Category Archives: Space Exploration

After exploring Mars for more than a year, Chinas Tianwen-1 space probe has successfully taken images covering the entire Red Planet, Chinas National Space Administration (CNSA) announced on June 29.

Tianwen-1, which translates to quest for heavenly truth, consists of six separate spacecraft:

The images in question were taken by the orbiter while circling Mars 1,344 times, capturing images of the Red Planet from every angle while Zhurong explored the surface. In the statement, CNSA said the probe has now completed all of its tasks, which included taking medium-resolution images covering the entire planet.

Tianwen-1 was launched on July 23, 2020, amidst the turmoil of the Covid-19 global pandemic. Whats unique about this mission is China was attempting to become the first nation to successfully send an orbiter and rover to Mars on the first try.

Upon successful orbital insertion and landing, Tianwen-1 became a historic victory for the CNSA and space exploration. Before Tianwen-1, the only two successful missions to send an orbiter and lander to Mars were NASAs Viking 1 and 2 missions in 1975. Prior to that, the Soviet Union had attempted this feat with their Mars 2 and 3 missions in 1971 and Mars 6 in 1973.

Mars 2 was an outright failure, with the lander being destroyed and the orbiter sending back no data. On Mars 3, the orbiter obtained approximately eight months of data, and while the lander touched down safely, it only returned 20 seconds of data. On Mars 6, the orbiter produced data from an occultation experiment, but the lander failed on the descent.

During its time exploring the Red Planet, Tianwen-1 showed a Mars weve come to both love and admire: dusty dunes, shield volcanoes, impact craters, and even the north pole. While the orbiter was taking these amazing images, Zhurong was gathering data and information about Mars geological structure, atmosphere, environment, and soil.

An image of dunes on Mars, taken by the Zhurong rover of the Tianwen-1 probe shortly before it entered dormancy in May 2022. CNSA

Overall, the probe has collected 1,040 gigabytes of raw scientific data, which the CNSA said has been processed by scientists back on Earth and handed over to researchers for further study.

While the probe entered Mars orbit on February 10, 2021, the Zhurong rover didnt touch down on Mars until May 14 of that same year. It landed in Utopia Planitia, the current home of NASAs Viking 2 spacecraft, which landed in the vast Martian plain in 1975.

In June 2022, Zhurong successfully found hydrated minerals in sediment dating to Mars most recent geologic period, which are likely associated with groundwater. Hydrated minerals include substances such as olivine, pyroxene, and feldspar, which were likely altered as they integrated water into their chemical structures.

Unfortunately, Zhurong had to enter its dormant mode starting on May 18, 2022, due to dropping temperatures during the Martian winter, along with poor sand and dust conditions. This dormant mode ensures the rover's long-term survivability, which will be reawakened sometime in December.

While Tianwen-1 makes China only the third nation to successfully land a spacecraft on the surface of Mars, the European Space Agency (ESA), India, and the United Arab Emirates have successfully sent their respective spacecraft to orbit the Red Planet. Tianwen-1 also demonstrates Chinas strong aspiration to explore Mars, as it recently announced plans to return Mars samples to Earth in 2031, a full two years earlier than NASA and the ESA.

An image of a mountain on Mars was taken by Chinas Tianwen-1 probe. CNSA

Along with their ambitious robotic missions, the CNSA announced last year that they plan to send its first crewed mission to the Red Planet in 2033 with a goal to send regular missions to Mars and eventually build a base there.

This 2033 timeframe is in stark contrast to NASA, which announced earlier this year that they plan to launch astronauts to Mars in the late 2030s or early 2040s.

China seems very serious about human space exploration, as their Tiangong space station currently houses three astronauts on six-months stays, with the most recent crew arriving just last month.

Where will space exploration take us in the coming years? Which country will land the first humans on Mars? Only time will tell, and this is why we science!

This article was originally published on Universe Today by Laurence Tognetti. Read the original article here.

