let us have faith -- faith that as we enter this new era of exploration and discovery, that this rising generation of American explorers and innovators will once again deliver on the hopes and aspirations of our people just like you've done before. And as this new generation of astronauts suits up, let them have the faith that they do so surrounded by the prayers of the American people with the absolute assurance that as they rocket into the heavens, they do not go alone.

For as the Psalmist teaches us, if we rise on the wings of the dawn, if we go up to the heavens, even there His hand will guide us, and His right hand will hold us fast. My friends, the future beckons -- and so do the furthest depths of space. Together, as one nation and one people, we will raise our eyes to gaze with wonder at the stars and once again renew our commitment to reach out our hands and touch the heavens. With confidence in all of you and with confidence in the strong vision and leadership of President Donald Trump, I know America will lead in space once again. Thank you. God bless you and God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)

END 1:46 P.M. EDT

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Remarks by the Vice President at Kennedy Space Center - The White House (blog)

Space exploration and the discovery of alien life have been of great interest to humans for decades. In recent times developments have been made, but there is still a long way to go before we have a United Nations on Mars! However, missions to discover Earth-like planets can bring us one step closer to achieving this reality. One such mission, led by Don Pollaco at the University of Warwick, has recently been given the go ahead.

This mission will involve sending satellites into space, most notably the Planetary Transits and Oscillations of stars (PLATO). The PLATO mission will help address how common earth-like planets are, and whether our solar system unusual or even unique. It even has the potential to eventually lead to the detection of extra-terrestrial life. The satellite will also investigate seismic activity in some stars in order to determine information such as their mass and age to and help to understand their exoplanet systems.

it will be able to help find planets across large areas of space, and process vast amounts of information on these planets.

The satellite will search for tiny, regular dips in brightness as the planets cross in front of stars, temporarily blocking out a small fraction of the starlight. However, the signals satellites pick up can be sometimes obscured by objects such as meteors that can appear to be planets, which can lead to false positives. These issues can be overcome through the use of machine learning techniques; new algorithms can be developed to distinguish false positives from real objects. The use of Big Data can help significantly with planet detection; it will be able to help find planets across large areas of space, and process vast amounts of information on these planets.

More generally, while there are many advocates for planet detection and space exploration, there is opposition. The most popular counter-argument would be whether or not we should focus on solving issues on our own planet before discovering others. This may not be a question of research, since climate change has been proven to exist for example, but there is the opportunity cost of research funding that helps deal with current issues on Earth. It may also be important that humans learn how to handle conflicting opinions, particularly in a political sense, before research into planet discovery is done.

It may also be important that humans learn how to handle conflicting opinions, particularly in a political sense, before research into planet discovery is done.

Nonetheless, if the research is there, it can help prepare humans for a time when exploring other planets will be necessary. Additionally, because some of the research at Warwick will involve machine learning and Big Data, research into this can help advance these fields and automation in general which, if used safely, can help improve current living conditions on Earth. Improvements in machine learning can also help develop more efficient rockets, such as with SpaceX, that can help with visiting the planets themselves, albeit far in the future.

Though the work is in its early stages, research into new planet detection can help us to further understand exoplanets and how the universe is structured, and help us acquire new knowledge that could potentially help us with machine learning techniques. The research applications should nevertheless be considered carefully; we may find less than we expect, but even finding one very Earth-like planet could have an important societal impact.

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Go-ahead given to University of Warwick led space exploration - The Boar

More than 2 1/2 years after the fatal breakup of Virgin Galactics experimental rocket plane, Richard Branson is poised to revive powered test flights as the billionaire entrepreneur targets his first journey into space by the middle of next year.

Following the completion of a series of glide-only sorties, powered tests are set to take place every three weeks with the aim of extending them into space by November or December, Branson said in an interview. After his own flight, full commercial passenger operations should start by the end of 2018, he said.

QuickTake The New Space Race

Bransons update is the most detailed since the October 2014 crash of Virgin Galactics original SpaceShipTwo, in which co-pilot Michael Alsbury died when the craft was torn apart after he prematurely unlocked a braking mechanism. While the accident in the Mojave Desert came just months before the planned maiden commercial flight, Branson said the appetite for travel to the edge of space remains undimmed, leaving room for a number of competitors.

We will never be able to build enough spaceships, Branson said Wednesday in Hong Kong following the introduction of Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd. flights from Melbourne. The demand is enormous.

The Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo at the Farnborough International Air Show in Farnborough, U.K. in 2012.

Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg

Branson was an early leader in the new space race after founding Virgin Galactic in 2004. Since then, rivals like the Jeff Bezos-backed Blue Origin LLC and Elon Musks Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX, have gained momentum by focusing on reusable rockets to cut the cost of space travel.

On Wednesday, SpaceX successfully launched its 10th Falcon 9 rocket of 2017, little more than a week after sending a total of 11 communication satellites using two rockets, whose first-stage boosters were recovered for reuse later. Musks company has contracts with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration valued at about $4.2 billion to transport astronauts and supplies to the Space Station.

Blue Origins New Shepard rocket has flown to suborbital space five times since November 2015. Suborbital space is high enough for passengers to experience weightlessness, but not high enough to orbit the Earth.

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Branson, who turns 67 on July 18, said theres a role for various launch systems, especially in the deployment of satellites, viewed as a likely mainstay of Virgin Galactics future business. The companys Virgin Orbit arm is working on a two-stage air-launched rocket that would carry small satellites, with test rockets set to be dropped from an aircraft in the first quarter of 2018, the Briton said.

There is definitely the demand for all three, Branson said of the competing ventures. We can take off at 24-hours notice, put a couple of satellites up and come back again. With ground-based rockets, theres quite a long waiting time.Elon has bigger rockets, so he has advantages there.

Branson declined to comment directly on Donald Trumps June 30 announcement that hell revive a Cold War-era council that helped shape space policy, or on theU.S. presidents suggestion that private companies are set to play an important role in the next phase of space technology.

I think myself and Jeff Bezos and Elon are just getting on with it, he said. I dont think Ive heard of anything majorly exciting thats come out of the administration as far as space is concerned, but maybe theyll surprise us.

Virgin Galactic will also play a role in developing elements of Boom Technologiess planned supersonic plane, Branson said, and will build parts of the XB-1 demonstrator on which the U.S. startup plans to commence work before the end of this year, according to

Branson, a vocal opponent of the U.K. leaving the European Union, said hes hopeful the country is now headed for a Brexit kinder to business following the outcome of Mays general election, which left the ruling Conservatives with fewer seats and dependent on the support of a smaller party.

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Branson Aims Mid-2018 Space Trip as Virgin Resumes Powered Tests - Bloomberg