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Chinas Tianwen-1 Mars probe just completed its number one goal - Inverse

Imagine a car on the highway. The driver has collapsed on the wheel, their foot still on the accelerator, while more cars keep joining the same lane.

Thats how we currently decommission small spacecraft we just leave them in orbit.

According to the European Space Agencys last Space Environment Report, we launched over 1,200 satellites in 2020 three times as many as the year before. SpaceX alone plans to add tens of thousands more satellites in the coming years.

But all this comes at a cost.

Right now, more than 8,000 tons of potentially lethal space debris orbits the Earth. A paint flake that gouged out a chip from the window of the International Space Station is a threat to spacecraft, just like the bus-sized zombie satellite Envisat that cannot be commanded to deorbit. All space debris, big or small, travels with a velocity of 7.5 km per second. A gram-sized particle in space has the same momentum as a fist-size rock hitting your windshield on the motorway.

As Earths orbits get crowded, the risk of collisions increases increasing the number of debris particles. This could lead to a phenomenon known as the Kessler Syndrome, where a thick cloud of tiny particles eventually surrounds the Earth, preventing future space flight.

Currently, we care about the economic returns of space exploration, so we flood space with satellites. We care about consumer data, so we launch expensive, carefully built satellites on strategic orbits. But we are not focusing enough on the physical space environment. For example, over recent decades agencies have chosen not to study the science of near-Earth space, preferring to focus on distant galaxies instead even though our society critically depends on it.

Keeping the space highway open

Space physics has a critical role in the sustainable use of space. Conditions in space determine how long satellites remain operational, sometimes even when they return to the atmosphere. In February 2022, Starlink lost 40 satellites due to a phenomenon called Joule heating. Current quantitative understanding of Joule heating is so poor that there is no way to predict when and where it can occur. The same is true for dozens of other potentially critical space weather effects.

We need to start thinking about the physical environment of space such as our orbits as an asset: something we care about, rather than a common-pool resource to be recklessly exploited. Big spacecraft should not be allowed to become zombies; they should be deorbited safely before the end of mission. Small satellites should not simply be left in orbit.

We dont build a new car every time another breaks we send it for servicing. We need such servicing technologies for spacecraft, so they can continue their missions. We also need technologies to clean up the existing debris, and prevent new debris from the increasing numbers of new launches.

Durable spacecraft for sustainable space

Frustrated by the lack of action from space agencies on this issue, I established the Finnish Centre of Excellence in Research of Sustainable Space, which builds and launches CubeSats, or nanosatellites. Our aim is to prevent new space debris. The centre studies near-Earth space physics, and develops innovative deorbiting technologies. The open-source results can be used by anyone wishing to build durable spacecraft. In June, we launched our first CubeSat demonstrating resilient design and deorbiting technology, with the aim of making a lasting impact in sustainable use of space and orbit safety.

As we mark the anniversary this Wednesday of the first moon landing on July 20, 1969, we must remember that missions like this pushed open the door of space to all humanity. We need to make sure this door does not fall shut for future generations. As we continue exploring and commercializing space, we must rethink our current approach and adopt a more sustainable way to use space so that we can improve the well-being of people all over the world.

Minna Palmroth leads the Space Physics Research Group at the University of Helsinki, and is chair of the board at the Technology Academy Finland.

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Space now contains so much junk, its a danger to human life and future exploration. Heres what we should do about it - Toronto Star

Few subjects will inspire as much awe, wonder, and reverence as space. From the dazzling first photos of the James Webb Space Telescope to reports on every Hubble happening, theres something about looking out onto the edges of the universe that inspires hope and beauty in the worlds collective imagination. NASA has recently revealed its Photographer of the Year winning images. Though the news may have been eclipsed by the JWST, this behind-the-scenes look at the agency shows some of the people and places making space exploration possible.

In its fourth year, the competition is exclusively for the agencys photographers, with NASA recognizing four categories: documentation, portrait, people, and places. The winners feature the dramatic, official portrait of astronaut Tom Marshburn, exercises at Johnson Space Centers Rock Yard, a giant torque, and the Blue Angels.

When astronauts need to give something a test run, they go to the Rock Yard. Norah Moran won the Documentation category with this photo of Kelsey Young and Tess Caswell evaluating lunar field geology tasks at Johnson Space Center.

The winner of the Portrait category was Josh Valcarcel, who took the official portrait of astronaut Tom Marshburn suited up in the Extravehicular Mobility Unit spacesuit at the Johnson Space Center. From the deep shadows and harsh light to the fog of the helmet, many elements lean into the mystery of space.

Denny Henry scooped up the People category trophy with a photograph of Engineering Technician Ryan Fischer. Here, Fischer uses a torque to adjust the Force Gauge Ring in preparation for vibration testing of the PACE spacecraft at the Goddard Space Flight Center.

Dominic Hart took the winning image for Places with this picture of the Blue Angels, the United States Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron. Here, the group is shown walking through the inlet of a wind tunnel test section at the National Full-Scale Aerodynamic Complex (NFAC).

The yellow glow of the moon and the harsh white lights of the testing site create an otherworldly feel. Is this Earth? Who are they, what are they doing, what do they want?

Another heroic astronaut portrait, but with a different angle. Gone is the mystery, but the possibilities remain.

No, this isnt a new movie set for Wes Anderson, but it very well could be. That is, if Anderson is looking for a giant antenna at the Johnson Space Center. We spy an outer space feature film in his future?

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Space rocks and fighter jets: NASA shares its photographers best images - Popular Photography

HOUSTON, Texas

For all eternity, the US will lay claim to being the first country to put a man on the moon.

Fifty-three years ago, on July 20, 1969, NASA spacecraft Apollo 11 landed on the moon with astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins aboard.

All three became iconic figures around the world, with Armstrong becoming the first human to set foot on the moon's surface.

"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," he exclaimed on that glorious day.

"Obviously, firsts are usually the ones we remember the most, and Neils accomplishment certainly ranks among the most notable firsts of all time," said Brian Odom, the US space agencys acting chief historian. "His calm, cool demeanor during the mission also became legendary and made him the subject of many documentaries, films, and stories."

"The reaction to Apollo 11 was tremendous both in the US and internationally," Odom told Anadolu Agency. "Once the astronauts returned home, they became instant celebrities, as the landing was understood to be one of the greatest of humanity's accomplishments."

Space Race

The triumph of that historic day was the result of the US battling the Soviet Union during the 20th century in what became known as the Space Race.

"In May 1961, President John F. Kennedy committed the US to the Moon program. The decision followed a series of notable firsts for the Soviets, including Sputnik in 1957 and Yuri Gagarins orbital flight in April 1961," Odom explained.

"At the time, the Cold War magnified these defeats, as communism and democracy were locked in what appeared to many to be an existential battle around the world."

This competition between the two global giants propelled both countries to press forward with the Space Race with the goal of letting the world know which nation was number one. That meant countless resources being poured into NASA's space program.

"Kennedy believed technological achievements were important to the Cold War race but also that the investment in the Apollo program would have implications back home in terms of national capabilities in research and development," said Odom. "Kennedy believed this investment would also have implications on the American economy and society. The success of Apollo 11 in 1969 was the culmination of that process."

That first mission to the moon intensified America's focus on the space program and immediately impacted the scientific community worldwide.

Shuttle, Hubble, Mars Rover

"More missions returned to the lunar surface, expanding science and exploration," Odom explained. "These accomplishments allowed the US and international partners to build upon that success by returning to low Earth orbit to understand the microgravity environment, planetary science, astrophysics, and Earth science."

Less than three years after the US put the first person on the moon, President Richard Nixon declared in 1972 that NASA would develop a space transportation system featuring a vehicle capable of shuttling "repeatedly from Earth to orbit and back."

Then, on April 12, 1981, another nine years later, the first space shuttle, Columbia, blasted off, beginning a 30-year run of 135 shuttle missions, which carried more than 350 crew members into outer space, traveling more than 804 million kilometers (500 million miles) during that period.

"Following Apollo, NASA dedicated its human spaceflight efforts to the space shuttle," said Odom, praising its ability to allow us to learn valuable lessons in low-Earth orbit and to live and work in space."

Exploring the vast unknowns of space did not end there. From the space shuttle program to the Hubble Space Telescope to the Mars Rover, the first moon landing has been an important catalyst in America's commitment to space exploration more than a half-century later.

Webb Telescope, return to the Moon, and manned Mars mission

"The moon landing continues to inspire NASA and its workforce, commercial and international partners to dream big," emphasized Odom. "One important example is the recent success of the James Webb Space Telescope. This telescope is the largest and most complex space science observatory ever built to transform our view of the universe and deliver world-class science."

"Like Apollo before it, Webb is one of the great engineering feats of humanity," Odom stressed. "The recently revealed first images brought us together to wonder at our shared cosmic origins."

Over the decades since the first moon landing, many space enthusiasts have wondered when the US will send another crew of astronauts to the moon.

Wonder no more.

"NASA is going back to the Moon and beyond with the Artemis Program," said Odom. "With Artemis, NASA will land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon, using innovative technologies to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before for the benefit of all."

NASA continues to test the Artemis human landing system and its next-generation spacesuits, with a target date for that first mission sometime in 2026.

"We will collaborate with commercial and international partners and establish the first long-term presence on the Moon," explained Odom. "Then, we will use what we learn on and around the Moon to take the next giant leap: sending the first astronauts to Mars."

As is evidenced by the amount of space travel and technological breakthroughs over the past 53 years, landing the first human on the moon will continue to motivate space exploration and allow scientists to believe dreams can come true.

"I think it really means there is nothing humanity cant accomplish if we work together across both human space exploration and scientific discovery," said Odom. "People will never look at the sky the same way again."

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53rd anniversary of US putting 1st man on the moon - Anadolu Agency | English

One of The Chainsmokers latest hits is "High and theyre hoping to live up to their lyrics. The duo of Drew Taggart and Alex Pall have signed up to get into a pressurized capsule tethered to a stratospheric balloon in a few years and perform about 20 miles above the Earth. (Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP, file)

Willy Sanjuan

NEW YORK One of The Chainsmokers latest hits is High and they're hoping to live up to their lyrics.

The hit-making duo of Drew Taggart and Alex Pall have signed up to get into a pressurized capsule tethered to a stratospheric balloon in a few years and perform about 20 miles above the Earth.

The feat would make Taggart and Pall the first musical artists to perform at the edge of space, said Ryan Hartman, chief executive officer at fledgling space tourism company World View, to The Associated Press.

World View says The Chainsmokers will be on one of the companys inaugural flights slated for 2024 and will record a performance from inside the capsule, giving viewers the ability to experience the music and the trip firsthand.

We have always dreamed of going to space and are stoked to collaborate with World View to have this adventure and experience, said The Chainsmokers in a statement. We know the views of both Earth and space are going to be incredible and inspiring and we hope to leverage this flight for creativity on future projects.

The Chainsmokers have had five Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hits, including Closer Paris, Dont Let Me Down and Something Just Like This with Coldplay in 2017.

Hartman said that while most of the people who have made space flights are scientists and engineers, World View hopes sending up artists might inspire them to do something different than they would have otherwise done.

We think about inspiring new perspectives and how those new perspectives can lead to a radically improved future for our Earth, he said. To be able to reach the audience of The Chainsmokers through Alex and Drews work contributes to our mission as well. Its something that Im personally inspired by and excited about.

World View is part of a new wave of private space exploration firms offering seats to the public, a list that includes Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic and SpaceX. Each World View balloon capsule is planned to seat eight passengers and reach a peak altitude of 100,000 feet. Each flight will last six to 12 hours.

Picking The Chainsmokers for the honor was, in part, a personal decision as well as an attempt to excite a younger audience. Hartman said he watched as his youngest son belted out lyrics from the duos songs and was inspired by the bands popularity. He explained the flight to the pair over dinner.

I have just seen firsthand and personally how their music reaches a lot of different groups, a lot of different age groups and just how passionate they are about their music and their art. It matches our passion for what we do, he said.

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The Chainsmokers to perform at the edge of space - The Durango Herald

The UAE and France have signed a series of key agreements aimed at boosting the fight against climate change, strengthening partnerships in space exploration and defence and furthering co-operation in higher education.

Ten deals were struck on Monday to enhance bilateral ties, as part of President Sheikh Mohamed's state visit to France.

Emirati and French ministers set out plans to work closely together across a number of fields.

1. A letter of intent regarding granting permission to family members of staff of diplomatic missions and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation to engage in business.

This was signed by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, and French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna.

2. A joint declaration on co-operation between the UAE and France in the higher education field, signed by Sheikh Abdullah and Ms Colonna.

3. An agreement between the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology and Avnor Group for co-operation in the field of standardisation.

4. An agreement between the Office of the UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change and the French government in the field of climate action, signed by Dr Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change, and Agnes Pannier-Runacher, French Minister of Energy Transition.

5. A road map for co-operation between the UAE's Tawazun Economic Council and the General Directorate of Armaments in the French Ministry of Defence, signed by Ahmed Al Harmoudi, chief executive of the council, and Thierry Carlier, director of international development in the French General Directorate for Armaments.

6. An agreement between the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre and France's National Centre for Space Studies (CNES) focusing on lunar exploration. It was signed by Salem Humaid Al Marri, director general of the MBRSC, and Philippe Baptiste, president of the CNES.

7. A letter of intent on Earth observation between the MBRSC and the CNES.

8. Letter of Intent regarding human spaceflight activities between the MBRSC and the CNES.

9. An agreement establishing co-operation between the Pasteur Institute and the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre was signed by Matar Saeed Al Nuaimi, director general of the ADPHC, and Prof Stewart Cole, president of the institute.

10. The founding contract of NT Energies between Technip and the National Petroleum Construction Company. It was signed by Ahmed Al Dhaheri, chief executive of NPCC, and Arnaud Pieton, chief executive of Technip.

In addition, President Sheikh Mohamed and French President Emmanuel Macron witnessed the signing of two major energy agreements in Paris.

The first was a comprehensive strategic energy partnership between the UAE and France, and the second a strategic partnership agreement between Adnoc and TotalEnergies.

The CSEP focuses on enhancing energy security, affordability and decarbonisation, and progressive climate action before Cop28, which is set to take place in the UAE in 2023, state news agency Wam reported.

President Sheikh Mohamed gives a speech during a dinner hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron at the Versailles Grand Trianon in Paris on Monday. All photos: Presidential Court

Updated: July 20, 2022, 7:11 AM

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UAE and France to work together to combat climate change and explore space - The National

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Global Analysis on Satellite Remote Sensing Market With Airbus S.A.S, Ball Corporation, Boeing, Space Exploration Technologies, Thales Group (French)|...

Brian May is celebrating another breakthrough in humanity's exploration of the universe with new music, teaming up with 10cc co-founder Graham Gouldman on a new song inspired by the James Webb Space Telescope.

"There is nothing more exciting in a world of exploration than going to a place about which you know nothing," the Queen guitarist said through a press release. "The sky's the limit for what we could find out."

The James Webb Space Telescope is the most powerful telescope humans have ever sent into space. The device was put into orbit last December after a decade of planning. On Monday, NASA unveiled the first images from the Webb telescope, believed to be humanity's deepest look into space yet.

May and Gouldman's new song, "Floating in Heaven," is a celebration of the Webb telescope's mission and what it is revealing to us about our universe.

May, who has a doctorate in astrophysics from London's Imperial College, plays guitar on the track, which was written and sung by Gouldman. You can hear it via the player at the top of this page.

In January of 2019, May celebrated the launch of NASA's New Horizon's probe by releasing a song of the same name. The May-penned track "39" from Queen's 1975 A Night at the Opera also references the guitarist's fascination with space.

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Brian May Unveils Another Space Exploration-Inspired Solo Single - iHeartRadio

After exploring Mars for more than a year, China's Tianwen-1 space probe has successfully taken imagescovering the entire Red Planet, China's National Space Administration (CNSA) announced on June 29.

Tianwen-1, which translates to "quest for heavenly truth", consists of six separate spacecraft: an orbiter, two deployable cameras, a lander, a remote camera, and a Zhurong rover.

The images in question were taken by the orbiter while circling Mars 1,344 times, capturing images of the Red Planet from every angle while Zhurong explored the surface. In the statement, CNSA said the probe has now completed all of its tasks, which included taking medium-resolution images covering the entire planet.

Tianwen-1 was launched on July 23, 2020, amidst the turmoil of the COVID-19 global pandemic.What'sunique about this missionis China was attempting to become the first nation to successfully send an orbiter and rover to Mars on the first try.

Upon successful orbital insertion and landing, Tianwen-1 became a historic victory for both the CNSA and space exploration.Before Tianwen-1, the only twosuccessful missionsto send both an orbiter and lander to Mars were NASA's Viking 1 and 2 missions in 1975.

Prior to that, the Soviet Union had attempted this feat with their Mars 2 and 3 missions in 1971, and Mars 6 in 1973. Mars 2 was an outright failure with the lander being destroyed and the orbiter sending back no data. On Mars 3, the orbiter obtained approximately eight months of data and while the lander touched down safely, it only returned 20 seconds of data. On Mars 6, the orbiter produced data from an occultation experiment, but the lander failed on descent.

During its time exploring the Red Planet, Tianwen-1 showed a Mars we've come to both love and admire: dusty dunes, shield volcanoes, impact craters, and even the north pole.

A crater on Mars, imaged by the Tianwen-1 space probe. (Credit: CNSA).

While the orbiter was taking these amazing images, Zhurong was gathering data and information about Mars' geological structure, atmosphere, environment, and soil.

North pole of Mars. (Credit: CNSA).

Overall, the probe has collected 1,040 gigabytes of raw scientific data, which the CNSA said has been processed by scientists back on Earth and handed over to researchers for further study.

While the probe entered Mars' orbit on 10 February 2021, the Zhurong rover didn't touch down on Mars until May 14 of that same year. It landed in Utopia Planitia, current home of NASA's Viking 2 spacecraft which landed in the vast Martian plain in 1975.

In June 2022, Zhurong successfully foundhydrated mineralsin sediment dating to Mars' most recent geologic period which are likely associated with groundwater. Hydrated minerals include substances such as olivine, pyroxene, and feldspar that were likely altered as they integrated water into their chemical structures.

An image of dunes on Mars, taken by the Zhurong rover shortly before it entered dormancy in May 2022. (Credit: CNSA)

Unfortunately, Zhurong had to enter its dormant mode starting on 18 May 2022, due to dropping temperatures during the Martian winter, along with poor sand and dust conditions. This dormant mode ensures the long-term survivability of the rover, which will reawaken sometime in December.

While Tianwen-1 makes China only the third nation to successfully land a spacecraft on the surface of Mars, the European Space Agency (ESA), India, and the United Arab Emirates have successfully sent their respective spacecraft to orbit the Red Planet.

Tianwen-1 also demonstrates China's strong aspiration to explore Mars, as itrecently announcedplans to return Mars samples to Earth in 2031, a full two years earlier than NASA and the ESA.

Along with their ambitious robotic missions, the CNSA announced last year that they plan to send itsfirst crewed missionto the Red Planet in 2033 with a goal to send regular missions to Mars and eventually build a base there. This 2033 timeframe is in stark contrast to NASA, who announced earlier this year that they plan to launch astronauts to Mars in the late 2030s or early 2040s.

China seems very serious about human space exploration, as their Tiangong space station currently houses three astronauts on six-months stays, with themost recent crewarriving just last month.

Where will space exploration take us in the coming years? Which country will land the first humans on Mars? Only time will tell, and this is why we science!

This article was originally published by Universe Today. Read the original article.

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China's Probe Has Successfully Imaged The Entire Surface of Mars in All Its Glory - ScienceAlert

Nature's Fynd

SpaceX-25 launches Natures Fynds novel bioreactor to grow its nutritional fungi protein, Fy onboard the ISS

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., July 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Natures Fynds protein bioreactor is going into orbit aboard SpaceX-25 to develop new ways to provide nutritious, sustainable protein for space exploration. This flight is an exciting next step in Natures Fynds ongoing collaboration with NASAs EPSCoR (Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research), Montana State University, and BioServe Space Technologies, a Center within the University of Colorado Boulder.

The goal of the flight study is to demonstrate the use of a novel bioreactor technology for growing high-protein food on the International Space Station (ISS). This bioreactor technology has proven to efficiently convert simple feedstocks on Earth, including vegetation and other excess plant material into high-protein biomats of fungi. Now, this flight will research the bioreactors efficacy under low-Earth orbit microgravity and radiation conditions.

We are seeing the possibilities of exploration beyond our planet brought to life just this week by NASAs James Webb Space Telescope. Today, were thrilled to announce our role in the revolutionary NASA research to develop a safe, efficient, and robust system for producing fresh food in space. Our connection to NASA is deepNatures Fynd started as a research project for NASA, which led us to discover a remarkable microbe with origins in Yellowstone National Park. Were delighted to come full circle now and demonstrate our technologys efficacy for future space travel. Our breakthrough fermentation system is relatively simple, uses minimal energy and water, and delivers a nutritious protein that is easy to harvest, with little to no waste in a matter of daysas perfect for space as it is here on Earth, said Thomas Jonas CEO and Co-Founder of Natures Fynd.

The novel bioreactor onboard the ISS will grow Fy, Natures Fynds highly versatile, nutritional fungi protein harnessing their patented fermentation technology that uses a fraction of the land, water, and energy required by traditional agriculture. Packed with all twenty amino acids, including the nine essential ones, Fy is a complete, vegan protein and a healthy source of fiber and other essential nutrients. Natures Fynd recently launched its Meatless Breakfast Patties and Dairy-Free Cream Cheese made with Fy in grocery stores across the USto deliver on its mission of creating amazing foods that nourish people while nurturing the planet.

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NASA EPSCoR Project Manager Jeppie Compton added, Each of these projects has the potential to contribute to critical innovations in human spaceflight on the International Space Station and beyond. Were very impressed with the ideas put forward in these investigation concepts and look forward to seeing how these technologies perform.

About Natures FyndNatures Fynd is a Chicago-based food company creating versatile alternative proteins to nourish the worlds growing population while nurturing the planet. Born out of research conducted for NASA on microbes with origins in Yellowstone National Park, the companys breakthrough fermentation technology grows Fy. Fy is a new-to-the-world nutritional fungi protein that uses only a fraction of the resources required by traditional agriculture. The company has raised over $500 million in equity and debt financing to date. Nature's Fynd's products are available in stores across the country, including Berkeley Bowl in California, Fairway Market in New York, Mariano's in Chicago and now select Whole Foods Markets stores in ten states across the West and Northeast. For more information visit http://www.naturesfynd.com Or follow along on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn. The terms Natures Fynd, The Fynder Group, Fy, and Fy Protein are trademarks of the Company.

Contact Sarah Rosenberg at sarah@wickedgm.com for press inquiries.

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Natures Fynd collaborates with NASA to grow Fy, its revolutionary fungi-based protein in space - Yahoo Finance